Those winds out of the south-southwest will be blowing steadily in the upper teens to low 20s, and gusting beyond 30 miles an hour.

The forecast high isn’t close to the record high for November 6 – which is 83, set back in 1891 – but it’s still a good 15 degrees above normal.

Dry weather, sunny skies and highs in the 70s are expected through the weekend.

Friday should see more of the same, forecasters say, with highs in the mid-70s and gusty south winds.

The tranquil weather pattern is expected to last through the weekend, before chances of showers appear early next week.

North winds ranging from single digits to gusts above 20 miles an hour will give the conditions some sting.

Patchy frost is expected overnight, when lows are forecast to hit the upper 30s. The National Weather Service in Wichita has issued a frost advisory for 21 counties in southern and central Kansas, including the Wichita metropolitan area.

Highs on Thursday will approach 70 under sunny skies.

The average temperature at Wichita’s Mid-Continent Airport was 51.2 degrees, a substantial 7.4 degrees below normal. Only 1925, which had an average temperature of 49.0 degrees, was colder.

But 2009 still put up some remarkable statistics: 25 of 31 days recorded below normal readings, with 13 of those days at least 10 degrees below normal.

Record low temperatures were set on Oct. 3 (37 degrees) and Oct. 11 (34). Record cool high temperatures were set on Oct. 10 (42) and Oct. 11 (45).

This October was on pace to be the coldest on record until a warm-up late in the month boosted the average temperature. That warm-up looks to continue for several more days.

Sunny skies and highs in the mid-60s are expected, and those gusty north winds that gave Monday some bite will ease into the single digits. Overnight lows will bottom out in the low 40s.

Highs on Wednesday should again be in the mid-60s, with light north winds. Warm, dry weather is in the forecast through the weekend.

Those winds will be steady in the teens, with gusts to about 20 miles an hour, forecasters say. Highs should reach the mid-60s, then fall into the low 40s overnight.

Tuesday will see winds shift to the south, with highs again in 60s.

This latest rainfall event brings the total for 2009 to 36.58 inches, which is more than 9.5 inches above normal so far.

But the 36.58 inches this year is well behind last year’s record-setting total through late October of 51.19 inches. That number was boosted by the torrential rains dropped by the remnants of Hurricane Lowell in mid-September, and 2008 went on to become the wettest year in Wichita’s history.

While you’re at it, change the batteries in your smoke detectors and weather radios. It’s also a good time to create or refine your emergency plan, as well as check emergency kits.

Among the items you should include in an emergency kit are:

One gallon of water per person, per day
Canned goods
Canned juices, milk and soup
High-energy foods such as peanut butter, jelly, granola bars, trail mix, and crackers
Comfort foods such as cookies, hard candy, cereal, instant coffee and tea bags
Clothing and Bedding
Sturdy shoes or work boots
Rain gear
Blankets and sleeping bags
A hat and gloves

Tools and Supplies
A battery-operated television or radio
Extra batteries
Flashlight and batteries
Cash or traveler’s checks and change
Manual can opener
Utility knife
Matches in a waterproof container
Paper or plastic eating utensils
Soap and other personal hygiene items

First Aid Kit
Sterile adhesive bandages
Sterile gauze pads
Adhesive tape
Scissors, tweezers, needles and safety pins
Antiseptic spray
Thermometer

For a complete list of items to include in your kit, visit Sedgwick County Emergency Management at www.sedgwickcounty.org.

Highs should nudge into the low 50s, with west winds blowing steadily in the teens and gusting to nearly 30 miles an hour. Lows will slip to the mid-30s, and patchy frost is likely overnight.

Halloween should be sunny with highs in the low 60s, forecasters say. Winds will be in single digits, and then overnight lows will be in the low 40s.

The National Weather Service in Goodland has issued a winter weather advisory until 7 a.m. Friday for portions of Kansas, Colorado and Nebraska.

Snow and blowing snow is expected, with snowfall amounts ranging from 2 to 4 inches. North winds of 20 to 30 miles an hour will cause blowing and drifting snow, with reduced visibilities.

Kansas counties included in the advisory are Cheyenne, Sherman and Rawlins. Among the cities included are Goodland, Atwood and St. Francis.

The storm system had dumped nearly 44 inches of snow in the foothills of the Rockies northwest of Denver, from 15 to 25 inches on the urban corridor along the front range and 8 to 15 inches in eastern Colorado.

I-70 is currently closed between Burlington and Denver.