Another temperature record could fall today in Wichita, forecasters say.
A day after the thermometer hit 111, highs could reach 105. That would tie the current record for July 28 set in 1980. It should feel like 105 to 110 with the humidity included in the measurements. South winds will be in the low teens during the day and ease in the evening.
A slight chance of showers arrives after noon, forecasters say, and chances will increase on Friday. Lows tonight should dip into the upper 70s, and highs under mostly cloudy skies on Friday will only reach the mid-90s.
The weekend should see a return to triple digits, however.
For more information on current conditions, go to our weather page.
Today’s high topped out at 111, a record for July 27 but still 3 degrees short of the all-time mark of 114, set in 1936.
Keep an eye on the overnight low tonight…..it could stay well into the 80s, which would make it among the warmest nights in Wichita history.
The temperature climbed to 111 in Wichita a few minutes ago, according to the National Weather Service, and Wichita’s all-time high of 114 seems well within reach today.
Ironically, the warmest overnight low on record in Wichita is 86, set the night after the all-time record high was set on Aug. 12, 1936. Today’s low was 84, which meteorologist Eric Schminke said appears to be the second-warmest low in Wichita history.
With a few more hours of heating still to come this afternoon —- and south winds gusting to nearly 35 miles an hour —- 114 or better seems quite possible today, Schminke said.
The hottest day of the week looms today for Wichita and the surrounding area, forecasters say. In fact, the record high for today – 106 in 1986 – could well fall if the National Weather Service’s predicted high occurs.
The weather service is projecting a high of 108 today under clear skies. KSN is predicting 109, KWCH 107 and KAKE 106. South winds will be in the teens, gusting to more than 30 miles an hour. If those winds take on a more southwest or even westerly direction, forecasters say, today’s high could surge past 110 and even threaten Wichita’s all-time record high of 114, set in 1936.
The heat index could reach 114 today, and the excessive heat warning has been extended until 8 p.m. Thursday.
Tonight’s low will stay in the 80s, and Thursday will be another scorcher. Highs will be 103 to 104. Cooler air is expected Friday, however, dropping highs back into the upper 90s.
For more information on current conditions, go to our weather page.
A reader asked me recently what the record is for consecutive 100-degree days in Wichita.
It was a natural question, since Sunday marked the 10th straight day of triple digit heat in the city. That streak ended Monday, when the high topped out at 98.
A review of National Weather Service records shows that stretch wouldn’t even reach Wichita’s top 5:
20 – August 7-26, 1936
18 – July 3-20, 1980
16 – August 19 to September 3, 2000
13 – June 28 to July 10, 1990
13 – July 31 to August 12, 1934
13 – July 10-22, 1934
These records do require one caveat, however. On July 2, 1980, the high reached 98. If it had hit triple digits, a new record for consecutive high temperatures of at least 100 would have been set: 27.
The hottest day in Wichita history was August 12, 1936, when the temperature reached 114.
Wednesday may threaten that record, KSN’s Mark Bogner says on his Facebook page: “I think we have a real chance to challenge our all-time record high…”
KSN’s official forecast only calls for a high of 105 for Wednesday, which would threaten the record high for July 27, but not approach Wichita’s all-time high. The National Weather Service is predicting 108, which would break the record of 106 set in 1986.
But if winds shift a bit more to the southwest or due west – adding a “downslope” component, weather service meteorologist Robb Lawson said – then Wednesday’s temperatures could threaten the all-time high.
By downslope, Lawson is referring to winds coming down the east side of the Rockies. As those winds quickly descend to the earth’s surface, they compress and heat up the air close to the ground. That can lead to dramatic surges in temperature no matter what time of year they happen.
It’ll bear watching on Wednesday – hopefully from the comfort of an air conditioned room.
After 10 straight days of triple digits, Monday snapped that sizzling streak with a high of 98.
But forecasters say the 100s return today in the Wichita area and will continue through most of the work week. Highs today will reach 104 under sunny skies, with the heat index climbing a few degrees higher than that. Southeast winds will be primarily in the teens, with gusts approaching 25 miles an hour.
Overnight lows may duck just below 80, and then Wednesday should be hotter still – with highs surging to 106 or 107. The excessive heat warning continues until 8 p.m. Wednesday night for much of southern and central Kansas, including the Wichita metropolitan area.
The National Weather Service in Wichita has produced this map of rainfall over a 24-hour period covering Sunday’s storms. But numerous storms were so small, forecasters say, their rains didn’t happen to fall where recording stations are located.
Some spots in Wichita received an inch of rain, but they’re not represented on the map. Sunday’s storms personified the “locally heavy rain” definition. Most of the heavier rains in southeastern Kansas came late Sunday night, forecasters say.
Local forecasters have inserted a slight chance of showers for the Wichita area later this afternoon and evening.
It’s only a small chance – about 20 percent – but I’m sure residents will take any rain they can get. Officially, only a trace of rain fell in Wichita yesterday – at the recording station next to Mid-Continent Airport – but a couple of spots elsewhere in the city received about a quarter of an inch.
Eastborough and portions of east Wichita reported about a quarter-inch, while north Wichita recorded .11. West Wichita east of I-235 reported .16. Mulvane reported .20 of an inch.
After a weekend that saw highs of 108 on Saturday and 107 on Sunday, temperatures should be several degrees cooler today in the Wichita area.
For the first time in nearly two weeks, they may even dip below 100. But if they do, forecasters say, it’ll be just barely. The scattered showers that popped up Sunday will be a mere memory, however, with sunny skies and light east-southeast winds dominating the day.
The excessive heat warning for the region has been extended into Wednesday by the National Weather Service. Highs should return to the triple digits on Tuesday and stay there the rest of the week, forecasters say.
For more information on current conditions, go to our weather page.
