….the metropolitan area should be spared worst-case scenarios.
Chance Hayes, warning coordination meteorologist for the local branch of the National Weather Service, said he is forecasting 4 to 5 inches of rain for Wichita by Sunday night. That’s still a lot of rain, but it’s half what some forecasting models were projecting on Wednesday.
Flooded streets and highways will be a concern this weekend because the soil is already saturated, so be alert and cautious when traveling. Floods – particularly flash floods – kill more people each year than any other weather phenomenon.
Why? Because people underestimate the force and power of water, and 60% of all flood deaths result from people trying to cross flooded roads in vehicles…and the water sweeps them away.
New data from forecast models suggests the remnants of Hurricane Ike may take a more northeasterly track once they reach Oklahoma, sparing Wichita the worst of the rainfall.
But you still may need two hands to count the number of inches dumped on the city between now and early next week.
Rob Cox, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Wichita, said bands of heavy showers could bring three to four inches of rain to the metropolitan area by Saturday morning. Even if Ike makes the sharp right turn in Oklahoma now projected by the National Hurricane Center, its track will still be a bit farther west than Gustav, he said.
It’s also larger than Gustav. That means Wichita could be hit by the outer bands of the remnants. Another couple of inches – perhaps more – aren’t out of the question for the city, Cox said. While that’s better than 10 to 12 inches of rain between now and Tuesday, it’s still a lot of rain for a region already pretty saturated by previous rains.
Check forecasts regularly, and watch out for street and stream flooding as the rains persist.