Wichita’s blazing September has toppled several heat records. Is relief in sight?
Wichita’s late-season heat wave is toppling records this week.
Tuesday afternoon’s 100 degrees surpassed the record of 99 degrees set for Sept. 20 in 1980. That makes it the hottest Sept. 20 dating back to 1888, when records began being tracked in Wichita.
This also is the latest in the year that Wichita has seen three consecutive days of 100 degree weather or hotter, according to meteorologist Chance Hayes. Sunday had a high of 100 and Monday reached 101. The previous three-day record was 102, 102 and 101 Sept. 3-5 in 1978.
Sept. 18 (Sunday) and Sept. 19 (Monday) also tied heat records set in 1997 and 1954, Hayes added.
Heat relief is right around the corner starting Wednesday night with a breeze, 60 degrees and a 20 percent chance of rain. Thursday will see a high of 70 with temperatures dipping to 56 at night. Friday and Saturday highs will sit in the 84-90 range with nights in the mid-60s, a NWS forecast shows.
Wichita wasn’t the only place to see recording breaking heat on Tuesday.
The NWS record event report shows temperatures in both Russell and Salina climbed to new highs. On Tuesday, the high in Salina was 99, breaking a record set at 97 in 1935. Russell’s high climbed to 100. The previous record was 96 set in 2016, weather archives show.
As of 3:18 p.m. on Tuesday, the high in Chanute hit 101 degrees; that ties a record set in 1954, the NWS said in a social media post.
Hayes says Tuesday marks the 26th time Wichita saw 100 or more degree weather in 2022.