Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Wichita, KS
Issued by NWS Wichita, KS
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593 FXUS63 KICT 182007 AFDICT Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wichita KS 307 PM CDT Tue Aug 18 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Storms possible tonight, especially across northeast Kansas. - Brief "cool-down" for Wednesday into Thursday with heat returning for Friday and especially the weekend. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 200 PM CDT Tue Aug 18 2026 Complex of storms tracked out of southern Nebraska and across northeast KS this morning. This MCS kicked out an outflow boundary that currently stretches from just north of Great Bend to near Newton and to south of Eureka and has remained nearly stationary for the last few hours. Meanwhile, surface low pressure is situated north of KDDC. Will have to monitor the area northeast of the surface low and along the boundary late this afternoon and early evening to see if any convection can develop. There is some agreement in some of the CAMS in development after 22z near or just south of I-70. Main concern with these storms would be downburst winds given high DCAPE. The more widespread storm activity looks to develop after 03z across northeast KS as low level jet strengthens with good convergence and 850-700mb moisture transport setting up over northeast KS. There is a chance some of this may skirt our far northeast fringes. There is also a chance that some convection may develop over northwest KS late, in response to an approaching upper impulse, and track southeast overnight, possibly reaching central KS toward sunrise. Current thinking is that this activity would be weakening as it approaches our forecast area. Cold front will push through the area on Wed as upper shortwave moves from the Central Plains into the Mid Mississippi Valley. This will bring some relief from the extreme heat with highs in the upper 80s across central KS and mid 90s near the KS/OK border. We may see some lingering morning convection across mainly central KS into the Flint Hills near or north of the front as it pushes south. Will go ahead and leave mention of precip out for now for Thu, but will insert some for Thu night as high shifts far enough east to allow elevated moisture to return across central and northern KS. For Fri into Sat, upper ridge will strengthen over the Central/Southern Rockies and will unfortunately bring back hotter temperatures. There is some agreement in shortwave energy tracking across southern Canada for Sat night into Sun but will not track far enough south to push any cooler air into the area. So currently looking for upper 90s for Fri with much of the area back to 100 by Sunday. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z WEDNESDAY/... Issued at 1257 PM CDT Tue Aug 18 2026 A outflow boundary has stalled out over south central Kansas early this afternoon and will lift back north causing winds to switch around to the south/southeast. Meanwhile the actual surface cold front is expected to sink southward across Kansas for this evening into the overnight hours. A few storms could develop along the front this evening over central Kansas and have introduced a PROB30 for SLN site. Otherwise VFR conditions expected for most sites during the next 24hrs. && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Heat Advisory until 8 PM CDT this evening for KSZ067-068-082- 083-091>093-096-098>100. && $$ DISCUSSION...RBL AVIATION...CDJ