Wichita wrapped up one of its wettest Aprils ever with a soggy sayonara: 6.81 inches of rain fell in the last five days of the month, hoisting the total for April to 9.94 inches.
That’s 7.37 inches above normal, and left 2009 second only to 1944 in April rainfall.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was wrapping up his third term in the White House and the Allies were preparing for the invasion of Normandy when 12.42 inches of April rain fell in Wichita 65 years ago.
The National Weather Service has issued another significant weather statement – this one concerning a strong thunderstorm that is hitting Butler and southeastern Sedgwick counties.
At 8:21 a.m., the storm was just west of Rose Hill, or 12 miles southeast of downtown Wichita. It was moving east at 20 mph.
Hail the size of pennies and nickels was being reported with the storm.
Very heavy rain is also occurring.
The National Weather Service has issued a significant weather alert for Sedgwick County this morning, as a strong thunderstorm has developed and is moving toward Wichita.
At 7:30 a.m., the thunderstorm was near Clearwater, about 16 miles southwest of downtown Wichita, and moving northeast at 25 miles an hour.
The storm is capable of producing nickel-sized hail and winds of up to 50 miles an hour. Heavy rain can also be expected with this storm.
Showers and thunderstorms will roll through much of Kansas today and Saturday, forecasters warn, bringing occasionally heavy rain to already saturated soil.
A flash flood watch remains in effect for 17 counties in southcentral and southeast Kansas, including the Wichita metropolitan area.
As much as 3 inches of rain is expected from the storms by Saturday, with higher amounts possible in isolated areas.
Highs today should reach the upper 50s to low 60s in Wichita, with east-northeast winds gusting from the teens to nearly 30 miles an hour.
Highs Saturday will once again be in the upper 50s.