Trending up, but is the last of the Arctic air?

We are SOOOO close to getting back above freezing, but there's still some time to add to the ongoing "consecutive days below freezing" count before this snap is over. Here's the latest count:

Counting through Wednesday, we are 11 days in a row below 32°. That means this is the longest subfreezing spell since 1983. It would be unlikely to get to 18 days (which is what happened in Dec. 1983) given the current forecast, but we do have a chance of cracking the top 10 longest in Wichita's history any way.

We are headed for "milder" weather at the end of the week, but here's the catch:

Notice the white arrows pointing toward Kansas? That indicates a south wind, which is normally a nice, warming wind direction for the Plains. However, because that air coming from the south will pass over snowpack, the air gets cooled and has a strong tendency to develop clouds. That should happen this Friday/weekend, so just how warm we get is in question. It will be MUCH different though compared to last weekend and I still think we will get above freezing.

Last week of February is MILD!

You could say well deserved, but glancing at temperatures for next week, we are headed for 50s and maybe brushing 60. It will be a nice switch up in the weather pattern.

Winter isn't over just yet:

I think we will have at least one more Arctic blast, but I don't expect it will be anything like what has just transpired. Heading into early March, models are hinting at colder than normal weather, but not 40-50 below normal. March can be a wild month in Kansas (as most of us know), with severe thunderstorms and a blizzard at the same time. It could be that the month may start off like a lion, or maybe lion-ish with colder than normal weather. Details to come.