Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Topeka, KS
Issued by NWS Topeka, KS
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209 FXUS63 KTOP 292026 AFDTOP Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Topeka KS 226 PM CST Sat Nov 29 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - A Wind Advisory continues through 6 PM this evening for portions of north central and east central Kansas. - Dry, but cold tonight into Sunday. Wind chills will be in the single digits by sunrise Sunday and only reach the 20s by Sunday afternoon. - A fast-moving round of snow will impact the area Sunday night through the day Monday. Generally expecting 1-3 inches of snow to accumulate across the area. - Below-normal temperatures continue through next week. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 226 PM CST Sat Nov 29 2025 A mid-level shortwave and attendant cold front have pushed east of the area this afternoon, allowing for precipitation to end and much colder air to build in across northeast Kansas. Gusty northwest winds have taken control with sustained winds of 20-25 MPH and gusts of 35-45 MPH observed. A Wind Advisory remains in effect through 6 PM this evening for areas along and southwest of a Washington to Manhattan to Garnett line. Winds remain breezy overnight with the main uncertain revolving around cloud cover. Some guidance keeps low clouds in place with while others have clearing skies. Clouds continue to stream in from the north, so think clouds will hold on through at least most of the overnight period, perhaps even into Sunday morning. It will be cold regardless of cloud cover with lows Sunday morning in the teens and wind chills in the single digits! Not much warming will take place through the day with highs only reaching into the 20s. A positively-tilted, fast-moving shortwave ejects across the Plains Sunday night through the day Monday. With cold air in place, confidence is high in all precipitation being snow with this wave. Given the progressive nature, precipitation amounts will be on the lighter side, generally between 0.15-0.25" of liquid. However, SLRs will be above climatology given the cold airmass in place, likely in the 13-16:1 range. Even with light QPF amounts, the SLR/QPF combination will produce a widespread 1-3 inches of snow across the area. There is still a spread of about 0.1" of QPF between the 25-75th percentiles of ensembles with the majority (75% of ENS, GEFS, and GEPS members) falling within the 0.1-0.3" QPF range. There is a long tail on the high end with about 15 percent of the members showing greater than 0.3" of QPF. There are also some differences latitudinally in the location of heaviest snow with a subtle northward shift noted in guidance. With all of that said, there is high confidence in measurable snow falling across the entire area, medium confidence in a swath of 1-3 inches within the forecast area, and low confidence in any amounts exceeding 3". Could still see a shift in the track of this system or an increase/decrease in expected QPF and snow amounts, but this looks to be a stoutly advisory- level snow event with minor to moderate impacts to travel from falling and accumulating snow. Snow comes to an end Monday evening, leaving dry conditions through at least mid-week. Low-level winds briefly become southerly on Tuesday before another cold front brings in a reinforcing shot of cold air for the middle of the week. Frontal passage is favored to be dry, but will keep temperatures below-normal with lows ranging from the single digits to the low 20s and highs in the 20s and 30s. There is a signal for slightly warmer temperatures and low chances for precipitation by the end of next week. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SUNDAY/... Issued at 1150 AM CST Sat Nov 29 2025 Conditions have largely lifted to MVFR, although could see brief drops to IFR through the afternoon. MVFR conditions will hold into the evening, but confidence in when or if VFR conditions return is low. Some guidance keeps MVFR cigs through much of the period while other bring clear skies overnight. Have went somewhere in between these two scenarios, but will need to monitor trends this afternoon and evening and update as needed. Northwest winds have become gusty and will remain so through the day before gradually weakening overnight and into Sunday. && .TOP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Wind Advisory until 6 PM CST this evening for KSZ008-KSZ009- KSZ020-KSZ021-KSZ022-KSZ034-KSZ035-KSZ036-KSZ037-KSZ054-KSZ058- KSZ059. && $$ DISCUSSION...Flanagan AVIATION...Flanagan