textproduct: Wichita

KEY MESSAGES

- Hot conditions are expected through Tuesday. Heat indices up to 115 will be possible into this evening. Heat indices exceeding 105 are likely in southern KS Tuesday afternoon into the evening.

- Periodic storm chances will return during the overnight hours tonight into Tuesday and are possible each night through Friday.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 316 PM CDT Mon Jul 27 2026

A strong upper ridge remains over much of the Northern and Central Plains. An upper high continues to be over portions of the Central and Southern Plains. A weak cold front extends down from a surface low in Wisconsin through central Iowa into southern Nebraska. In our area, dewpoints range from the lower 60s in central KS to the lower 70s in southeast KS. High temperatures have exceeded 100 degrees across much of our area with areas along and west of I-135 between 105 to 110. Heat indices have risen above 105 and are likely to exceed 110 degrees into early this evening. The warmest values are expected in central KS with indices up to 115 degrees possible. An Extreme Heat Warning remains in effect through 9 PM tonight.

This evening into tonight, the aforementioned cold front will continue to move south into northern Kansas likely along I-70. The upper ridge will breakdown slightly, allowing a weak shortwave trough to eject out into the Central Plains tonight. This front will likely become the focus for storm chances during the overnight hours and into Tuesday morning in our area as the weak shortwave continues to slide east across the region. Storms will initiate over eastern Colorado, western Nebraska, and northwest Kansas this evening into tonight near the frontal boundary. These storms will slowly move east into central KS likely around/after 4 AM. The main hazard with these storms and showers will be strong gusty winds as DCAPE values exceed 1400 J/kg especially as it is possible that the complex of storms dissipate as they move into our area given the warm 700 mb temperatures. Showers and storms are possible for much of the day Tuesday especially in portions of central and eastern KS as 700 mb WAA persists. The cold front will make its way towards southern KS by Tuesday afternoon, resulting in slightly cooler temperatures across the region compared to the last few days. Highs will range from the mid 90s in central KS to near 100 in southern KS. Dewpoints are expected to be in the upper 60s to lower 70s. This will result in another warm day with heat indices near 100 in central KS and values between 105-110 in southern KS. As such, the Heat Advisory is now in effect for south-central and southeast KS through 8 PM Tuesday.

Additional rain chances will be possible late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning as another weak shortwave trough slides across the region with 700 mb WAA aiding in shower and storm chances. Storms are expected to develop off the High Plains again Tuesday night and slowly progress eastward towards central KS during the overnight hours. Again given the very warm 700 mb temperatures, storms are likely to dissipate as they move into our area. These chances are likely to linger across portions of eastern KS on Wednesday morning with chances decreasing towards Wednesday afternoon. Even with the upper ridge breaking down slightly over the Central Plains, high temperatures will remain in the 90s across the region for both Wednesday and Thursday afternoon. Weak northwesterly flow aloft will continue allowing embedded shortwave troughs to eject and slide across the region. This will result in rain chances Wednesday night into Thursday morning, and then likely again Thursday night into Friday. At this time, severe weather chances with any of this activity continue to remain very low. The upper-level ridge axis will shift westward towards the Central Great Basin and Desert Southwest late in the work week. Guidance suggests near normal or slightly below normal high temperatures towards the end of the week with highs in the 80s to low 90s.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z WEDNESDAY/

Issued at 620 PM CDT Mon Jul 27 2026

VFR conditions will prevail through the late evening hours. Meanwhile showers/storms over northwest Kansas will spread slowly eastward late tonight and some of this activity could reach central Kansas. Severe weather is not expected with any of these storms, main risk will be brief periods of heavy rainfall and lightning. A weak front boundary will drop southward across the area for late tonight into the morning hours on Tuesday, thus causing the winds to switch around to the north/northeast behind the frontal passage.

ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Extreme Heat Warning until 9 PM CDT this evening for KSZ032- 033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100. Heat Advisory until 8 PM CDT Tuesday for KSZ067>072-082-083- 091>096-098>100.