Dodge City, KS – Southwest Kansas is gearing up for an unusually warm finish to the week, with forecasters confident that Friday will bring widespread temperatures well above mid-November norms, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Dodge City.
According to NWS forecast guidance, Friday is expected to be the warmest day of the week, with some locations pushing toward — or even past — 80 degrees. Probabilities for achieving 80 degrees are highest in far southwest Kansas, where confidence levels rise sharply compared to surrounding regions.
Forecasters say the setup includes westerly winds early Friday, shifting southerly by afternoon at 5 to 10 mph. Sunny to mostly sunny skies will allow heating to build quickly through the late morning and midday hours. Some areas may come close to tying or breaking record highs, which in many locations sit in the lower 80s for this date.
While Thursday and Saturday will also feature above-average temperatures, Friday stands out as the day most likely to challenge long-standing climate records. Daytime highs across the region will generally range from the upper 70s to low 80s, a sharp contrast to average mid-November highs typically in the 50s.
Forecasters emphasize that the warm spell is brief, with more seasonable temperatures returning over the weekend into early next week. No significant weather hazards are expected during the warm-up, and skies will remain mostly clear.
Residents planning outdoor activities, fall harvest work, or travel across the region may enjoy unusually mild conditions for this time of year—though the warmth may feel more like late September than mid-November.
