textproduct: Wichita

KEY MESSAGES

- Heat will persist into the beginning of the weekend with an Excessive Heat Warning in effect through Friday.

- Widely scattered storms may return to parts of central KS during the evening and overnight hours Thu while lingering into the weekend.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 152 PM CDT Tue Aug 11 2026

The mid/upper ridge was situated over the Rockies while the ridge axis extends ESE across the Southern and portions of the Central Plains. This will allow for a persistence type forecast through the upcoming week and into the beginning of the weekend with triple digit heat lingering over the area through the period. The heat advisory was upgraded to an excessive heat warning through Friday with multiple consecutive days of triple digit heat indices anticipated.

As move into the day on Thursday, a shortwave trough moving across the Northern Plains may help to drive a frontal boundary southward into northern Kansas. This front could become a focus for showers and thunderstorms but confidence in how far south the front progresses remains fairly low at this time. This may bring some subtle relief from the heat for those along the I-70 corridor but southern Kansas is expected to remain hot. Repeated rounds of showers/storms on Fri-Sat could drive the effective frontal boundary further southward as we move into the weekend but confidence in how far south remains fairly low.

By Sunday, the front is progged to move southward near the OK state line which is expected to bring some temporary relief from the heat. Another shortwave trough could also bring showers and thunderstorms to the area Sunday night into early Monday. The mid/upper ridge is progged to amplify over the Central Plains once again by Tue-Wed bringing rising heights/increasing thickness and rising temperatures once again.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z THURSDAY/

Issued at 1047 PM CDT Tue Aug 11 2026

Winds have diminished across the area this evening, but the respite will be brief as winds are expected to increase for nearly all sites over the next few hours as the LLJ increases and winds mix down. This will also contribute to LLWS developing across the eastern half of Kansas, lasting through daybreak. Gusty south-southwesterly winds are expected to increase through the morning and early afternoon hours with gusts between 20-25 knots expected.

CLIMATE

Issued at 152 PM CDT Tue Aug 11 2026

------------------- Wednesday August 12 -------------------

Location Forecast High Record High ------------------------------------------------ Wichita 104 114-1936 Salina 106 117-1936 Chanute 102 109-1934 Russell 107 105-2021

------------------- Thursday August 13 -------------------

Location Forecast High Record High ------------------------------------------------ Wichita 104 110-1936 Salina 106 118-1936 Chanute 102 109-1936 Russell 104 104-1978

------------------- Friday August 14 -------------------

Location Forecast High Record High ------------------------------------------------ Wichita 100 110-1936 Salina 100 110-1936 Chanute 102 110-1936 Russell 99 106-1952

ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Extreme Heat Warning until 7 PM CDT Friday for KSZ032-033- 047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100.