935
FXUS63 KDDC 100037
AFDDDC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS
637 PM CST FRI JAN 9 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- SNOWFALL EVENT IS UNFOLDING ACROSS SOUTHWEST KS THIS
AFTERNOON, WITH HIGHEST SNOWFALL TOTALS EXPECTED NEAR THE
KS/CO BORDER.
- WARMING TREND WILL BEGIN SATURDAY AS UPPER LEVEL RIDGING
BUILDS OVER THE WESTERN CONUS.
- DESPITE A FEW COLD FRONTAL PASSAGES NEXT WEEK, LITTLE TO NO
PRECIPITATION IS ANTICIPATED.
DISCUSSION
ISSUED AT 200 PM CST FRI JAN 9 2026
WIDESPREAD SNOWFALL EVENT CONTINUES TO UNFOLD ACROSS SOUTHWEST
KS THIS AFTERNOON COURTESY OF A POSITIVELY-TILTED UPPER TROUGH
NOW EJECTING ONTO THE HIGH PLAINS. LATEST KDDC RADAR TRENDS
SUGGEST THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL IS CURRENTLY OCCURRING NEAR THE
US-283 CORRIDOR, AND GRADUALLY MOVING EASTWARD, WITH SNOWFALL
TAPERING OFF NEAR THE KS/CO BORDER AS THE TROUGH AXIS PASSES
OVERHEAD. AS THIS PRECIPITATION SHIELD SHIFTS EASTWARD LATER
THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING, SHORT RANGE GUIDANCE AGREES THE
UPPER WAVE WILL OPEN, WHICH WILL WEAKEN FRONTOGENESIS/FORCING
AND ALLOW PRECIPITATION RATES TO DECREASE. AS A RESULT, SNOWFALL
AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE HIGHEST ACROSS OUR WESTERN ZONES ONCE
SNOWFALL FINALLY EXITS OUR AREA BY MIDNIGHT TONIGHT, WITH 4-7"
NEAR THE KS/CO BORDER DIMINISHING TO 1-2" OVER OUR EASTERN
ZONES. OVERNIGHT, FRESH SNOWPACK AND MODEST WINDS AROUND 5-10
MPH WILL SUPPORT RADIATIONAL COOLING AND TEMPERATURES DROPPING
INTO THE TEENS TO LOW 20S BY SATURDAY MORNING.
DAYTIME SATURDAY, IN THE WAKE OF THE SNOWFALL EVENT, ENSEMBLES
AGREE UPPER LEVEL RIDGING WILL BEGIN TO BUILD OVER THE WESTERN
CONUS, RESULTING IN AN AMPLIFIED UPPER PATTERN OF RIDGING TO THE
WEST AND TROUGHING TO THE EAST THAT WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE END
OF THE PERIOD. WHILE VORTICITY MAXIMA WILL DIVE SOUTH ON THE
WESTERN PERIPHERY OF THE TROUGH ON A FEW OCCASIONS DURING NEXT
WEEK, BRINGING WEAK COLD FRONTS THROUGH THE CENTRAL PLAINS,
RIDGING OUT WEST WILL GENERALLY SUPPORT ABOVE NORMAL
TEMPERATURES WITH AFTERNOON HIGHS INCREASING FROM THE 40S ON
SATURDAY TO THE 50S ON MONDAY AND BEYOND. SIMILARLY, PROBABILITY
OF PRECIPITATION GRIDS ARE QUIET (<15%) THROUGH NEXT FRIDAY.
AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z SUNDAY/
ISSUED AT 635 PM CST FRI JAN 9 2026
SNOW EVENT WAS HOLDING ON A LITTLE LONGER THAN PREVIOUS
FORECAST, AS ONE LAST HEAVY SNOW BAND WAS MOVING EAST ACROSS
SOUTHWEST KANSAS. THE LAST SNOW BAND WILL REDUCE VISIBILITY BACK
DOWN TO 1/4 MILE AT DDC, BUT CONDITIONS WILL QUICKLY IMPROVE
AFTER ABOUT 03Z (10 PM CST) WITH WIDESPREAD VFR EXPECTED AFTER
MIDNIGHT. WINDS WILL GRADUALLY BECOME WESTERLY BY SATURDAY
MORNING.
DDC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 9 PM CST /8 PM MST/ THIS EVENING
FOR KSZ043-044-061>064-074>078-085>087.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR
KSZ045-046-065-066-079>081-088-089.
DISCUSSION...SPRINGER
AVIATION...UMSCHEID
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