Apps

The Salina Police Department says it will help cut costs, increase efficiency and better serve the public.  The department launched a new Android smartphone app. Police tell us the app can be used to get information about the police department, file certain types of reports and make Crimestoppers tips.  The app also links to the department's Facebook and YouTube sites. Police say the new technology will better assist citizens - allowing them to report crimes like car break-ins from their phone without needing to wait for a responding officer.

Severe storms are impacting several Kansas counties.  Watch live coverage from Storm Team 12 on the storms.                Storm Team 12 can help you follow the storms no matter where you are headed. We offer two different Apps for all of your weather needs. Download the Storm Team 12 App for interactive radar and current conditions by zip code. Also download the KWCH App, where you can watch streaming video of our Always On Storm Team 12, channel 12.2.

Sales of portable GPS units have fallen, but plenty of people are downloading navigation apps to get where they're going. Consumer Reports tested some of the latest GPS apps for your smart phone. It says nvigation apps are getting better than ever. Some sport features like reality view to show major intersections, or celebrity voices that you can download for some laughs. If you own an Android phone, you're in luck. It comes with free Google navigation built right in. And it has turn-by-turn directions, just like you'd find on a regular GPS. But if you're an iPhone user, you need to download an app to get GPS-style navigation.

Believe it or not, a Flash Flood Watch has been issued for sections of northwest Kansas where heavy rains saturated grounds overnight.  Rainfall amounts for the 24 hour period ending at 7 A.M. ranged from 3.15" near Oakley, 3.11" near St. Francis, 2.04" near Russell Springs to 1.18" in Goodland.  Additional 2-4" rainfall amounts are possible today and tonight and will create excessive runoff on already saturated soil.  Other rainfall...

Severe weather is a concern for Saturday across central and eastern Kansas. Scattered storms Saturday morning are not expected to be severe, but may have some small hail and gusty winds. They will move to the northeast and out of the area by midday. Saturday will bring another round of severe weather to Kansas. The main threat for severe weather should arrive after 4 p.m. Storms will deveolop over central Kansas and move east/northeast into the evening hours.

____________________ Storm Team 12 can help you follow the storms no matter where you are headed. We offer two different Apps for all of your weather needs. Download the Storm Team 12 App for interactive radar and current conditions by zip code.  Also download the KWCH App, where you can watch streaming video of our Always On Storm Team 12 Weather Channel, channel 12.2.  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.

How to get from here to there? In the last 10 years, GPS devices have revolutionized getting around. And the capability has moved to cell phones. Now iPhone users can get navigation apps for their phones. They include the $100 TomTom app, the $10 per month AT&T Navigator, and GMap regional maps by XRoad, starting at $35. Consumer Reports found those apps convenient and easy to use. But none of the ones tested worked as well as a good portable GPS. The accuracy is not as precise, the sound not as crisp, and the volume not as high.

Earlier this month, Hewlett Packard announced that it was ending webOS, phasing out its Touchpad line and spinning off its computer line. The reason? Well, people were not buying Touchpads and webOS (which ran the Touchpads) was getting scathingly bad reviews. Ever since the announcement, HP slashed $300 off of the price for the Touchpads, and ever since, there's been a buying frenzy on the company's website. But even though you might be thinking you're getting a heck of a good deal on a tablet, it might not be a wise idea to plop down the hundred bucks on one. The reason is because no new software (or apps)

Thunderstorms will end overnight in the far northeast part of Kansas, as well as the southwest. Elsewhere we will see clear to partly cloudy skies. Saturday will be mostly sunny but a little cooler in most areas. Clouds will be on the increase Saturday night with showers and thunderstorms moving into the southwest and spreading northeastward. Look for off and on showers and storms on Sunday and Monday. ____________________ Wichita Area Forecast: Overnight :  Mostly clear.  Wind: NW 10-15.  Low: 54. Saturday :  Mostly sunny and a little cooler.  Wind: N/NE 10-15.  High: 72. Saturday night :  Increasing clouds; scattered storms late.  Wind: NE/E 5-15.  Low: 49. Sun : High: 64  Mostly cloudy with occasional showers and storms.

Many of our viewers access our website on their mobile phones.  We have a number of different ways to get the latest from the Eyewitness Newsroom and Storm Team 12. You can check out our mobile website - m.kwch.com (many mobile browsers will automatically redirect you to this page when accessed on your phone, if not...bookmark this link) You can also download our Apps on Android and iPhone (and iPad) KWCH App on Android (or search "KWCH" in the Android Market)

For several days, Kansans have been cleaning up from severe storms that moved through the state.  Now we watch our neighbors to the south deal with a deadly tornado that stayed on the ground for 40 minutes. It once again makes you realize that severe weather poses a serious threat and it's critical to stay informed of the changing conditions. One way to stay informed is through the Storm Team 12 App.  The free App is available for Apple and Android devices. It allows you to view interactive radar and also to watch our weather coverage live wherever you are.  The video links to Always On Storm Team 12.  Click here to download the App This is a great tool to use on your smart phone or tablet during severe weather situations, when you can't watch television.

