Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Wichita, KS

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226 FXUS63 KICT 210531 AFDICT Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wichita KS 1231 AM CDT Fri Jun 21 2024 ...Updated Aviation Discussion... .KEY MESSAGES... - Chances for showers and storms return Saturday afternoon. - Hot next week, with widespread areas of 100+ degrees especially in the first half of the week. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 234 PM CDT Thu Jun 20 2024 Water vapor imagery currently shows shortwave energy sitting over the Pacific Northwest as the upper-level ridge continues to build over the Ohio River Valley. Surface analysis reveals a quasi-warm front draped over the Northern Central Plains extending from the Nebraska Panhandle to Lake Erie. Showers and storms are developing out ahead of this front across southern South Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa. Additionally, current SPC mesoanalysis highlights a moist column extending from the Red River Valley up to Iowa, with precipitable water values exceeding 1.5 in. Coupled with weak forcing along a stationary front, a handful of showers and storms are popping up in Oklahoma and making their way northward. A handful of these may make their way into southeast Kansas later this afternoon and evening. Despite the weak showers appearing over Oklahoma at the moment, a lack of strong synoptic forcing should continue to keep the area mostly dry this afternoon through tomorrow as the upper-level ridge continues to strengthen to our east. The moist column will keep highs tomorrow in the lower 90s across central and southeast Kansas. The next opportunity for precipitation lies in the shortwave currently situated over the Pacific Northwest, which is progged to track eastward across the Northern Central Plains. This wave will bring a cold front that is expected to nose its way into Kansas Saturday afternoon/evening and touch off showers and storms. At this moment, model consensus is that the majority of storm coverage should stay to the northeast, but a stray shower or storm along I-35 cannot be ruled out. Modest instability, marginal deep-layer shear and ample moisture should provide the potential for a handful of severe storms as well. Stay tuned to future forecasts as this severe threat is further assessed. Looking ahead toward the end of the weekend and into next week, the primary concern appears to be heat. Long-term models generally agree in the eastward progression of an upper-level ridge from the Desert Southwest to the Southern Plains. As this ridge settles in and builds over the area, the Central Plains will most likely see highs at or above 100 degrees, especially over the first half the week. && .AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SATURDAY/...
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Issued at 1222 AM CDT Fri Jun 21 2024 VFR conditions are expected to prevail through the TAF period. Southerly winds this morning will gradually increase throughout the day, and breezy conditions are expected area-wide by this afternoon. Wind speeds will generally be around 10 to 15 knots with gusts between 20 and 30 knots during the afternoon hours. Windiest conditions will be across central Kansas (KRSL, KGBD, KSLN). A very low chance (under 20%) of isolated showers, and maybe a thunderstorm, exists between 18Z and 00Z this afternoon and evening. With such low chances, any mention of this in all of the TAFs was omitted.
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&& .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ DISCUSSION...JWK AVIATION...JC