After a high temperature in the low-40s arrives about 5 p.m. Wednesday, the mercury will nosedive, forecasters are predicting.
The National Weather Service in Dodge City said a mass of cold Arctic air from Canada will dive into Kansas by Thursday morning, pushing the temperature down to the low- to mid-teens.
The wind chill could be near or below zero across western Kansas, with winds up to 25 mpg Wednesday night and 15 mph Thursday. A wind chill of -9 is predicted Thursday morning in Hays.
The freeze won't last long, however, as the temperature is expected to pop back up in the mid-40s by Friday and near the mid-50s by Saturday.
A Sunday high of 58 is projected, the NWS said.