Spring

The April 2012 tornado that attacked the Oaklawn neighborhood is still fresh in people's minds.  But Dalana Morales says there hasn't been much weather this spring to remind people of that terrifying night. "I like this weather," Morales says.  "You can come out, have barbecues, let the kids play.  You don't have to worry about tornadoes. " While scars of the storm remain, families in Oaklawn are enjoying a much calmer spring this year.  That's the case nationwide.  The National Severe Storms Laboratory estimates there were only 197 tornadoes in the United States from last May to this April.  That may be a record low.  Compare that to the 2010-11 season, when there was a record number that topped one thousand.

The majority of the country traded an hour of sleep for an extra hour of daylight today.  Daylight-savings time starts today.  The government expanded daylight-saving time in 2007 in an attempt to save energy. It now begins on the second Sunday in march and lasts until the first Sunday in November.  The official change happened at 2 a.m. this morning, but most people set their clocks forward an hour before they went to sleep Saturday night.  So, if you haven't done it already, make sure you set your clock forward an hour before you go to bed. We don't want you to be late to work Monday morning. 

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) - Gil Meche pitched three innings Monday before leaving the Kansas City Royals' 9-5 victory over the Chicago White Sox with a sore right shoulder. Meche allowed three runs and four hits, struck out one and walked one. He threw 31 of his 56 pitches for strikes. Jake Peavy was hit hard during his three innings for the White Sox, yielding seven runs and 10 hits. Bobby Jenks followed Peavy and struck out one in a perfect inning. It was the closer's first spring game since March 12 because of a calf injury.

The unusually warm, dry weather will stick around Monday afternoon as high temperatures will soar to nearly 20 degrees above average. The strongest southerly winds will be found over central and eastern Kansas as temperatures rise into the spring-like low to mid-60s. Record highs are around 70, so much of the state will fall short of making history, but it will still be very warm for the end of January. A weak cold front will slide into our area Tuesday starting a slow cooling trend that will take week's end. Rain or snow showers will be possible for parts of Kansas by Friday however the precise track of a late week storm system is a bit dubious at this times so stay tuned.

Plants and vegetables remain stocked at stores and greenhouses as gardeners wait for spring. The average annual late freeze for the Wichita-area is April 15. Three days later, it is unusual to see temperatures dip below zero. Gardeners may have been anxious to get their plants in the ground after two years of an unseasonably warm early spring. Some who have already planted their gardens are worried about the chilling temperatures. For farmers, the cold could be deadly for the wheat harvest just weeks away.

They're simple things, but they're important for children to learn. Good manners are on the lesson plan at a Wichita etiquette class. The students are becoming refined young men and women. The children are dressed up as a princesses and queens. The boys are a politician and a boxer. This makes up the cast of characters at this make-believe party. The role playing is how these kids are learning how to introduce themselves. It's part of a spring break class about etiquette. That's a big word for a five-year-old.

Kansas State returns nine starters on offense and seven on defense from a year ago, when the Wildcats surprised just about everyone by winning 10 games and reaching the Cotton Bowl. That doesn't mean there aren't jobs on the line heading into next season. The offensive line has some openings and there are a few positions that must be sorted out on defense. Some of that has happened during practice, and coach Bill Snyder will be able to take another step when the Wildcats play their annual spring game on Saturday.

Even though this week saw plenty of rain, the warm temperatures from the last few weeks fooled a lot of plants into thinking it's Springtime.  Some seasonal plants are starting to bloom earlier than usual. Photos of Flowers in Bloom for Spring Johnson's Garden Center stocked up with plants like pansies and other garden plants that bloom in early spring.  Other nurseries around town, including ones at Lowe's and Home Depot, say they're between half and three quarters full.

HAYS, Kan. -- Fort Hays State University has been setting records for enrollment since the turn of the century, and the official 20th-day headcount for the spring 2011 semester continues that growth trend with an official tally of 9,955 students.   That is an all-time record 20th-day enrollment for a spring semester at FHSU, but the enrollment will grow by approximately 1,500 students when late-reporting enrollments are received from China, taking it to about 11,500. Some partner universities in China start their spring semesters later than American universities, so FHSU's 20th-day numbers are a bit misleading in the spring.

FHSU enrollment sets new record Growth on campus and in the Virtual College  also sets new high for number of Kansans served   HAYS, Kan. -- Fort Hays State University continues to set overall records for enrollment, and today's release of the official 20th-day headcount for the spring 2009 semester also reverses a recent trend of declines in on-campus enrollment. As of the 20th day, enrollment for the spring 2009 semester at FHSU climbed by 4.6 percent compared to the 20th day of the spring 2008 semester, with a count of 8,381 students compared to 8,011 a year ago. The enrollment for spring 2009 is an increase of 370 students from last year.

