052  
FXUS63 KDDC 300644  
AFDDDC  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS  
144 AM CDT WED SEP 30 2026  
   
KEY MESSAGES  
 
- HEAVY RAINS ARE FORECAST FOR TODAY, TAPERING OFF FROM SOUTH TO  
NORTH DURING THE DAY; AND A FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT.  
 
- AFTER THE STEADY RAIN ENDS, A FEW SMALL TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE  
BETWEEN 1 PM AND 8 PM.  
 
- ANOTHER ROUND OF RAIN IS EXPECTED THURSDAY.  
 
- THE COOLEST TEMPERATURES OF THE SEASON ARE FORECAST FOR  
SATURDAY MORNING.  
 
 
   
DISCUSSION  
 
ISSUED AT 1248 AM CDT WED SEP 30 2026  
 
THE PREVIOUS FORECAST OF HEAVY RAIN IS STILL ON TRACK; AND SOME  
LOCATIONS HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED 1 TO 2". THE REMNANTS OF  
HURRICANE POLO WILL PASS FROM SOUTH TO NORTH TODAY, WITH THE  
STEADY RAINS ENDING DURING MID MORNING (LIBERAL), MIDDAY (DODGE  
CITY) AND LATE AFTERNOON (HAYS). GIVEN THE EXTREMELY ANOMALOUS  
PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR, ALONG WITH THE  
REMNANTS OF HURRICANE POLO AND UPPER LEVEL TROUGH, EXCESSIVE  
RAINS ARE LIKELY. THUS, A THE FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT  
THROUGH THURSDAY. GIVEN THE HEAVY RAINS IN PAWNEE COUNTY  
TUESDAY, THIS COUNTY WAS ADDED TO THE WATCH.  
 
AS DRIER AIR ARRIVES AT MID LEVELS IN THE WAKE OF THE HEAVY RAIN,  
AT LEAST SOME INSOLATION WILL ALLOW FOR DESTABILIZATION AS  
TEMPERATURES WARM FROM THE UPPER 60S AT SUNRISE INTO THE MID  
70S. SURFACE BASED T-STORM DEVELOPMENT SHOULD HAPPEN PROVIDED  
THAT THIS MODEST WARMING DOES OCCUR. GIVEN THE TROPICAL-LIKE LOW  
LEVEL AIRMASS AND LACK OF A MID LEVEL CAPPING INVERSION, IT  
WON'T TAKE MUCH HEATING FOR STORM INITIATION. EXPECT INITIAL  
STORMS TO THE SOUTH AND WEST OF DODGE CITY BY MID DAY, WITH THE  
STORM CHANCES SHIFTING TO THE NORTH AND EAST DURING THE  
AFTERNOON AND EVENING. GIVEN THE EXPECTED LOW CLOUD BASES, WITH  
TEMPERATURES IN THE 70S AND DEWPOINTS IN THE UPPER 60S TO NEAR  
70, ALONG WITH A VEERING WIND PROFILE AND ADEQUATE LOW LEVEL  
SRH, A FEW SMALL TORNADOES ARE LIKELY. BACKED WINDS TO THE  
NORTHEAST OF THE SURFACE LOW PRESSURE COULD ENHANCE LOW LEVEL  
SRH. ALTHOUGH VIOLENT TORNADOES ARE NOT EXPECTED IN THIS  
PATTERN; EVEN A SMALL TORNADO FROM A MINIATURE, LOW-TOPPED  
SUPERCELL CAN DO SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE, ALBEIT IN A VERY NARROW  
SWATH.  
 
EVEN AFTER THE HEAVIER RAIN IS OVER, THE UPPER LEVEL LOW WILL  
MOVE VERY SLOWLY SO THAT ADDITIONAL LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN IS  
FORECAST FOR THURSDAY. RAIN TOTALS THROUGH THURSDAY COULD REACH  
3 TO 4" OR EVEN LOCALLY HIGHER, ESPECIALLY FOR LOCATIONS THAT  
RECEIVED HEAVY RAINS TUESDAY. 75-90TH PERCENTILES OF THE VARIOUS  
ENSEMBLES SUPPORT THESE LOCALIZED, HIGHER-END AMOUNTS.  
 
SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL MOVE SOUTHWARD OUT OF CANADA INTO THE  
PLAINS BY FRIDAY. WITH LIGHT WINDS AND CLEAR SKIES FRIDAY NIGHT,  
TEMPERATURES WILL FALL INTO THE 40S, WITH SOME READINGS NEAR 40  
IN WEST CENTRAL KANSAS. OF COURSE, THESE READINGS ARE NOT THAT  
UNUSUAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR.  
 
 
   
AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z THURSDAY/  
 
ISSUED AT 1228 AM CDT WED SEP 30 2026  
 
THE REMNANTS OF HURRICANE POLO ALONG WITH AN APPROACHING UPPER  
LEVEL STORM SYSTEM WILL LEAD TO WIDESPREAD RAIN, OCCASIONALLY  
HEAVY, THROUGH 15Z AT KLBL, 18Z AT KDDC AND KGCK AND 21Z AT  
KHYS. SOME THUNDER IS POSSIBLE; BUT WILL LEAVE OUT OF THE  
FORECAST UNTIL CERTAINTY IS HIGHER SINCE WE ARE DEALING WITH A  
12 HOUR WINDOW. CIGS AND VISIBILITIES ARE UNCERTAIN; BUT MVFR  
CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY PREVAIL. HOWEVER, THERE MAY BE PERIODS OF  
IFR CIGS IN THE HEAVIER RAIN. ISOLATED T-STORMS ARE EXPECTED  
AFTER 18Z; BUT CONFIDENCE IS TOO LOW TO INCLUDE IN THE TAF FOR  
NOW.  
 
 
   
DDC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES  
 
FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING FOR KSZ030-031-043>046-  
061>065-074>078-084>087.  
 
 
 
 
 
DISCUSSION...FINCH  
AVIATION...FINCH  
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