textproduct: Wichita

KEY MESSAGES

- Temperatures near 100 degrees through Tuesday before heat relief arrives for some by Wednesday; Much cooler for Thursday

- A few showers and thunderstorms are possible this morning across central KS and this afternoon across eastern KS; Additional rain chances Tuesday night and beyond

- Increasing potential for a strong cold front late this weekend or early next week

DISCUSSION

Issued at 327 AM CDT Mon Sep 7 2026

As of 230 AM Monday, a highly amplified midlevel ridge remains across the central US and is flanked by troughs on each coast. A remnant outflow boundary from thunderstorm activity across western MO Sunday evening continues to progress southwest and currently extends from Lyons to Wichita to Arkansas City. Regional radar reveals a complex of thunderstorms moving across northern NE and SD within a broad zone of 850-700 mb WAA. Unlike the past few mornings, thermodynamic profiles are not as favorable for isolated thunderstorms as the LLJ veers near dawn. Similar to Sunday afternoon, a weak low-level baroclinic zone across eastern KS this afternoon will overlap a moist airmass comprised of PW values up to 1.75". This may yield a few isolated thunderstorms (mainly east of Highway 77) with MLCAPE up to 1000 J/kg of MLCAPE. Effective shear will remain 20-25 kt, supporting mainly pulse convection. DCAPE up to 1300 J/kg may support localized downbursts near 60 mph. In regards to temperatures, with the ridge axis overhead, afternoon highs near 100 degrees are expected area-wide through Tuesday. The Heat Advisory remains in effect through Tuesday evening.

Mid to long range guidance are trending towards an end of the long stretch of unseasonably hot temperatures. The initial pattern change begins late Tuesday into Wednesday as a midlevel shortwave trough ejects across the northern Plains, shunting a surface cold front into the state. Exact timing of the front will be pivotal for high temperatures Wednesday afternoon. Areas ahead of the front are likely to surge near 100 degrees with post-frontal areas in the 80s or low 90s. The frontal zone should sweep across the entire forecast area by Thursday with high temperatures in the 80s for most locations. As the frontal zone progresses across the area, shower and thunderstorm chances will increase as well. PW values may exceed 2" near and ahead of the front, suggesting heavy rainfall is possible.

Transitioning into Thursday night and Friday, zonal midlevel flow will become established across northern half of CONUS with the next shortwave trough emerging across the Pacific northwest. The initial cold front will slide well-southeast of the area with the next surface trough developing across the high Plains. This will return southerly flow to the forecast area. WAA driven showers and thunderstorms are possible late Thursday night and Friday morning. Temperatures will surge back into the 90s areawide Friday afternoon ahead of the next cold front. This cold front will sweep across the area Saturday with additional shower/thunderstorm chances as well. This frontal passage will similar to Wednesday's with southerly flow quickly returning Sunday into Monday as another lee surface trough develops across the high Plains. The frontal passage that many Kansans have been long awaiting looks to sweep across the area during the Monday/Tuesday timeframe of next week. A stout 1025 mb post-frontal surface high will usher in a taste of fall!

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z TUESDAY/

Issued at 1034 PM CDT Sun Sep 6 2026

VFR conditions are generally expected to prevail over the next 24 hours.

Surface winds remain generally light out of the east and southeast tonight and should remain this way through Monday morning. Winds are forecast to shift more southerly late Monday morning, and increase to around 10 to 15 knots across much of the forecast area. Portions of central Kansas could see wind gusts around 25 to 30 knots at times, mainly impacting KSLN, KGBD, and KRSL (and surrounding locations) during the afternoon hours.

Meanwhile, an isolated storm or two cannot be ruled out along and east of the Flint Hills during the afternoon hours. While impacts to KCNU are too low for mention in this set of TAFs, any storm could be capable of strong downburst winds and heavy rainfall.

ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Heat Advisory until 8 PM CDT Tuesday for KSZ032-033-047>053- 067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100.