Hail possible on Father’s Day as heat wave abates, Wichita meteorologist says

The Wichita area is expected to have another scorcher on Sunday before a cold front in the evening possibly brings strong winds and hail, according to the National Weather Service in Wichita.

A positive for Father’s Day weather: It’s “one more hot day for the area” before things cool off, NWS meteorologist Brad Ketcham said.

Wichita has a forecasted high of 100 degrees on Sunday. The record high on June 20, as measured at the Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport, was 108 degrees in 1998.

The hottest part of the day during this time of year is around 5 p.m., Ketcham said.

On Thursday, the NWS recorded 100 degrees at the airport for the first time this year. It reached 99 degrees on Friday, and Saturday had a high of 97 degrees as of 4 p.m.

Severe weather is possible north of Wichita on Saturday night.

Winds between 50 to 65 mph and nickel-sized hail are possible from 9 p.m. Saturday and until around 3 a.m. Sunday along I-70. North of I-70 has the greatest chance of seeing severe weather, he said.

After 5 p.m. Sunday, southern Kansas, including Wichita, could see winds of up to 50 to 60 mph winds and nickel-sized hail as a cold front moves in from the north.

“The big thing about Monday: cloudy, showering and noticeably cooler,” he said. “We are talking temperatures almost 20 degrees cooler on Monday.”

Monday has a forecasted high of around 80 degrees, he said.

The heat will start to creep back in midweek, climbing toward 100 degrees on Thursday and Friday, he said.

This story was originally published June 19, 2021 at 4:50 PM.