336 FXUS63 KTOP 040840 AFDTOPArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Topeka KS 340 AM CDT Sat Oct 4 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Warm and windy this afternoon with mid to upper 80s continuing into Sunday; 10-15 degrees above average.
- Rain and storm chances return Sunday evening and overnight with a few storms in the late afternoon/evening possibly being strong to severe with hail and damaging winds.
- Cooler temperatures move in for everyone by Tuesday with next week looking closer to average for afternoon high temperatures.
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.DISCUSSION... Issued at 339 AM CDT Sat Oct 4 2025
Mostly clear skies and windy conditions are noted across Kansas as a tightened pressure gradient sets up in response to an approaching long wave trough to our west. Some mid-level cloud cover has begun to develop across central Kansas over the past few hours as lift associated with the LLJ and upper level jet streak strengthens. Over the course of the day today, the upper-level trough in the western US will push east into the central Rockies, further deepening the surface cyclone across western Kansas. The tight pressure gradient to its east will lead to a well-mixed and gusty afternoon as southerly winds sustained between 10-20 mph and gusts to 30-35 mph will be commonplace. Expect high temperatures to reach the mid to upper 80s again this afternoon before falling back into the mid 60s by Sunday morning.
By Sunday morning, a negatively-tilted shortwave embedded in the longwave trough will eject the surface trough into western Kansas, stretching north towards western Minnesota. With the main shortwave pushing into the northern Plains, much of the day Sunday will be dry with precipitation chances staying north. Strong southerly flow will again keep temperatures Sunday afternoon in the mid to upper 80s. As we get into Sunday afternoon and evening, the surface trough will have tracked east into north-central Kansas and help to increase rain and storm chances. Forcing within the surface trough/front appears to be the strongest across central Kansas and stretching north into north-central Kansas. Forcing in this area should be enough to develop convection late Sunday afternoon/early evening. Given increasing shear profiles and MLCAPE around 1000 J/kg along the boundary, some convection may become strong to severe posing risks for hail and damaging winds. Initially isolated storms Sunday evening will quickly grow upscale given shear orientations along the boundary. Low-level flow increasing ahead of the boundary Sunday night into Monday morning will promote widespread precipitation across central and north-central Kansas. Additionally, models do not seem to move the axis of QPF much during this time range so some areas could see some appreciable rainfall. With PWATs overnight ranging from 1.25-1.5", NBM probabilities have increased to 40-60% chance of areas in north-central Kansas seeing at least 0.5" inch of rainfall through Monday morning. Chances of rainfall exceeding an inch for this timeframe Sun/Mon decrease to 25-45%. With the main area of forcing and moisture stalled mostly over north-central and northern Kansas, east-central Kansas will likely remain dry until Monday afternoon when the surface trough and low level boundaries begin to slide east. Rain and storm chances continue through Monday evening and into Tuesday morning as isentropic ascent overnight helps revamp lift and moisture. Guidance seems to keep the main QPF axis again stretched from central to northeastern Kansas with areas in east-central and southeastern Kansas missing out on most of the rainfall.
Subsidence quickly builds in behind the wave Tuesday morning and afternoon and ushers in a cool ridge of high pressure across the region. Mostly cloudy skies Tuesday and CAA should allow temperatures to not warm much above the upper 60s and low 70s. The remainder of the week should see temperatures stay in the 70s with another disturbance moving across the region Wednesday night into Thursday that could bring another round of rain to the area.
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.AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SUNDAY/... Issued at 1208 AM CDT Sat Oct 4 2025
The main aviation hazard over the period will be gusty south/southwesterly winds. Overnight tonight, the BL should stay fairly mixed, especially at KMHK where gusts up to 20 mph can be expected. LLWS was not mentioned as winds through 2 kft will be fairly unidirectional and uniform as you increase with height. Could experience some turbulent mixing as a 40 knot low level jet sets up through the early morning today. The remainder of the day will see southerly gusts upwards of 30-35 mph. Winds further east at KTOP and KFOE should decrease a bit around sunset Saturday, still gusting close to 20 mph at times. KMHK will still likely remain well-mixed and gusty into Saturday evening, so kept mention of winds through the end of the TAF.
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.TOP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None.
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DISCUSSION...Griesemer AVIATION...Griesemer
NWS TOP Office Area Forecast Discussion