Is it March or June? Early spring heat wave brings summer-like temperatures to Kansas
At a glance: Matt Sittel, the assistant state climatologist with the K-State based Kansas Mesonet, comments on the record-high temperatures seen across the state recently.
More information: Matthew Sittel, msittel@ksu.edu
Photo: Matthew Sittel
Related: Kansas Mesonet
March 24, 2026
Commentary by Matthew Sittel
Assistant State Climatologist, Kansas State University
MANHATTAN, Kan. — The calendar may still say March, but the atmosphere had other ideas across Kansas this past week. A strong ridge of high pressure settled over the southwestern and south-central United States, delivering a burst of heat more typical of early summer than the opening days of spring.
At right: Matthew Sittel | Download this photo
The transition was swift and striking. On March 16, the average high temperature across the Kansas Mesonet registered a brisk 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Over the next five days, that number climbed steadily: 63, 81, 87, 91 and finally 95 degrees by March 21.
What began as a cool late-winter pattern quickly evolved into a historic early-season heat wave. While a handful of daily records fell in the days leading up to March 21, it was that final day of the stretch that proved most remarkable.
Among Kansas observing sites with at least 50 years of data — 110 locations in total, though slightly fewer with complete records for the week — at least 45 daily high temperature records were broken on March 21 alone.
Some of those records weren’t just edged past — they were obliterated. In Pittsburg, a high of 91 degrees surpassed the previous daily record by 15 degrees. Across the state, 47 new monthly March records were also established, underscoring the exceptional nature of the event.
Northwest Kansas saw one of the most eye-catching milestones. Atwood reached 100 degrees, eight degrees higher than its previous March record. That reading also shattered the site’s earliest 100-degree day by 45 days; the prior mark was May 6. Further south, Sedan reached 100 degrees even earlier relative to its historical record, breaking its previous earliest triple-digit reading by more than two months.
Sedan’s heat was notable for another reason: 100 degrees not only set a March record, but also exceeded the town’s record high for April and matched its record for May. In other words, a March afternoon rivaled the peak heat typically reserved for late spring.
The highest temperature recorded statewide came from Plainville, where the mercury climbed to 101 degrees. That mark now stands as the warmest temperature ever observed in Kansas during March, surpassing the long-standing record of 100 degrees set in Ashland on March 21, 1907.
Kansas Mesonet stations, which date back to 1985, came close to triple digits but did not quite reach them. Sites in Stevens, Phillips and Barber counties each peaked at 99 degrees. Still, those readings — along with at least 40 others — exceeded the Mesonet’s previous March record of 96 degrees, set in 2017.
The week also showcased dramatic temperature swings. In western Kansas, some locations experienced a difference of more than 90 degrees between their coldest and warmest readings. The most extreme example occurred in Stevens County near Moscow, where temperatures ranged from a low of 6 degrees on March 16 to a high of 99 degrees on March 21 — a staggering 93-degree swing.
This heat wave continues a broader trend. With above-normal temperatures earlier in the month, March is on track to become the seventh consecutive warmer-than-average month in Kansas, dating back to September 2025. While it may not ultimately rank as the warmest March on record, a top-10 finish is increasingly likely.
Forecasts for the remainder of the month lean toward continued above-normal temperatures. If that pattern holds, Kansans may keep wondering whether spring has truly arrived — or if summer simply decided to come early.
Matthew Sittel can be reached by email at msittel@ksu.edu.
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