Red Flag Warning 6, NWS Wichita, KS

485 
WWUS83 KICT 262131
RFWICT

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Wichita KS
431 PM CDT Thu Mar 26 2026

KSZ032-033-047>053-067>070-082-083-091>094-098-270200-
/O.CON.KICT.FW.W.0006.000000T0000Z-260327T0200Z/
Russell-Lincoln-Barton-Ellsworth-Saline-Rice-McPherson-Marion-
Chase-Reno-Harvey-Butler-Greenwood-Kingman-Sedgwick-Harper-Sumner-
Cowley-Elk-Chautauqua-
431 PM CDT Thu Mar 26 2026

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING
FOR EXTREME GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER FOR ALL OF CENTRAL AND SOUTH
CENTRAL KANSAS AND PARTS OF SOUTHEAST KANSAS...

* Extreme Grassland Fire Danger...

* Winds...Southwest to northwest 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 45
  mph.

* Relative Humidity...As low as 24 percent.

* Impacts...Any fires that develop will have the potential to 
  spread quickly and behave erratically.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A red flag warning means that critical fire weather conditions
are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of
strong winds, low relative humidity and warm temperatures can
contribute to extreme fire behavior.

Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in the
field of this fire weather product.

&&

$$

638 
WWUS83 KICT 270157
RFWICT

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Wichita KS
857 PM CDT Thu Mar 26 2026


KSZ032-033-047>053-067>070-082-083-091>094-098-270300-
/O.EXP.KICT.FW.W.0006.000000T0000Z-260327T0200Z/
Russell-Lincoln-Barton-Ellsworth-Saline-Rice-McPherson-Marion-
Chase-Reno-Harvey-Butler-Greenwood-Kingman-Sedgwick-Harper-Sumner-
Cowley-Elk-Chautauqua-
857 PM CDT Thu Mar 26 2026

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR
EXTREME GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER...

Falling temperatures in the wake of a cold front will allow the
relative humidity to continue to recover and extreme fire danger 
is no longer expected.

$$

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Wichita KS
1100 PM CDT Wed Mar 25 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Record heat on Thursday driving extreme fire danger.

- A cold front will arrive late Thursday with isolated or widely
  scattered showers/storms possible over southern Kansas
  Thursday evening.

- More seasonable weather will return for Friday and Saturday
  before another warmup Sun-Tue.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 142 PM CDT Wed Mar 25 2026

A sprawling mid/upper ridge was situated over the Southwest/Southern
Rockies extending in far west Texas. As this mid/upper ridge shears
eastward through Thursday, record heat will linger over the Central
Plains. A shortwave trough digging over Canada will drive a cold
front south into the Central Plains late Thursday. Ahead of the
front, a prefontral trough will result in lighter wind speeds in our
central KS counties but the cold front will bring an abrupt
wind shift during the afternoon hours with much drier air.
Higher winds are anticipated in parts of south central and
southeast KS during the day on Thursday while relative humidity
remains slightly higher. Given record heat and gusty winds, a
Fire Weather Watch has been issued for much of the area on
Thursday afternoon and Thursday evening.

The airmass ahead of the front is expected to remain capped to deep
moist convection but we could see an isolated shower or storm
develop toward evening while immediately being undercut by the
frontal boundary. The post-frontal airmass Thursday evening and
Thursday night improves with eastward extent across southern KS,
although higher probabilities for more robust convection are
expected to remain further east into Missouri and points further
east. Cooler more seasonable air is anticipated in the wake of
the front with gusty northerly winds. We may see a period where
advisory level winds develop Thursday evening and Thursday night
but this may be short-lived and no wind headlines are planned
at this time.

Fri-Sat...The highest winds speeds on Friday are expected early in
the period with a decreasing pressure gradient progged as we move
through the day. Seasonably cool air is anticipated with highs
topping out in the 50s/around 60. High pressure at the sfc is
progged to settle over Missouri Fri night/Sat morning and this is
where the more robust radiational cooling is expected. Further west
across central KS, low level southeast flow is progged to return
through the night which may keep temperatures just above freezing
for many areas.

Rising heights/increasing thickness will result in rising
temperatures as we move into Sunday and early next week. Highs on
Sunday will climb into the 80s for central KS while widespread mid
and upper 80s are anticipated by Mon-Tue. A shortwave trough is
progged to move into the central CONUS toward the middle of the week
as a cold front sags southward into the area. Maintained low pops as
we could see some diurnally driven showers/storms although
confidence in the details remains fairly low at this time.

&&

.AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z FRIDAY/...
Issued at 1046 PM CDT Wed Mar 25 2026

Main aviation concern will be a wind shift associated with a
cold front late Thu afternoon through Thu evening.

South and southwest winds will remain overnight and will
increase late Thu morning with gusts 30-35mph likely for
southern KS. Parts of southeast KS(KCNU) may see some gusts in
the 40-45 mph range by the afternoon hours. Cold front is
forecast to move through KRSL-KGBD-KSLN in the 20z-22z range and
KICT around 00z. North winds behind the front will also be
gusty, with 30-40mph speeds likely. Confidence remains high that
VFR conditions will remain through the next 24 hours.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
Issued at 206 PM CDT Wed Mar 25 2026

Record heat will combine with breezy winds resulting in extreme fire
danger on Thursday afternoon and Thursday evening for much of the
area. A cold front impacting central Kansas on Thursday afternoon
will shift winds to the north while continuing to move south and
east Thursday evening and Thursday night ushering in more seasonable
air across the area.

Very High fire danger will continue to be a concern for much of the
area on Friday through Tuesday each afternoon. Post-frontal
northerly winds and drier air will be the primary driver on Friday
while breezy south to southwest winds return on Saturday through
Tuesday. Temperatures will once again warm above normal on Sunday
through Tuesday.

&&

.CLIMATE...
Issued at 214 AM CDT Wed Mar 25 2026

Thursday (3/26):
Wichita: Forecast - 95, Record - 83 (1918) Russell: Forecast -
89, Record - 90 (1989) Salina: Forecast - 93, Record - 86 (1910)
Chanute: Forecast - 93, Record - 85 (1918)

&&

.ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Fire Weather Watch from Thursday afternoon through Thursday
evening for KSZ032-033-047>053-067>070-082-083-091>094-098.

&&

DISCUSSION...MWM
AVIATION...RBL
FIRE WEATHER...AMD
CLIMATE...AMD

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Wichita KS
355 PM CDT Wed Mar 25 2026

KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-262100-
Russell-Lincoln-Barton-Ellsworth-Saline-Rice-McPherson-Marion-Chase-
Reno-Harvey-Butler-Greenwood-Woodson-Allen-Kingman-Sedgwick-Harper-
Sumner-Cowley-Elk-Wilson-Neosho-Chautauqua-Montgomery-Labette-
355 PM CDT Wed Mar 25 2026

This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of Central Kansas,
South Central Kansas and Southeast Kansas.

.DAY ONE...Tonight

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday

Extreme fire danger is possible on Thursday afternoon, especially
over central Kansas, as a cold front arrives during the afternoon
hours. A Fire Weather Watch is in effect for much of the area.
Winds will shift to the north behind the front, as it settles
southward into south central and southeast Kansas Thursday evening
and Thursday night.

An isolated thunderstorm cannot be ruled out Thursday night across
southern Kansas, but severe weather is not expected.

A very high fire danger will return to much of the area from Friday
through Tuesday during the afternoon hours.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not anticipated tonight.

&&

For a graphical version of this information, see our webpage at:
https://www.weather.gov/erh/ghwo?wfo=ict