The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Sedgwick County until 4:30 p.m.
At 3:58 p.m., law enforcement officers reported a severe thunderstorm producing winds of more than 70 miles an hour near Goddard, or 11 miles west of downtown Wichita.
The storm was moving northeast at 10 mph. Goddard and Mid-Continent Airport are in the track of the storm.
President Obama today declared a major disaster exists in the state of Kansas and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in a 34-county area struck by severe storms, flooding, and tornadoes during the period between June 7 and July 21.
The counties included in the declaration are Atchison, Brown, Butler, Chase, Clay, Cloud, Comanche, Doniphan, Ellis, Franklin, Greenwood, Harvey, Jewell, Kiowa, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, Miami, Mitchell, Morris, Norton, Osage, Osborne, Pawnee, Phillips, Pottawatomie, Republic, Riley, Rooks, Rush, Smith, Wabaunsee, Washington, and Woodson.
Federal funding is now available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms, flooding, and tornadoes.
Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.
The summer of 2010 is beginning to rival some of the hottest summers in Wichita history – including the infamous summer of 1936, during the Dust Bowl.
Research conducted by the National Weather Service revealed that the average temperature since June 1 is about 3 degrees above normal, placing this summer as the fifth warmest since records began being kept in 1888.
1) 1934 86.0
2) 1980 85.7
3) 1954 84.0
4) 1936 83.5
5) 2010 82.5
The heat wave has intensified in August. The average temperature for the first eight days of the month 88.2 degrees, more than 6 degrees above normal for that time period. That’s the 6th warmest start to August on record, weather officials say, and if the current forecast of triple digit temperatures through Friday proves accurate, the first half of August 2010 could break into the top 3 to 5 warmest starts to August on record.
Scattered showers – some of them potentially strong – could offer momentary relief later today from one of the strongest heat waves in decades to strike the Wichita area, forecasters say.
Before then, temperatures will hit 100 again, with the heat index climbing above 105. An excessive heat warning issued by the National Weather Service remains in effect until 7 p.m. Wednesday.
South-southwest winds will continue today, forecasters say, with gusts reaching 20 miles an hour. Those winds are bringing up hot, dry air from the deserts of Arizona.
Overnight lows will linger just below 80, and Wednesday’s highs are expected to reach 103.
For more information on conditions, go to our weather page.