This spring’s cool weather is poised to change in the coming week as a heat wave rolls into northeast Kansas.

Nathan Griesemer, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Topeka, said northeast Kansas residents can expect mild weather on Sunday with highs in the mid-70s before strong southerly winds blow in hotter weather on Monday.

“It will be a mini heat wave, for lack of a better term, without any relief until the weekend,” Griesemer said.

Highs in the Lawrence area are expected to be in the lower 90s on Monday and to remain around that level through Thursday. After that, a cool front with northerly winds should lower the high temperatures into the 70s for Friday and the weekend, Griesemer said. Overnight lows Monday through Thursday will be in the mid-70s, he said.

“The normal daytime highs for this time of year is 73 to 75, so that’s what we’ll see for overnight lows,” he said.

The heat will be accompanied by gusty winds, another frequent weather phenomenon of this spring, Griesemer said. Sustained wind speeds of 15 to 25 mph are forecast, and gusts could reach 35 mph. The winds and the warm weather have led to fire concerns in central Kansas, but the northeastern part of the state should be less affected because of recent rains and the greening of vegetation, Griesemer said. He said the winds would decrease after Monday.

So far this year, Lawrence has received 11 inches of rain, which is about a half inch more than normal, Griesemer said.

The Friday cool front will bring the next chance of rain and perhaps thunderstorms next Saturday, Griesemer said. However, he said the weather should clear up in time for the University of Kansas’ commencement on Sunday, May 15.