textproduct: Wichita

KEY MESSAGES

- A cold front will arrive on Sunday ushering in more seasonable air late on Sunday and into Monday. Gusty north winds have prompted a wind advisory for Sunday across much of the area.

- Temperatures will rebound for Tue-Thu with above normal values and continued dry weather conditions.

- Another cold front will usher in cooler air for Fri-Sat.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 130 PM CDT Sat Mar 21 2026

We expect a temporary break from the recent hot weather as a cold front arrives on Sunday. Winds will shift to the north in the wake of the front with more seasonable temperatures expected on Monday. This cooldown will be short-lived as southerly low level winds return on Tuesday allowing highs in the mid and upper 70s to return, warmest in central KS.

Wed-Thu...We begin to see more influence from the mid/upper ridge toward the middle of the week as it begins to migrate out of the Southwest and over the southern CONUS. The deterministic GFS continues to advertise a faster fropa on Thursday but much of the area is expected to see another hot day prior to the frontal passage with highs in the lower 90s. We could see widely scattered showers or isolated storms in eastern KS along the frontal zone late Thursday night into early Friday but confidence in wetting rain remains fairly low at this time.

Fri-Sat...A stable post-frontal regime is anticipated on Friday while a slower fropa could lead to some lingering showers in parts of eastern Kansas early in the period. Post-frontal easterly flow will lead to seasonably mild temperatures through the period with highs in the low to mid 60s.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z MONDAY/

Issued at 625 PM CDT Sat Mar 21 2026

VFR conditions are expected through this TAF period. Main aviation concern will be with winds. Southerly winds will decrease to around 10 kts this evening at all sites then a cold front will move through the area from north to south starting at 12z, shifting winds to northerly. Wind speeds will increase to 20-25 kts gusting to 40 kts between 12-16z on Sunday morning at all sites except at CNU where speeds between 10-15 kts with gusts up to 25 kts are expected. Winds will start to diminish on Sunday evening just after this TAF period.

FIRE WEATHER

Issued at 130 PM CDT Sat Mar 21 2026

Breezy southwest winds will combine with hot and very dry conditions leading to extreme fire danger over parts of central, south central and southeast Kansas late this afternoon and early this evening. A red flag warning is in effect for areas along and west of the Flint Hills.

A cold front will arrive on Sunday shifting winds to the north and ushering in some cooler, more seasonable air. Northwest winds may gust to around 40 mph at times, resulting in extreme grassland fire danger for much of the area and a red flag warning is in effect for all of the area.

As temperatures rebound by mid-week, we could see a resurgence of elevated fire danger during the afternoon hours with breezy winds and continued dry conditions.

ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Red Flag Warning until 10 PM CDT this evening for KSZ032-033- 047>053-067>070-082-083-091>094-098. Red Flag Warning from 9 AM to 8 PM CDT Sunday for KSZ032-033- 047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100. Wind Advisory from 9 AM to 8 PM CDT Sunday for KSZ032-033- 047>053-067>070-082-083-091>094-098.