Severe Thunderstorm Warning 116, NWS Wichita, KS

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Wichita KS
329 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Severe storms likely late this afternoon through tonight with
  potentially significant severe hazards.

- Mostly dry conditions and mild temperatures are expected for
  Monday through Wednesday with possible rain chances returning
  late Wednesday night into Thursday.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 324 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

Currently there is an upper shortwave moving into the Central
Rockies. This shortwave will continue to move east and likely eject
into KS late tonight to early hours of Monday morning. At the
surface, a warm front is over eastern KS and extends down into
western OK with an additional warm front stretched across southern
Oklahoma. Severe storms are actively pushing through eastern
KS. Portions of central and south-central KS continue to see low
clouds and patchy fog. As we move into later this afternoon and
evening, clouds will start to clear in northern OK and into
southern KS as the warm front across southern OK continues to
push north. Instability will increase to values between
2500-3000+ J/kg as moisture advection persists. This instability
combined with around 50 kts of effective shear and mid-level
lapse rates around 7.5 C/km are sufficient for additional severe
storm development with potential to be surface based. Large to
very large hail will be possible along with damaging winds and a
potential tornado given the increasing low-level SRH with this
threat mainly across southern and southeast KS. Then as the
upper wave approaches later tonight, additional elevated
convection will be possible. Destabilization is expected to
continue combined with increased 0-6km bulk wind shear over
50kts, and very steep mid-level lapse rates. This activity would
mainly be a hail threat across northern KS into central KS and
is anticipated to continue to move into northeast KS during the
overnight to early morning hours of Monday.

Showers and storms could linger into Monday morning in northern KS
and northeast KS with drier air moving in behind a cold front late
Monday afternoon. Rich moisture looks to stay well south of our area
through Wednesday, resulting in a break of active weather to start
the week. Flow aloft will shift to more zonal by Monday night and
likely continue through much of the work week. Rain chances may
return to the forecast late Wednesday night into Thursday as model
soundings hint at elevated showers. Strong to severe thunderstorms
are not anticipated given the limited instability. Mild temperatures
are progged through most of the week with high temperatures closer
to normal with much of the area seeing highs in the upper 60s and
70s.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z MONDAY/...
Issued at 1223 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

MVFR to IFR conditions expected through much of the forecast
period due to low cigs and reduced vis. Scattered thunderstorms
will develop and impact much of the forecast area starting after
02Z and lasting through 08-10Z. Ceilings may lift some during
thunderstorm activity, but IFR/LIFR ceilings will continue into
Monday morning. Ceilings will begin to lift and clear after 12Z.

&&

.ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.

&&

DISCUSSION...GC
AVIATION...AMD

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Wichita KS
339 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-272045-
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-
339 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

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

.DAY ONE...Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms will be possible this afternoon into this
evening across parts of southeast Kansas. Severe storms are
possible with up to tennis ball size hail, damaging winds up to 70
mph and potentially a tornado.

Meanwhile another round of thunderstorms is expected to develop
over western Kansas this evening. This activity will then move
east/northeast and looks to affect mainly central and south central
Kansas after 8 PM or 9 PM. There is some potential for significant
severe weather; very large hail around 2 inches in diameter,
damaging winds up to 70 mph, and a few tornadoes. A strong tornado
is possible across mainly south central and southern Kansas.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday

More thunderstorm chances are in the forecast from late Wednesday
night through Friday. Severe weather chances remain low for this
period.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may be needed late this afternoon into tonight.

&&

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

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Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Wichita KS
348 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0345 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     9 N Yates Center        38.00N 95.75W
04/26/2026  E60 MPH          Woodson            KS   Trained Spotter

&&

WI

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Wichita KS
351 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0349 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     9 N Yates Center        38.00N 95.75W
04/26/2026  E65 MPH          Woodson            KS   Trained Spotter

            Estimated 65 mph with pea sized hail.

&&

MWM

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Wichita KS
354 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0352 PM     Hail             9 N Yates Center        38.00N 95.75W
04/26/2026  M1.00 Inch       Woodson            KS   Trained Spotter

&&

MWM