National Weather Service Wichita, Kansas
Encyclopedia
The National Weather Service Wichita, Kansas (NWS Wichita) is a local weather forecast office of the National Weather Service
responsible for monitoring weather conditions for 26 counties in central, south-central, and southeastern Kansas
, including the Wichita Metropolitan Area
and Salina, Kansas
.
) weather office opened. Pilot Balloons were sent at 5:30 am and pm each day, and from April 1, 1930 to November 29, 1940 there were two Weather Bureau Offices in Wichita.
, and is in charge of issuing local forecasts and weather warnings for central, south central, and southeastern Kansas. It is one of four National Weather Service offices located in Kansas and one of seven that serve the state. In the event that the office becomes temporarily unable to perform its duties, NWS Wichita's primary backup office (the office that would take over until NWS Wichita was able to resume service) is the National Weather Service office in Topeka, Kansas, with the secondary backup office being the National Weather Service office in Dodge City, Kansas.
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
responsible for monitoring weather conditions for 26 counties in central, south-central, and southeastern Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, including the Wichita Metropolitan Area
Wichita metropolitan area
The Wichita Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of four counties in south central Kansas, anchored by the city of Wichita. As of the 2010 census, the MSA had a population of 659,372...
and Salina, Kansas
Salina, Kansas
Salina is a city in and the county seat of Saline County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 47,707. Located in one of the world's largest wheat-producing areas, Salina is a regional trade center for north-central Kansas...
.
History
The Army Signal Service established a federal weather office in the region on June 13, 1888. On April 1, 1930, the Wichita Municipal Airport (currently McConnell Air Force BaseMcConnell Air Force Base
McConnell Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located four miles southeast of the central business district of Wichita, a city in Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States. The base was named in honor of Wichita brothers Fred and Thomas McConnell, both Air Force pilots and World War II...
) weather office opened. Pilot Balloons were sent at 5:30 am and pm each day, and from April 1, 1930 to November 29, 1940 there were two Weather Bureau Offices in Wichita.
Present day
The current National Weather Service Wichita is located at 2142 S. Tyler Road in the southwestern part of Wichita, near Wichita Mid-Continent AirportWichita Mid-Continent Airport
Wichita Mid-Continent Airport is a commercial airport located in southwest Wichita, in Sedgwick County, Kansas, USA. It is the busiest airport in the state of Kansas . In 2008, passenger traffic continued to grow despite increased fuel prices and economic troubles, with 1,615,075 passengers...
, and is in charge of issuing local forecasts and weather warnings for central, south central, and southeastern Kansas. It is one of four National Weather Service offices located in Kansas and one of seven that serve the state. In the event that the office becomes temporarily unable to perform its duties, NWS Wichita's primary backup office (the office that would take over until NWS Wichita was able to resume service) is the National Weather Service office in Topeka, Kansas, with the secondary backup office being the National Weather Service office in Dodge City, Kansas.