TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – Wrap up warm today, it’s staying cold…at least the sun is staying and the winds are continuing to die down! Wind chills in the single digits this morning will lead to high temperatures in the upper 20s to mid 30s this afternoon, with wind chills in the mid to upper 20s. The good news is that after a cold morning on Saturday, temperatures will be warmer throughout the weekend. The unusually mild conditions will continue into next week.

Take action:

1. Since the wind is lighter this evening, there is a greater chance of frost on your car if you park outside on Saturday morning.
2. If you go to the Chiefs game on Saturday, it will be dry and sunny with winds of 10 mph or less, but it will be cold and in the mid-upper 30s Celsius throughout the game.
3. Enjoy the sun today through Sunday as there will be quite a bit of cloud cover next week. There is still a chance of rain early in the week, although most of it will likely stay closer to southeast Kansas, leaving the official 8-day forecast dry. After Christmas, particularly Thursday into Thursday night, there is a greater chance of rain at the end of the week, but uncertainty remains over the details. However, there is no chance of snow any time soon.

Tonight we’re likely to experience the coldest air mass we’ll have for the rest of the month (and year). Temperatures Saturday night will be more seasonal, staying in the 20s before temperatures begin to turn unseasonably mild and turn above average on Sunday, with lows and highs through most of next week. Confidence is high about weather details through Sunday, but confidence about details for next week is lower. Mainly in terms of temperatures and how clouds limit how warm it can get during the day (or how cold it could get at night). There is no doubt that whatever precipitation there is, it will be warm enough for rain.

This afternoon: Sunny (although some clouds may move in from the north after 4pm). Wind speed N 5-10 mph.

Tonight: Clear. Lows in the mid-teens. Light/variable wind.

Morning: Sunny. Highs in the upper 30s and lower 40s. Winds SE 5-10 mph.

Sunday: Mostly sunny. Highs will be in the upper 40s to mid 50s. Wind force S 5-15, gusts up to 25 miles per hour.

Next week, lows are expected to be generally in the 30s and highs in the 40s and 50s, with more clouds than sun throughout the week and rain chances being monitored primarily after Christmas for northeast KS, with much of the rain early in the week stays in the south before Christmas. The models agree fairly well with the temperature (air mass) over the week, but disagree on whether there will be potential warming or remain near seasonal over the weekend.

Way too early outlook on New Year’s Eve: Temperatures will still be in the mid to upper 20s on the morning of January 1st and will be near seasonal in the afternoon, so it is not expected to be too cold. One model indicates precipitation on January 2, while the other model accounts for precipitation west of central KS.

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