High temperatures around Wichita the past several days have been a good 20 degrees above normal for this time of year, but no new records have been set.
That’s because all of Wichita’s record highs are in the 90s for the last two weeks of April. As warm as it’s been this week, Wichita hasn’t flirted with the 90s.
But I’m beginning to wonder if this is going to be one of those years where spring in Wichita is little more than a hiccup.
More sunshine and warm temperatures – and lots of wind – are in store for the Wichita metropolitan area today.
So much wind is expected, in fact, that the National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory for 16 counties in central and south-central Kansas from noon to 9 p.m. today. Among the counties included in the advisory area are Sedgwick, Sumner, Reno, Harvey, Butler and Kingman – in other words, the counties that include and surround Wichita.
South winds will intensify to more than 25 miles an hour, with gusts topping 45 mph by this afternoon. The strong winds will persist until shortly after sunset.
Highs today are expected to reach the mid-80s, which would be about 20 degrees above normal for Wichita in late April.
Saturday should be a bit cooler, forecasters say, with highs in the mid-70s and showers and thunderstorms possible later in the day.