textproduct: Wichita

KEY MESSAGES

- Dangerous wind chills continue this morning, as low as 15 below zero.

- Snow flurries possible later this afternoon/night, but little to no accumulation expected.

- Warming trend begins Sunday with slightly above normal temps returning by early next week.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 231 AM CST Sat Jan 31 2026

Currently, a deep upper-level trough continues to dig across the eastern CONUS with the trough axis extending across our area. The upper-level ridge is pushing on shore across the Pacific U.S. At the surface, an expansive 1044 high is parked over the Central and Northern Plains and the cold frontal boundary that ushered in our colder temperatures and snow showers has already pushed into the Southern Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley. As the surface high settles over the Plains this morning, temperatures will plummet to between zero to -5 degrees through the morning hours. A Cold Weather Advisory remains in effect through 10am this morning areawide as wind chills between 10-15 below zero are expected.

For the rest of today, temperatures will fail to warm up significantly and will remain in the upper teens to lower 20s under the cold, Arctic high. In the upper-levels, another weak perturbation will dip across the Plains later today/tonight. This will support another quick shot at some snow flurries during the afternoon/evening hours mainly across our central Kansas counties. As the ridge to the west slowly shifts eastward tonight, it will push the trough, and colder temperatures, east as well. Overnight low temperatures will only fall a few degrees from afternoon highs into the middle to lower teens. As the ridge continues to build into the region on Sunday, a dramatic warmup is expected under mostly clear skies. Highs will top out in the 40s for locations that still have a snowpack in south-central and southeastern Kansas, and temperatures will approach 50 degrees in central Kansas.

For the work week, a much more mild pattern is on tap with upper- level ridging generally dominating the central portions of the country. High temperatures on Mon/Tue will reach into the 40s to around 50 degrees in central Kansas. Ahead of the next trough, as the surface low develops in the Southern Plains, a few spotty showers will be possible on Tuesday and Tuesday night. Minimal impacts are expected at this time and this activity will quickly shift east as the dry, post-frontal air filters into the area on Wednesday morning. The weak trough will then swing across the Plains on Wednesday, settling the cooler air over the region. Highs on Wednesday will top out just below normal in the upper 30s to lower 40s. But as a stout ridge builds in for the end of the week, we could see above normal temperatures across the entire forecast area once again with widespread 50s areawide.

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SUNDAY/

Issued at 1134 AM CST Sat Jan 31 2026

Mid clouds in the 6k-8k ft range will impact parts of central KS this afternoon with a few flurries possible at times, but much of the precipitation may sublimate as the column remains very dry in the 2000-3000 ft layer. Light and variable winds early will gradually become southerly in the 10-15 knot range as we move into the evening and overnight hours.

ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.