Cold snap could bring longest stretch of subfreezing days since 1983, NWS Wichita says
If the frigid weather continues into next week, portions of Kansas including Wichita could see their longest stretch of subfreezing days in nearly 40 years.
The National Weather Service in Wichita tweeted Monday that below-freezing temperatures are “looking probable” through at least Feb. 17.
If that happens, “it’ll be the longest number of consecutive sub-freezing days for many locations across central and eastern Kansas since December 1983,” the tweet says.
“Hopefully we don’t break that record,” National Weather Service meteorologist Andy Kleinsasser said jokingly, adding that he thinks 1983 saw “a lot more than 11” days of consecutive subfreezing cold.
Usually, the daytime highs this time of year are in the mid-40s.
But air from the Arctic has “oozed on down this way,” leaving temperatures 30 or more degrees below normal — “which is pretty, pretty cold for this neck of the woods,” Kleinsasser said.
“We’ve really been spoiled the last several winters because we just haven’t had a lot of snow, cold and wintry weather for the most part,” he said.
“This is definitely a change compared to what we’re used to.”
And it’s going to get worse before it gets better, he said.
Temperatures for the next several days are expected to be bitter cold, with daytime highs in the teens and mid-20s to low-30s and overnight lows dropping to single digits.
Saturday’s low temperature could even fall well below zero and the daytime high might only reach 7 to 10 degrees, Kleinsasser said.
“It’s here for quite a while.”
Forecasts predict subzero wind chills throughout the week, too, with some of the chilliest coming Friday and Saturday.
“Dangerous wind chills. Basically every single night and morning from today all the way through the weekend. Some of the coldest will probably be in the 10 to 20 below range,” he said, adding: “Make sure you’re taking care of people and pets.”
The National Weather Service warned Monday that roads and walkways would continue to be “very slick and hazardous” due to patchy freezing drizzle mixed with snow flurries.
Tuesday is expected be cloudy with a high near 20 degrees but the morning wind chill could dip to a frigid minus 7 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. Wind speeds will likely be in the teens, gusting to the low 20s. Tuesday night’s forecast shows continued cloudy conditions, with a low of around 15 degrees.
Ongoing wintry precipitation and little to no sunshine also is likely, setting the stage for miserable conditions outdoors and potentially hazardous driving for travelers.
From Saturday to midday Monday, about an inch and a half of snow had fallen across Wichita, Kleinsasser said. Light freezing drizzle mixed with light intermittent snow also has created “a thin glaze of ice” across the southern half of Kansas, he said.
In preparation for the storm, the city of Wichita on Saturday morning activated its road crews and has kept them treating the city’s arterial and secondary streets and school routes with a salt-and-sand mix to help melt ice and provide traction for drivers.
Most roads in residential neighborhoods will continue to be ice- and snow-packed, however, because they are not part of the city’s treatment plan — and motorists should take extra care driving on them, according to the city.
The city’s full fleet of 60 trucks will continue to work round the clock as needed in the coming days, Ben Nelson, interim assistant director for Wichita’s public works department, said Monday. He added that the storm “is going to present some unique challenges” for road crews, but “we’re doing our best to keep up with road conditions.”
“This is not a normal winter weather storm for us,” he said. “I think instead of having Kansas weather like we’re used to, we’re having arctic weather here in Kansas.”
This story was originally published February 8, 2021 at 12:45 PM with the headline "Cold snap could bring longest stretch of subfreezing days since 1983, NWS Wichita says."
