This was the third-hottest summer on record for the contiguous United States since record-keeping began in 1895, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Climatic Data Center.
The average temperature for the “lower 48″ states between June and August was more than 74 degrees, more than 2 degrees higher than the average for the 20th Century. Only the summers of 2011 and 1936 had higher summer temperatures for the contiguous U.S.
Today won’t be as warm as Wednesday in the Wichita area, forecasters say, but there will still be plenty of sunshine.
Highs should top out in the low 80s, with light and variable winds. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms arrives tonight and lingers through the morning hours Friday, forecasters say.
Overnight lows will be in the upper 50s and Friday should offer another day of temps in the low 80s. Winds could turn gusty on Friday, forecasters say, pushing above 25 miles an hour.
The weekend should be sunny and dry, with temperatures in the low 70s.
For more information on current conditions, go to our weather page.