Cold will cling to area this week, Wichita meteorologist says

The blowing snow has left, but now the cold really sets in.

Forecasters say be prepared for the chill to last much of this week.

“On average, the normal high around this time of the year is 50 degrees,” said Kevin Darmofal, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Wichita.

Northeast winds at 10 to 15 mph were sending the wind chills down Sunday night to 10 to 15 degrees below zero.

The temperature isn’t expected to climb above the 40s until later in the week.

A snowstorm swept through Kansas on Sunday. The brunt of the storm dumped 7 inches of snow in southwestern Kansas and 3 inches of snow in Kingman, Harper and Sumner counties.

Wichita recorded 1.6 inches of snow on Sunday.

Throughout the early morning and afternoon hours, police responded to nearly 50 vehicle accidents in the Wichita metropolitan area, a lot accidents for a Sunday, said a Sedgwick County 911 dispatcher.

Wichita police encouraged motorists to use caution. Main streets were treated and cleared, but side streets stayed slick.

“We are going to see temperatures well below the average for most of the week,” Darmofal said.

Another cold front will sweep through on Thursday, sending the temperatures into the 20s.

“We will have chances for snow on Wednesday into early Thursday and ran or snow chances over the weekend,” he said.

This story was originally published February 22, 2015 at 6:29 PM with the headline "Cold will cling to area this week, Wichita meteorologist says."