It really was that cold: Wichita breaks a 90-year-old record. What’s next?
Wichita has broken a 90-year-old weather record in the midst of the coldest January in decades.
The low for Tuesday was recorded at -9 degrees, the National Weather Service in Wichita said at 8:50 a.m. This breaks the previous record for the coldest Jan. 21, which was minus 7 degrees in 1935, according to weather service archives.
Salina also broke a weather record for Tuesday with a low temperature of -13 degrees. The previous record was -7 degrees in 1935.
Wind chills ranged from 10 to 20 degrees below zero Tuesday morning, with Wichita experiencing wind chills of -12 degrees. Russell saw the coldest wind chills in the state at -22 degrees.
Wichita and several other cities are experiencing their coldest January in decades.
“Ranging from a frigid 9-11 degrees below average, Wichita, Salina and Russell are all experiencing their coldest January since 1979,” the National Weather Service said in social media post. “Also, at 10.7 inches, Wichita is experiencing its 10th snowiest January since 1889, and the snowiest since 1987.”
Below normal temperatures are expected through Wednesday, with highs in the upper 20s and 30s. The high for Tuesday is forecast at a 25, with a low of 17. Wednesday is expected to have a sunny high of 38, with a low of 21, a detailed forecast shows.
Thursday is forecast at a sunny high of 33 and a low of 16. Friday is expected to have a high of 42 and a low of 27.
Several school districts, including Wichita, canceled classes Tuesday because of dangerous wind chills during the time students would be walking to school or waiting at the bus.
“All evening events and activities will go on as scheduled,” the Wichita school district said in an email.