Wichita is awake. It’s 3:47 AM on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, and while most of the city is tucked under heavy duvets, the atmosphere is doing something surprisingly quiet. Right now, it’s a crisp 44°F. That sounds manageable, almost pleasant for a Kansas winter night, until you step outside and the 13 mph northwest wind hits your face. Suddenly, that "feels like" temperature of 37°F becomes the only number that actually matters.
The sky is clear. No clouds to trap the heat, just a cold, wide-open void above the ICT.
Hour By Hour Weather Wichita KS: The Morning Pivot
If you’re planning your commute down Kellogg or heading toward the Sedgwick County Zoo this morning, don't let the "sunny" forecast fool you into leaving your coat behind. We are looking at a classic high-plains temperature slide.
By the time the sun starts peeking over the horizon, we aren't warming up. We're cooling down. The daily low is pegged at 28°F, and we’re going to flirt with that number as the dawn arrives. Most people assume the "low" happens at midnight. Honestly, in Wichita, the coldest part of your day is almost always that brutal window between 6:00 AM and 8:00 AM when the ground has lost all its radiation and the sun hasn't quite started its shift.
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The Wednesday Breakdown
Here is the raw reality for the next few hours:
- Early Morning (4 AM - 8 AM): Expect temperatures to sag. We’re moving from that 44°F current reading toward the high 20s. Humidity is sitting high at 75% right now, making the air feel heavy and "wet-cold."
- Midday (10 AM - 2 PM): The sun comes out in full force. It’ll look beautiful through a window. However, the high for the entire day is only 43°F. You’ll see a 20% chance of snow flurries during the daylight hours. It’s that teased, "will-it-or-won't-it" precipitation that rarely sticks but keeps your wipers busy.
- The Afternoon Blow: The wind is the real story today. We’re looking at sustained north winds at 20 mph. In a city as flat as ours, a 20 mph north wind is a physical force.
Why 43 Degrees Feels Like 30
Kansas weather is a bit of a liar. When you check the hour by hour weather Wichita KS, you’re seeing ambient air temperature. But because we sit in this massive geographical bowl between the Rockies and the Gulf, the wind speed acts as a multiplier.
Today’s UV index is a low 2. You won't get a tan, but the glare off the windshields during the 5:00 PM crawl will be intense. Even with the "clear" nighttime conditions predicted later, the wind isn't going to quit.
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I’ve lived through enough Januaries here to know that the "sunny" label is often a trap. We have a 56% humidity level projected for the day, which is relatively dry for us. This means any snow that does fall will likely be those tiny, dry grains that swirl across the asphalt like sand.
What Most People Get Wrong About January in the ICT
People think Wichita is just "cold" in January. That’s too simple. Wichita is volatile.
We are currently coming off a trend that has been about 14.6°F warmer than last year. If you remember January 2025, it was a literal icebox. This year? We've been spoiled. But today’s pivot back to a high of 43°F and a low of 28°F is a reminder that the Polar Vortex is always looming. Meteorologists are already watching the second half of January for a significant Arctic surge.
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Basically, today is the transition.
Survival Steps for the Next 24 Hours
You don't need a weather station to survive a Wichita Wednesday, but you do need a plan.
- Layers are non-negotiable. The 44°F you feel at 4 AM is a ghost. It’s disappearing. By the time you leave for lunch, the wind will make that 43°F high feel significantly colder.
- Watch the North Wind. If you’re driving a high-profile vehicle on I-235, that 20 mph north wind is going to push you around. Keep both hands on the wheel.
- Ignore the 20% Snow Chance... Mostly. A 20% chance of snow in Wichita usually means you'll see three flakes on your windshield at a stoplight and then nothing for the rest of the day. Don't salt your driveway yet.
- Check your tires. Rapid temperature drops from the 40s into the 20s will trigger that annoying "low pressure" light on your dashboard. It’s not a leak; it’s just physics.
The nighttime will settle into a clear, cold 28°F. The wind will still be there, but the precipitation chance drops to 0%. It’s a good night to stay in, honestly.
Stay weather-aware, Wichita. The ICT doesn't do "boring" when it comes to the sky, and even a "sunny" Wednesday has enough wind and temperature swing to catch you off guard if you aren't paying attention.