Low clouds and shallow fog faded quickly across Wichita by late morning as warm sunshine spread over south-central Kansas. Streets dried fast, flags fluttered lightly from the southeast, and temperatures climbed steadily toward the mid-80s before lunchtime.
According to the National Weather Service, Wichita is expected to reach 86 degrees by Memorial Day afternoon with mostly sunny skies and relatively calm winds. The warm pattern continues Tuesday with highs staying in the mid-80s across Sedgwick County and much of southern Kansas.
Dry conditions will dominate much of the holiday stretch across Wichita, Hutchinson, Derby, El Dorado, and Newton. Drivers along Interstate 35 and the Kansas Turnpike should encounter favorable travel weather with limited rain concerns through Tuesday evening.
The pattern begins shifting Wednesday as Gulf moisture slowly returns northward into the Plains. Scattered afternoon and evening thunderstorms may develop near Wichita, especially west of Interstate 135 and across open rural areas. A few storms could produce gusty winds, brief heavy rainfall, and small hail.
While widespread severe weather is not currently expected, forecasters continue monitoring instability levels later this week. Rapid temperature swings and increasing humidity may support stronger storm development across parts of Kansas and Oklahoma by Thursday night into Friday.
The broader Plains region remains significantly warmer than average for late May. Wichita’s repeated highs in the 80s are giving the area an early taste of summer while much wetter weather continues farther east across the Mississippi Valley and Southeast.
Five Day Forecast for Wichita, Kansas:
- Monday: Mostly sunny and warm, high near 86°F
- Tuesday: Mostly sunny, high near 85°F
- Wednesday: Slight chance of thunderstorms, high near 83°F
- Thursday: Chance of showers and thunderstorms, high near 81°F
- Friday: Partly sunny with isolated storms, high near 82°F
