Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Wichita, KS

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000 FXUS63 KICT 190809 AFDICT Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wichita KS 309 AM CDT Fri Apr 19 2024 .KEY MESSAGES... - Stepping back a month with a March-like feel thru the weekend with only spotty light rain chances. - Warming trend closer to late April climo early next week. - Better Spring-like convective chances by Day 7/Thursday and beyond. && .DISCUSSION...
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Issued at 303 AM CDT Fri Apr 19 2024 Water vapor satellite and upper air analysis this morning reveal a trough over the northern plains and a ridge over the Gulf of Mexico. This is resulting in primarily zonal flow across the central plains that will likely remain persistent over the next day or so. A mid-level baroclinic zone across Nebraska will sag southward during the day today and will likely reside across the western half of Kansas by tonight. Weak perturbations in the mid/upper level flow along with a subtle mid-level frontogenesis tonight into Saturday morning should be enough to trigger some isolated to widely scattered light rain showers primarily for area along I-70 and west of I-135. Rainfall totals will likely remain well below a tenth of an inch. Rain chances quickly come to an end Saturday morning, and a cool day is expected on Saturday with many locations struggling to get above 55 degrees by the afternoon hours. Cloudy skies will limit radiational cooling Saturday night/Sunday morning, but a surface ridge across the area should allow most places to dip into the 30s. Areas of frost are possible along the I-70 corridor Sunday morning. A warming trend will commence on Sunday, and the return of southerly flow should allow for better moisture to begin streaming northward to start off the work week. There are some indications from both deterministic and ensemble global models that the region may see a couple rounds of storms next week. However, there are still numerous questions around quality of moisture along with temporal and spatial differences in the arrival of the next upper wave. So while severe weather isn`t a guarantee, there is a signal that the pattern next week will be active, and there may be more than one opportunity at rain/storm chances.
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&& .AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SATURDAY/... Issued at 120 AM CDT Fri Apr 19 2024 Aviation concerns are expected to remain on the low side through the next 24 hours. Surface high pressure is expected to remain situated across the Plains with the cold front now pushed down into South TX. Band of mid level clouds is in place across NW KS into central parts of the state with some of these affecting KRSL-KGBD and eventually KSLN. Confidence is high that they will remain at VFR levels. Light northeast winds will come around to the south and east across the region but will remain on the light side. && .FIRE WEATHER...
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Issued at 303 AM CDT Fri Apr 19 2024 Warm, dry, and windy conditions will support very high grassland fire danger Monday afternoon for locations along and west of the I- 135/US-81 corridor.
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&& .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ DISCUSSION...JC AVIATION...RBL FIRE WEATHER...JC

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