Some active weather on the horizon

Kansas is known for being windy, but when the gusts start getting above 45 or 50 mph, I think we can all agree it's too much. The huge low pressure spinning in the upper Midwest is very intense as indicated by the solid, black lines (called isobars) and they are packed tight. That suggests the difference in air pressure is significant over a relatively small distance. Remember, wind goes counter-clockwise around the low which is why we've had a northwest wind the last couple of days.

The New Year's Day storm was only for eastern Kansas, so we haven't seen much moisture (on a statewide scale) move through the area since early December. A new drought map was released Thursday to show conditions are still in dire shape for western and northern Kansas. We do need some rain or a heavy wet snow to help out. A good rain event can be really hard to come by this time of year. 

 

Here's what the setup looks like:

 

A storm will setup in northern Mexico or southern Arizona around Tuesday night/Wednesday. If that storm can hold together (and not dissolve as it moves into the Plains), we should have a chance for rain and snow. There is a possibility that this moisture goes south of Kansas... that is what the models were showing just a few days ago. So we can't get overly excited about the storm just yet. At this time, it sure looks like some light rain and snow will both be possible, but check back as we get closer.

Second potential storm next weekend:

On the heels of one system Thursday, another system may come in from the west and impact the Plains states around Jan. 23/24. Again, timing can be suspect when you are a week out, but models continue to suggest a rain/snow maker may setup somewhere in the area. 

Will one of these storms finally latch on to Arctic air? It sure looks like that will happen, so get ready for the end of January to be colder than normal (which should mean highs in the 20s/30s)