Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Wichita, KS

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059 FXUS63 KICT 211113 AFDICT Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wichita KS 613 AM CDT Fri Jun 21 2024 ...Updated Aviation Discussion... .KEY MESSAGES... - Isolated shower/storm chance today, mainly either side of the I-35 corridor. - Chance of strong storms Saturday evening along/east of I-135 between I-70 and highway 54. - Dangerous heat/humidity combo builds this weekend into early next week with Excessive Heat conditions likely by Monday. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 237 AM CDT Fri Jun 21 2024 Near term upper pattern shows ridging from the Tennessee Valley westward across the Ozarks to the southern Plains with perturbations in an early season monsoonal-type flow ahead of the California upper trof moving from Arizona and the Four Corners up across the Rockies into the northern Plains. The western upper trof will weaken as it lifts northeast across the northern Rockies before sliding eastward across the northern Plains on Saturday. The associated weak cold front will move southward across the area Saturday night. For today, low level thermal profiles support highs a few degrees warmer than yesterday in the 90-95 range and even hotter in the mid/upper 90s on Saturday. Precipitable water values remain fairly high today with only weak/subtle capping within a moderate diurnal instability/weak shear regime. So expect we may see isolated showers/thunder again, though less than 15 percent of the area and generally either side of the I-35 corridor. Stronger instability with perhaps modest shear will reside just ahead of the front on Saturday afternoon/evening across a portion of the area. This should support at least widely scattered coverage and chances for a few strong/marginally severe storms. As we head into the latter half of the weekend, a stronger upper trof over south central Canada will drop southeast across the Great Lakes through Sunday night. The result over the weekend will be for the southern upper ridge to shift westward and build over the Southwest conus turning the modest flow aloft across Kansas from the northwest. The medium range generally supports a building upper ridge across the western conus and downstream troughing over the eastern conus by Wednesday. A hot and dry pattern looks to hold sway across the area on Monday and possibly thru Tuesday before modest heat relief with a frontal passage by Tuesday night/Wednesday. The greatest risk for excessive heat and humidity look to peak on Monday and possibly into Tuesday with air temperatures above 100 degrees and heat indices of 105 to perhaps near 110. Darmofal && .AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z SATURDAY/...
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Issued at 609 AM CDT Fri Jun 21 2024 Despite a few showers developing this morning, VFR conditions are expected to prevail through the TAF period. Isolated to scattered light showers have developed across much of the area this morning with the highest coverage approaching the I-70 corridor around 11Z this morning. Little to no impacts are expected, but brief moderate rainfall may briefly reduce visibility at times. Ceilings are expected to remain VFR. Southerly winds will gradually increase today, and 20 to 30 knot wind gusts are possible along and west of I-135 later this afternoon. Also, additional shower and storm development is possible this afternoon, but coverage is expected to remain too isolated for a mention in the TAFs for now.
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&& .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ DISCUSSION...KED AVIATION...JC