Up to 2 inches of snow may fall in central Kansas tonight, but Wichita won’t get much

As much as 2 inches of snow is on its way to central Kansas, but the Wichita area won’t see very much, weather forecasters predict.

Meteorologists with the National Weather Service office in Wichita wrote in a hazardous weather outlook that thunderstorms are expected to develop Thursday evening across central Kansas. The worst storms are expected to be mainly along and east of a line extending from Ellsworth to St. John to Coldwater.

“The strongest activity will be capable of pea to dime size hail, 40 to 60 mph winds, and brief heavy rain,” NWS forecasters wrote. “Storms (may) reach as far east as the Flint Hills before weakening by around 9 or 10 p.m.”

Rain is expected across the rest of the region, with a gradual changeover to snow by late evening.

“Accumulations up to around 1 inch are possible generally along and north of a line extending from St. John to McPherson to Council Grove, with isolated amounts possible up to 2 inches,” the weather service said. “Watch out for slick roads overnight into Friday morning.”

Sub-freezing temperatures are expected overnight in much of central Kansas.

In Wichita specifically, the weather service forecast starts with a 60% chance of rain showers followed by a 90% chance of rain and snow Thursday night into Friday morning. Thunder is also possible. The low temperature will be around 34 degrees with wind gusts of up to 28 mph. Little to no snow accumulation is expected.

It will be cloudy Friday morning with gradual clearing and a high temperature of around 51 degrees. It will drop to around 33 degrees Friday night into Saturday morning.

This story was originally published April 16, 2020 at 6:32 PM.