Daily Archives: 7 January, 2011

Snowfall estimates grow for Wichita area

The National Weather Service has bumped up its snowfall forecast for the Wichita area from the winter storm that will hit on Sunday.

The metropolitan area could see 3 to 5 inches of snow from the storm, meteorologist Vanessa Pearce said. Areas northwest of a line from Sterling to east of Salina could see 6 inches. That means most of central Kansas figures to be wearing a thick blanket of white by the end of the day Monday.

Those numbers could change as the storm draws closer, Pearce said, because various forecast models still disagree with each other over what the storm will do.

Expect a light, steady snow to begin falling Sunday afternoon in the Wichita area, Pearce said. The snow will be heaviest late Sunday night through early Monday morning, but will continue through most of the day Monday.

“We don’t anticipate this to be a really heavy snow,” Pearce said. “The key will be how long it lasts.”

Winds figure to be steady at 10 to 15 miles an hour, with gusts reaching 25 mph at times, she said.

Monitor forecasts and prepare for the coldest temperatures of the winter so far next week.

Wichita weather: Sunny day with highs near 50

This will be the warmest day of the next week in the Wichita area, with highs flirting with 50 under sunny skies.

Hearty north winds will make our strides brisk, however. Forecasters say those winds will intensify as the day goes on – and a powerful winter storm approaches. Winds will be in the teens early and in the 20s later, with gusts topping 30 miles an hour.

Lows tonight will be in the 20s, and Saturday should still offer plenty of sunshine. But highs will only be in the upper 30s, and then snow and much colder temperatures arrive on Sunday.

For more information on current conditions, go to our weather page.