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000
FXUS63 KICT 281141
AFDICT

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
541 AM CST SAT FEB 28 2015

...UPDATED FOR 12Z AVIATION DISCUSSION...

.SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH MONDAY)
ISSUED AT 254 AM CST SAT FEB 28 2015

SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP RAPIDLY OVER SOUTHWEST KANSAS/TEXAS
PANHANDLE EARLY THIS MORNING...THEN SPREAD EASTWARD INTO CENTRAL
AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS TODAY. THE BULK OF THE ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL
SHOULD OCCUR DURING THE DAYTIME HOURS TODAY...WITH THE STRONGER
ISENTROPIC LIFT PERSISTING THROUGH A FAIRLY DEEP LAYER. THE
HIGHER SNOW TOTALS SHOULD AFFECT MAINLY SOUTHERN KANSAS WITH
LIGHTER AMOUNTS IN CENTRAL KANSAS.

THE SNOW INTENSITY WILL LESSEN FOR THE AREA TONIGHT...BUT WE COULD
SEE A RE-DEVELOPING BAND OF SNOW OVER CENTRAL KANSAS LATE TONIGHT
ALONG A MID-LEVEL BAROCLINIC ZONE. ALSO MODEL SOUNDINGS ARE HINTING
AT THE POSSIBILITY OF CLOUD ICE BEING LOST ALOFT FOR A PERIOD OF
TIME FROM LATE TONIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING. IF THIS OCCURS THE SNOW
COULD SWITCH OVER TO FREEZING DRIZZLE...HOWEVER WE WILL MAINTAIN
LIGHT SNOW FOR THE TIME BEING SINCE ANY FREEZING DRIZZLE WOULD BE
BRIEF. THE SNOW WILL TAPER OFF FOR SUNDAY AFTERNOON AS THE THE
UPPER LEVEL WAVE SLIDES EAST OF THE AREA...WITH DRY WEATHER
EXPECTED SUNDAY NIGHT. TEMPERATURES WILL FINALLY WARM ABOVE
FREEZING ON MONDAY BUT VALUES REMAIN WELL BELOW NORMAL FOR EARLY
MARCH. A SECOND UPPER LEVEL WAVE APPROACHES THE AREA ON MONDAY
WITH A GOOD SURGE OF RICHER LOW LEVEL MOISTURE POSSIBLY YIELDING
DRIZZLE AS MID-LEVELS LOOK TOO DRY. LIFT AND MOISTURE DEPTH WILL
INCREASE FOR MONDAY NIGHT WITH RAIN CHANCES...AND COULD ALSO SEE A
FEW ELEVATED STORMS FOR FAR SOUTHEAST KANSAS WITH SOME WEAK
INSTABILITY ALOFT.

.LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY)
ISSUED AT 254 AM CST SAT FEB 28 2015

WE SHOULD SEE A DECENT WARM UP ON TUESDAY BEFORE NEXT ARCTIC FRONT
BLASTS SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE AREA FOR TUESDAY AFTERNOON/NIGHT. ALSO
GOOD CHANCES OF RAIN WILL EXIST MAINLY FOR SOUTHEAST KANSAS AS
RICHER GULF MOISTURE AXIS WILL TARGET THAT AREA. IN ADDITION...COULD
SEE A FEW THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHEAST KANSAS WITH ENOUGH INSTABILITY
PRESENT. THE RAIN WILL CHANGE OVER TO SNOW TUESDAY NIGHT AS THE MUCH
COLDER AIR SURGES SOUTHWARD...BUT WITH UPPER SYSTEM RACING EASTWARD
IT WOULD BE SHORT-LIVED AND NOT EXPECTING MUCH ACCUMULATION UNLESS
SYSTEM CAN SLOW DOWN WITH LATER MODEL RUNS. COLD WELL BELOW NORMAL
TEMPERATURES AGAIN FOR WEDNESDAY BUT IT WILL BE BRIEF AS
TEMPERATURES SHOULD REBOUND TO NEAR NORMAL BY FRIDAY.

JAKUB

&&

.AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z SUNDAY MORNING)
ISSUED AT 537 AM CST SAT FEB 28 2015

AVIATION CONCERNS REMAIN SNOW AND LOW CEILINGS THROUGH THE NEXT 24
HOURS.

INITIAL AREA OF MODERATE SNOW IS MOVING ACROSS CENTRAL/SOUTHERN KS
WITH VISIBILITIES IN THE 1-2SM RANGE IN THE MORE INTENSE BANDS
ALONG WITH IFR CEILINGS. THIS AREA IS QUICKLY MOVING EAST AND
SHOULD BE EAST OF THE FORECAST AREA BY 15-16Z. SOUTHERN/SE KS
LOOKS TO REMAIN IN THE SNOW THE LONGEST. WE SHOULD SEE A BREAK
FROM THE MODERATE SNOW AND IFR CONDITIONS UNTIL OVERNIGHT WHEN
ANOTHER ROUND OF MODERATE SNOW AND IFR CEILINGS OVERSPREADS THE
AREA.

LAWSON

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
ISSUED AT 254 AM CST SAT FEB 28 2015

FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS WILL REMAIN VERY LOW FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS
DUE TO EXPECTED SNOW BLANKETING MUCH OF THE AREA THIS
WEEKEND...ALONG WITH RAIN CHANCES FOR MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
WICHITA-KICT    25  23  32  21 / 100  80  60  10
HUTCHINSON      24  22  31  20 / 100  70  60  10
NEWTON          24  22  30  19 / 100  80  70  10
ELDORADO        25  23  32  21 / 100  80  70  10
WINFIELD-KWLD   26  24  33  22 / 100  80  60  10
RUSSELL         25  18  34  18 /  80  70  50  10
GREAT BEND      24  20  32  19 /  90  70  50  10
SALINA          25  20  33  20 / 100  80  60  10
MCPHERSON       24  21  31  19 / 100  80  60  10
COFFEYVILLE     27  25  34  24 / 100  90  60  10
CHANUTE         25  23  32  22 / 100  90  80  10
IOLA            25  23  32  21 / 100  90  80  10
PARSONS-KPPF    26  24  33  23 / 100  90  70  10

&&

.ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL NOON CST SUNDAY FOR KSZ032-033-
047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100.

&&

$$