City leaders in Conway Springs have voted to replace their police chief. April Addis was appointed Chief of Police in the small Sumner County community in 2011. But some city council members said changes needed to be made. The city voted during a meeting Tuesday night not to reappoint Addis as chief. Dozens of people packed the city council meeting Tuesday night in support of Addis. "I've heard nothing bad about her, and, she's great," said T.J. Sones, council member.

The April 2012 tornado that attacked the Oaklawn neighborhood is still fresh in people's minds.  But Dalana Morales says there hasn't been much weather this spring to remind people of that terrifying night. "I like this weather," Morales says.  "You can come out, have barbecues, let the kids play.  You don't have to worry about tornadoes. " While scars of the storm remain, families in Oaklawn are enjoying a much calmer spring this year.  That's the case nationwide.  The National Severe Storms Laboratory estimates there were only 197 tornadoes in the United States from last May to this April.  That may be a record low.  Compare that to the 2010-11 season, when there was a record number that topped one thousand.

After a gray, cool weekend for some, warmer temperatures are are on the way back to Kansas for everyone along with more rain chances by midweek. Early Monday, patchy fog and cool temps were found across our area but by afternoon we can expect sunny to partly cloudy skies and mild temps. Later in the day, clouds will thicken-up out west but it will stay dry statewide. Eastern Kansas will enjoy light winds while southeast winds will get gutsy by afternoon across the west where a spotty shower or two will be possible late Monday night.

Clouds, drizzle and chilly temperatures to start the morning across eastern Kansas, while the west will have clear skies and a cold start to the day.  Areas that experience more sunshine will warm into the upper 60s, while much of central and eastern Kansas will only reach the upper 50s and low 60s with stubborn clouds hanging around most of the day.  A few peeks of sun are possible after 5 p.m. from Wichita northward to Salina.  The good news...

The Big 12 Men's Golf Championship in Hutchinson has been reduced to a 54-hole tournament after ice accumulated on the greens Tuesday. The bitter cold temperatures have also forced some disctricts to cancel baseball, softball, tennis and track meets. Some schools are now faced with trying to make up lost games late in the season. Click here to see Storm Shots Baseball isn't a sport you play in a gym.  That is, unless it's literally freezing outside.  Kapaun Mount Carmel High School baseball player Tyler Jennings says bad weather has taken a toll on the season.

Plants and vegetables remain stocked at stores and greenhouses as gardeners wait for spring. The average annual late freeze for the Wichita-area is April 15. Three days later, it is unusual to see temperatures dip below zero. Gardeners may have been anxious to get their plants in the ground after two years of an unseasonably warm early spring. Some who have already planted their gardens are worried about the chilling temperatures. For farmers, the cold could be deadly for the wheat harvest just weeks away.

Jake Heaps threw for 257 yards and four touchdowns Saturday, leading the blue team made up mostly of offensive starters to a 34-7 victory over the white in Kansas' spring game. Heaps sat out last season after transferring from BYU, but didn't appear to have any rust to knock off. He completed 10 straight passes in the first half, showing the kind of zip that made him one of the nation's top quarterbacks coming out of high school. He found a favorite target in Justin McCay, a transfer from Oklahoma who also sat out last year.

Many farmers and gardeners went to bed Tuesday night, worried about how the ice would impact their gardens and plants. But one local farmer says she's actually relieved about the freeze. Sarah Beck says it's actually good for her crops. She may be one of the few people in Kansas who was praying for a storm. "Our trees, thank God, are covered in ice," she said. Click here to view storm shots The Harvey County farmer says this much needed moisture is a blessing in the storm.

Look for mostly sunny skies this afternoon as highs soar back into the upper-50s and lower-60s. Friday will be even warmer but there will be a price to pay for the added heat. Gusty southerly winds will kick-in, topping 40 mph at times. Look for high thin clouds to move through our area with highs in the 70s statewide. A few lower-80s will even be possible over southwest Kansas but those will be the exception, not the rule. A weak cold front will arrive Saturday but temps will only dip a bit with highs in the upper-60s across the north and lower-70s for the south.

Clear to mostly clear skies can be expected overnight as lows tumble into the middle to upper 30s.  Remember just a few days ago, our afternoon highs couldn't get out of the 30s in some areas.  Definitely more warmth is heading our way for the next few days! We'll see some mid and high level clouds over the area on Friday, along with gusty south winds.  Highs will warm into the 70s for most, although upper 60s will be felt east of Wichita.  In any event, it's a huge improvement over earlier in the week.  As the wind and warmth increase though, so will the fire danger too. More clouds will gather especially for the second half of the weekend.  A few showers are possible in the west late Saturday night while showers and a few storms will be around on Sunday.  A threat of severe weather is possible over Kansas for Monday and Tuesday.  There are still some question marks regarding the timing of the storm system, so stay tuned for more information in later forecasts regarding early next week.