Does your baby's diaper need changed? There's an app for that. Huggies has developed an app that will send you a tweet every time your baby wets his diaper. The TweetPee app uses a clip-on sensor attached to the baby's diaper. When it senses humidity, it tweets the parent, or can notify mutliple people. However the sensor will only work with specially designed Huggies' diapers. The app is being testing in Brazil, and it expected to launch in July. The company said the app also helps parents keep track of the number of diapers being used.

Our Monday weather features a frigid Canadian air mass sitting right over our area making it a very cold start to our work and school week. Lows earlier this morning fell into the single-digits and low teens across the state. Wichita bottomed out at 12 degrees - the last time the metro was that cold was February 11th, nearly ten months ago ! Monday afternoon we will see sunshine but it will be one of the coldest days we've had in a long time.

It will be another cold night across Kansas, but temperatures will be on a warming trend heading into the middle of the week. Lows will drop back into the teens for many locations with light southwest winds overnight. Clouds will return to Kansas, but there will not be any snow for this area. Tuesday afternoon should become mostly sunny with temperatures rebounding into the mid 40s. The wind will turn to the southwest, but speeds will be less than 20 mph. Highs will be back in the 50s for Wednesday and Thursday, but the wind is expected to increase as well.

The Arctic cold front has moved through Kansas.  Cold air will rush into the area with gusty north winds.  Precipitation (snow flurries and sprinkles) is limited, but don't be surprised if you see a few flurries throughout the day into the early evening.  High temperatures have already occurred, and temperatures will remain steady or fall through the afternoon hours.  Afternoon temperatures will be in the 20s and 30s statewide.  Wind chills will be in teens and single digits. Flurries and clouds will begin to clear out tonight, and with clearing skies and diminishing wind, temperatures will plummet into the single digits and teens by Monday morning.  Coldest air Kansas has seen this season.  Don't forget the gloves and jacket, as you head out the door to work and school on Monday.

Colder temperatures will be around for the start of the week as a Canadian high pressure system settles over Kansas. Lows tonight will be in the single digits for central and western Kansas, but should be around 12 for Wichita. Wind chills will go subzero for much of the night. Skies are expected to clear out. On Monday, we will have some sunshine, but it's expected to stay rather chilly. Highs will be in the 35-40 degree range for much of the state, and the wind should turn to the west or southwest at 10-15 mph. Temperatures will be warming back up into the 50s during the middle of the week.

Cold weather on the way for Kansas this weekend. A strong cold front will push through the state tonight, and temperatures will be dipping below normal for a change. Today weather conditions will be "nice" and temperatures will be near normal for early December, clouds will be on the increase throughout the day, but dry weather should continue. Afternoon highs are expected to be in the upper 40s and low 50s over much of the state with a return to south winds in the afternoon.

Some massive changes are heading our way over the next 24 hours.  Overnight, we expect pockets of drizzle and sprinkles in eastern Kansas with patchy sprinkles and flurries to the north and west.  A powerful cold front will work southeastward overnight, with gusty north winds behind it.  It should be into the Dodge City area in the late evening, after Midnight in Salina and after 3 o'clock in Wichita. On Sunday, we'll see areas of light snow and flurries.  If there is any accumulation, just a light dusting is possible in Salina and Manhattan.  No snow accumulation is expected in Dodge City or Wichita though.  Highs on Sunday will be early in the day, as falling temperatures will occur.  Thanks to north winds of 20-30 mph, wind chills will be in teens and even single digits for some.

Any sprinkles or pockets of light rain in north central Kansas will end this afternoon.  We'll see partly to mostly cloudy skies across the region today with highs in the 50s.  One more final mild day is forecast on Saturday before the big changes roll in. A strong cold front will pass through the state Saturday night and early Sunday.  Some light sprinkles, flurries and pockets of light snow will occur on Sunday but little if any accumulation is...

A big change in temperatures is coming to Kansas very soon. A strong cold front will push through Kansas Saturday night and by Sunday, temperatures will be dipping below normal for a change. Clouds will be thinning out overnight with lows in the low 20s west and around 30 in south central Kansas. The wind is expected to be light. On Saturday, skies will be partly to mostly cloudy, but dry weather should continue. Afternoon highs are expected to be near 50 over much of the state with a return to south winds in the afternoon.