photo by: National Weather Service

Rain is forecast to begin on Saturday afternoon with a chance of wintry mix on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023.

Rain and a wintry mix are in the forecast for Saturday into Sunday, but conditions should clear before Halloween, when temperatures will be frigid.

The National Weather Service in Topeka reports that nearly 3 inches of rain fell in the Lawrence area this week, and another round of precipitation is expected to begin Saturday afternoon, meteorologist Jennifer Prieto said.

“A lot of the data shows a slower progression of the rain, so it would have (the rain) coming in after 1 or 2 p.m., which gives hope to the KU game, which should be over by then,” Prieto said, referring to the University of Kansas Homecoming game against Oklahoma, which kicks off at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Temperatures are expected to reach a high of 43 degrees Saturday with rain predicted to last through Sunday afternoon, Prieto said. The overnight low on Saturday night should be around 32 degrees.

“Rain looks to be the main precipitation type. If we get any freezing precipitation it will be toward the end of the event on Sunday. … We could have a wintry mix of sleet, freezing rain and some snow,” Prieto said.

No accumulation is expected with the wintry mix as the pavement temperatures should remain above freezing, and anything frozen that lands on the ground should melt right away, Prieto said. A high of 36 degrees is predicted for Sunday with winds blowing at 15-20 mph.

“It could make Sunday morning a bit of a mess with the rain coming down,” Prieto said.

The rain is expected to clear off Sunday afternoon, and Monday and Tuesday are expected to be dry but will be “quite frigid” in the mornings with overnight lows in the lower 20s, Prieto said. Monday’s high is expected to be around 42 degrees while Tuesday is expected to reach 40 degrees.

“The wind will increase on Halloween (Tuesday) so that will definitely make it feel colder from the north, 15-20 mph sustained. When you factor in that wind chill in the afternoon it will feel like it is in the 20s,” Prieto said.

Temperatures are expected to climb back into the 50s by Thursday and Friday of next week, she said.