3 November, 20109:42 a.m.
The Rangeland Fire Index will be “high” today, officials caution.
Warmer-than-normal temperatures and an extended dry spell have set the stage for dangerous conditions, Sedgwick County Fire Marshal Tim Millspaugh said.
Winds gusts are expected to approach 30 miles an hour and humidity is projected to drop below 25 percent this afternoon. That will create a situation in which fires can start very easily and spread rapidly, making control by the property owner very difficult, Millspaugh said.
Firefighters in Sedgwick County expect to be very busy and ask that all citizens be extremely careful with outdoor activities to help reduce the risk of fire.
All outdoor burning is discouraged, especially near grassy areas. Any outdoor grinding, cutting or welding of metal also is highly discouraged.
3 November, 20106:15 a.m.
Widespread patchy frost is possible in southcentral Kansas – including the Wichita metropolitan area – before 9 a.m. today, forecasters say, but then the region should see temperatures warm quickly as the day unfolds.
Highs should reach the upper 60s under mostly sunny skies in Wichita, boosted in part by winds that will strengthen throughout the afternoon. Northerly winds that will be in the single digits in the morning will be steady in the low 20s by afternoon, with gusts approaching 30 miles an hour.
Overnight lows tonight will again slip to the upper 30s, forecasters say, and Thursday will be sunny but distinctly cooler. Highs will only be in the mid- to upper 50s.
Thursday night and Friday morning could bring the first hard freeze to Wichita, so stay tuned.
For more on current conditions, go to our weather page.