


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Topeka, KS
Issued by NWS Topeka, KS
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515 FXUS63 KTOP 181702 AFDTOP Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Topeka KS 1202 PM CDT Sat Oct 18 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - Fog impacts the area this morning, including some locally dense fog. Any fog should burn off by 9 AM or so. - A strong cold front moves through the area today with northwest winds gusting at 30-40 MPH behind the front this afternoon and evening. - Feeling more like Fall behind the front starting Sunday and continuing through next week. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 317 AM CDT Sat Oct 18 2025 Southwest flow aloft is present across the Central Plains this morning with a southern stream shortwave near the TX/OK panhandles and a more vigorous trough over the Northern Plains. A surface trough has stalled across the forecast area with the stronger cold front still well north of the area across southern South Dakota. Light winds, clearing skies, and high boundary layer moisture ahead of the aforementioned surface trough has allowed for some fog to develop. Uncertainty remains in how dense and widespread fog will become, but the potential is there for at least some patchy dense fog until after sunrise when mixing ensues. The Northern Plains trough dives southeast through the day today, shunting a strong cold front through the area during the afternoon. As the southern stream wave pushes east-northeast, moisture and lift across east central Kansas will likely be sufficient for some showers and storms to develop through the day before the front shunts all activity to the east by this evening. Northwest winds become gusty as the front moves through with winds gusts at 30-40 MPH this afternoon and evening before relaxing overnight as surface high pressure builds in. The passage of the front ushers in cooler and drier air for Sunday with morning lows falling into the 40s, with the potential for some upper 30s near the KS/NE stateline. It will feel more like Fall on Sunday with highs only reaching the mid 60s to near 70 degrees. Southerly low-level flow increases late Sunday into Monday before another cold front moves through during the day Monday. A lack of moisture favors a dry frontal passage. Temperatures warm back into the 70s Monday afternoon before cooling back down into the 60s on Tuesday under Northwest flow aloft. Dry conditions continue until a closed low ejects across the Central and Southern Plains Thursday into Friday with confidence increasing in more widespread precipitation impacting the region during this timeframe. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SUNDAY/... Issued at 1159 AM CDT Sat Oct 18 2025 VFR at all TAF sites through the TAF period. A strong cold front will move through around 22z today. This will bring a sharp wind shift out of the northwest and gusty wind around 30 knots for the late afternoon and evening. Wind speeds should begin to diminish after 06z. Some light showers are possible following shortly behind the frontal passage, but confidence in these materializing and impacting the terminals is too low at this point to mention anything in the TAF. && .TOP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ DISCUSSION...Flanagan AVIATION...Jones