382  
FXUS63 KDDC 200439  
AFDDDC  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS  
1139 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 2026  
   
KEY MESSAGES  
 
- UNSEASONABLY COOL TEMPERATURES CONTINUE THROUGH WEDNESDAY.  
 
- RAIN CHANCES (70-90%) RETURN WEDNESDAY NIGHT/THURSDAY.  
 
 
   
DISCUSSION  
 
ISSUED AT 106 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 2026  
 
WV IMAGERY INDICATES A SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT PREVAILING ACROSS THE  
WESTERN HIGH PLAINS DOWNSTREAM OF A BROAD TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE  
SLOWLY TRANSITIONING EAST THROUGH THE INTERMOUNTAIN WEST. NEAR THE  
SURFACE, HIGH PRESSURE IS EXPANDING EASTWARD ACROSS THE NORTHERN  
HIGH PLAINS INTO THE DAKOTAS.  
 
UNSEASONABLY COOL/DRY CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST EARLY IN THE PERIOD AS  
SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE SHIFTS EAST ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST TONIGHT,  
AND INTO THE GREAT LAKES REGION WEDNESDAY. RAIN CHANCES (70-90%)  
RETURN WEDNESDAY NIGHT AS THE SREF INDICATES A SERIES OF H5 VORT  
MAXIMA ASSOCIATED WITH AN UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE TROUGH EJECTING  
OUT OF THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES INTO THE WESTERN HIGH PLAINS. NEAR THE  
SURFACE, A PREVAILING EAST-SOUTHEAST UPSLOPE FLOW WILL PULL MOISTURE  
INTO SOUTHWEST/SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS PUSHING SURFACE DEWPOINTS BACK  
UP INTO THE 50S(F), BRINGING ABOUT MINIMAL INSTABILITY. COMBINED  
WITH A MODEST FIELD OF +50KT SOUTHWESTERLIES ALOFT AND SUFFICIENT  
LIFT WITHIN EASTERLY UPSLOPING, RAIN DEVELOPMENT IS EXPECTED ACROSS  
PORTIONS OF WESTERN KANSAS WEDNESDAY EVENING AND CONTINUING INTO  
THURSDAY. A FEW EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS CANNOT BE RULED OUT WITH  
SOME INSTABILITY PRESENT. AS SUGGEST BY THE HREF, THE BEST CHANCE  
FOR APPRECIABLE RAINFALL WILL BE ACROSS WEST CENTRAL KANSAS INTO  
PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST KANSAS WHERE THERE IS A 70-90% PROBABILITY  
OF 24-HR QPF EXCEEDING 0.25 OF AN INCH BY EARLY THURSDAY MORNING.  
ADDITIONAL PERIODS OF LIGHT/MODERATE RAIN ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH  
THE DAY THURSDAY WITH A BROADER SCALE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH HOLDING  
IN PLACE ACROSS THE INTERMOUNTAIN WEST.  
 
UNSEASONABLY COOL TEMPERATURES ARE LIKELY TONIGHT AS SURFACE HIGH  
PRESSURE MOVING THROUGH THE UPPER MIDWEST REINFORCES THE COOLER AIR  
MASS SETTLED ACROSS THE HIGH PLAINS OF WESTERN KANSAS. LOOK FOR LOWS  
GENERALLY IN THE 40S(F) WITH THE HREF PAINTING A 70-90% PROBABILITY  
OF TEMPERATURES DROPPING BELOW 45F ACROSS MUCH OF SOUTHWEST KANSAS  
TO ONLY A 10-30% PROBABILITY OF SLIPPING BELOW 45F IN SOUTH CENTRAL  
KANSAS. THE TREND CONTINUES WEDNESDAY WITH EASTERLY UPSLOPING DOING  
LITTLE TO ERODE THE AIR MASS IN PLACE, HOLDING H85 TEMPERATURES TO  
AROUND 10-12C ACROSS THE AREA. WIDESPREAD AFTERNOON HIGHS IN THE  
60S(F) CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THE HREF INDICATING A 70-90% PROBABILITY  
OF TEMPERATURES EXCEEDING 60F WITH HIGHS NEARING 70F IN SOUTH CENTRAL  
KANSAS. SIMILAR TEMPERATURES ARE LIKELY THURSDAY, ESPECIALLY WITH  
LINGERING PRECIP AND PREVAILING MOSTLY CLOUDY TO OVERCAST SKIES.  
 
 
   
AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z THURSDAY/  
 
ISSUED AT 1137 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 2026  
 
VFR CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD ALTHOUGH LOWERED  
FLIGHT CONDITIONS MAY OCCUR NEAR THE END OF THE PERIOD. MOSTLY WEAK  
SURFACE HIGHS ALOFT ARE PRESENT TO START THE PERIOD; LIGHT WINDS (5-  
15 KTS) OUT OF THE EAST ARE FORECAST TO CONTINUE. BY AROUND 2Z,  
LOWERED CLOUD COVER AND SCATTERED SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED AT OR AROUND  
ALL STATIONS. PRIOR TO 6Z, ENSEMBLES KEEP CHANCES FOR <3K FT  
CEILINGS AND PROBABILITY OF PRECIPITATION BELOW 50%. HOWEVER, IT IS  
VERY FEASIBLE THAT ONE MORE MULTIPLE SITES MAY SEE LOWERED FLIGHT  
CONDITIONS IN THE TAF PERIOD OWING TO ONE OR BOTH OF THESE  
CONDITIONS AND FUTURE AVIATION FORECASTS WILL HAVE MORE REFINED  
GUIDANCE.  
 
 
   
DDC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES  
 
NONE.  
 
 
 
 
 
DISCUSSION...JJOHNSON  
AVIATION...KBJ  
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