Wichita Swelters: Driest Summer on Record

Wichita is currently enduring a historic late-summer dry spell, marked by critically low rainfall and prolonged heat waves. Data from the National Weather Service reveals that July and August combined yielded a mere three-quarters of an inch of rain at Eisenhower National Airport.

This precipitation level positions 2026 as the second-driest July-August period on record, trailing only the Dust Bowl year of 1936. The city typically receives over 8 inches of rain during these two months.

Simultaneously, Wichita has been sweltering under relentless heat, recording 39 consecutive days with temperatures at or above 90 degrees Fahrenheit as of September 1st. This streak is now the sixth-longest in the city's history.

With triple-digit heat anticipated to continue, forecasters predict Wichita could surpass the 2011 record of 42 such days on Friday. This would place the current year's heat streak as the fourth longest all-time, with a possibility of challenging the 1980 record of 52 consecutive days above 90 degrees.