By Meteorologist Mark Larson KWCH 12 Eyewitness News

12:17 p.m. CST, March 6, 2013
Look for afternoon highs to reach the mid to upper-50s to near 60 degrees over southwest Kansas but only mid to upper-40s for most of the central and east. Skies will be mostly sunny or partly cloudy with gusty southerly winds for western Kansas.

Thursday and Friday will be windy and even warmer statewide. Temperatures are expected range from low to mid-60s over central and western Kansas to the mid and upper-50s across the north.

The warmer temps and gusty winds are in response to a powerful storm system which will plow out into the Plains this weekend bringing Kansas areas of rain, scattered thunderstorms and even some snow to Kansas Saturday.
_______________

Wichita Area Forecast:

This afternoon:  Mostly sunny but cool.  Wind: SE 5-15.  High: 45.

Tonight:  Mostly clear but not as cold.  Wind: SE 10-15.  Low: 28.

Tomorrow:  Mostly sunny, breezy, warmer. Wind: SE/S 15-25; gusty. High: 60.

Tomorrow night:  Mostly clear and cool.  Wind: S 10-25.  Low: 38.

Fri:  High:  64   Windy and mild with increasing clouds.
Sat:  High:  63  Low: 49   Windy with p.m. rain and storms likely.
Sun:  High:  48  Low: 45   a.m. showers/storms; mostly cloudy, windy, cooler.
Mon:  High:  44  Low: 26   Partly cloudy to mostly sunny; still breezy.
Tue:  High:  56  Low: 29   Mostly sunny.
Wed:  High:  62   Low:  40  Sunny to partly cloudy, breezy and warmer.


To stay on top of the changing weather conditions, download the Storm Team 12 App for streaming video of our Always On Storm Team 12 Weather Channel,  interactive radar, and current conditions by zip code. 

 Also download the KWCH App, where you can also watch streaming video of Always On Storm Team 12.  There you can also send us your storm shots and receive weather alerts. 

The Apps are free to download for i-Phone, i-Pad and Android. If you don't have a smart phone, Text Me 12 can also alert you to storms.

And if you want to stay ahead of weather while watching television, turn to channel 12.2 for our Always On Storm Team 12 Weather Channel.