WICHITA, Kan. – An urgent Freeze Watch remains in effect from late tonight through Thursday morning for much of central and south-central Kansas, where temperatures could fall as low as 29 to 32 degrees by daybreak. The National Weather Service offices in Wichita and Topeka warn that subfreezing temperatures may kill crops, flowers, and other sensitive vegetation, as well as damage unprotected pipes if precautions are not taken.
According to the National Weather Service, skies will clear and winds will diminish after sunset, allowing a cold air mass to settle over the region. The coldest conditions are expected in rural and low-lying areas from Russell and Salina south to Wichita, Winfield, and Arkansas City, where frost will become widespread by early Thursday.
Residents should bring plants indoors or cover them, wrap exposed outdoor pipes, and let faucets drip slowly overnight to prevent freezing. Pet owners are urged to provide warm, dry shelter as temperatures dip below freezing in some areas before sunrise.
According to the Kansas Department of Transportation, drivers should prepare for patchy frost on bridges and overpasses, especially along I-35, I-135, and U.S. 50 corridors. Motorists should allow extra time for de-icing and drive cautiously in the early morning hours.
The freeze marks the first widespread cold event of the fall season, likely signaling the end of the growing season across central and eastern Kansas. Temperatures will rebound slightly Thursday afternoon under sunny skies, but another cool front could bring renewed frost chances this weekend.
