Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Wichita, KS

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384 FXUS63 KICT 211910 AFDICT Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wichita KS 210 PM CDT Sat Sep 21 2024 .KEY MESSAGES...
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- Numerous/widespread showers with embedded storms tonight. - Much cooler for Sunday with lingering showers/storms. - Mild days/cool nights for much of the upcoming week.
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&& .DISCUSSION...
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Issued at 210 PM CDT Sat Sep 21 2024 A strong signal for a welcome rainfall event ramping up early this evening generally west of I-135 before spreading eastward overnight thru Sunday across the rest of central and eastern Kansas. An area of convection was moving out across the northern Texas/Oklahoma panhandles at early afternoon well ahead of the approaching upper trof just southwest of the Four Corners region. While clouds have inhibited warming somewhat earlier in the day, late afternoon sun/heating should result in mlcape values around 1500 j/kg over parts of the area in the presence of moderate deep layer shear. This should support a few strong to marginally severe storms early this evening. Otherwise, stronger forcing for ascent will move across the area overnight in advance of the upper shortwave trof. Fairly high precipitable water values (around 2") will lend to efficient rainfall from any storms, especially along/west of the Kansas turnpike corridor through early Sunday morning. The good news is that some of this looks to fall over the drought-stricken areas of south central Kansas just west and northwest of Wichita. The main theme on Sunday will be much cooler weather with lingering showers and perhaps a few storms on gusty northerly winds. A residual weak upper trof will linger over the central Plains into Monday before being kicked eastward as a northern stream upper trof settles southward across the northern Plains into the Midwest on Tuesday. The medium range consensus seems to support developing this into a cutoff low meandering somewhere over Kansas or the central conus later in the week as a blocking pattern (ridge aloft) building over the Upper Midwest/northern Great Lakes. Overall, while moderating some, this looks to keep temperatures a bit below seasonal climo thru the week. Darmofal
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&& .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SUNDAY/... Issued at 1228 PM CDT Sat Sep 21 2024 Area of showers and storms currently over southwest Kansas will spread into central/south central Kansas this evening. In addition, a cold front will push slowly southward across the region tonight. The showers and storms will become more widespread tonight along with low clouds building in across central Kansas. The low cloud heights are expected to drop into IFR category for late tonight into Sunday morning over. The showers/storms will begin to taper off from west to east into the morning hours on Sunday. North winds will prevail on Sunday in the wake of the cold frontal passage. && .CLIMATE... Issued at 309 AM CDT Sat Sep 21 2024 A record cool high temperature is possible at Russell on Sunday. The record is 57 degrees last set in 1962, with the forecast calling for mid-upper 50s. && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...None. && $$ DISCUSSION...KED AVIATION...CDJ CLIMATE...ADK