Winter storm could drop 2 inches of snow in Wichita before wind chills fall to zero
Meteorologists are predicting up to 2 inches of snow in the Wichita area during the middle of the week, followed by colder and windier weather.
Officials with the National Weather Service office in Wichita said in a hazardous weather outlook that light snow is expected to start falling across the region late Tuesday night. Up to half an inch of wet and slushy snow could be on the ground in southern Kansas by sunrise.
The light snow will continue in the NWS Wichita service area Wednesday morning with a gradual transition to rain, dropping an addition 1-2 inches of wet and slushy snow. Some areas could reach up to 3 inches of snow.
The forecast led the weather service to issue a winter weather advisory lasting from midnight to 6 p.m. Wednesday for portions of central and south-central Kansas.
“Plan on slippery road conditions on untreated surfaces,” NWS officials wrote in the advisory. “The hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute. There could be a refreeze on the wet roadways after the precipitation ends Wednesday night.”
Colder and windier weather will move through the region Wednesday night and Thursday, dropping Thursday morning wind chills to near zero degrees, the hazardous weather outlook predicted.
In Wichita specifically, the weather service forecasts a 60% chance of rain and snow starts around midnight, transitioning to all snow around 5 a.m. Wednesday. The overnight low temperature will be around 31 degrees.
Wednesday brings a 70% chance for precipitation, with snow before 11 a.m., snow and rain before 3 p.m. and just rain after 3 p.m. The daytime high temperature will be near 39 degrees. Wednesday night is expected to be clear with a low temperature of around 16 degrees and wind gusts of up to 31 mph.
The Thursday high will be near 28 degrees with wind gusts of up to 26 mph.
How to check Kansas road conditions
Drivers can check a map of Kansas highway weather safety conditions at www.kandrive.org/kandrive. Kansas Department of Transportation statewide highway traffic cameras and Wichita cameras are also available online.
Internet users can also follow the paths of Wichita snowplows at www.wichita.gov/PWU/Pages/SnowRemoval.aspx.
The Kansas Division of Emergency Management encourages travelers to prepare a home emergency kit that includes food, water, medications, extra clothing, flashlights and batteries, battery-operated NOAA weather radio and other necessities. When traveling during winter storms, fill the fuel tank, charge your cellphone and bring an emergency kit, the state agency advises.
If you know of a closing, cancellation or postponement because of the snowstorm, please email details to The Wichita Eagle at online@wichitaeagle.com. Weather-related photos and videos can be submitted to The Eagle online at www.kansas.com/customer-service/submit-photo/.
This story was originally published February 11, 2020 at 2:46 PM.