When will this rainy weather pattern for Wichita area go away?
The Wichita area is getting a temporary break in the rain Thursday afternoon before a 70% chance of showers and thunderstorms arrives Thursday evening and night.
Some areas between Wichita, McPherson and Emporia could receive as much as an additional 3 to 5 inches of rain this evening, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Andy Kleinsasser.
Most parts of that area will get at least another 0.5 to 1.0 inch of rain, he said.
As a result, a NWS flood watch for the greater Wichita area will remain in effect until 7 a.m. Friday morning.
Parts of Wichita have already received 3.66 inches of rain since last Sunday, including 0.52 inches of rain earlier on Thursday.
“Some areas of Wichita are notorious for street flooding,” Kleinsasser said, adding that the rate of the rainfall is more of a determining factor when it comes to flooding than the total amount of rain received. “If we get 1 to 2 inches in an hour we’ll have quite a bit of street flooding.”
Beyond street flooding, certain Sedgwick County creeks and rivers have had a history of flooding, Brandon Zenner, community relations specialist for Sedgwick County, said via email. Those areas most prone to flooding have been in and around Cowskin Creek, Chisholm Creek, Gypsum Creek and Four Mile Creek. The Little Arkansas River near the town of Sedgwick and the Ninnescah River from west of Clearwater south to the county line have historically seen more than their fair share of flooding.
While the greatest risk from Thursday evening’s storms is the potential for heavy rainfall, Kleinsasser said, the approaching storms will have the possibility of producing some large hail and straight-line winds as well. The greatest tornado threat will stay in northern Oklahoma, he said.
The Wichita area is expected to see a much drier — and warmer — weather pattern develop this weekend. On Saturday, temperatures are expected to reach the lower 90s with wind gusts up to 30 miles an hour, according to the National Weather Service. Heat index values could reach 103.
Sunday is expected to stay breezy and warm, with highs in the mid-90s and a heat index of 105.