Editing Wichita, Kansas (section)

====Climatic influences on weather====
Wichita lies within the [[humid subtropical climate]] zone ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] [[Humid subtropical climate#Breakdown of letters|''Cfa'']]), typically experiencing hot, humid summers and cold, dry winters. Located on the [[Great Plains]], far from any large moderating influences such as mountains or large bodies of water, Wichita often experiences severe weather with thunderstorms occurring frequently during the spring and summer. These occasionally bring large hail and frequent lightning. Particularly destructive ones have struck the Wichita area several times in the course of its history - in September 1965, during the [[Andover tornado outbreak|Andover, Kansas tornado outbreak]] of April 1991, and during the [[1999 Oklahoma tornado outbreak|Oklahoma tornado outbreak]] of May 1999.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tornadochaser.com/torhist3.htm|title=Kansas Tornado History - Historical Tornado Facts|publisher=Tornadochaser.com|access-date=September 12, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327070325/http://www.tornadochaser.com/torhist3.htm|archive-date=March 27, 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kansas.com/2009/03/26/749271/1991-wichita-area-tornado.html|title=1991 Wichita-area tornado|access-date=April 21, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110820160813/http://www.kansas.com/2009/03/26/749271/1991-wichita-area-tornado.html|archive-date=August 20, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kansas.com/2011/02/23/1732673/wichita-tornado-1965.html|title=Photos: 1965 Wichita tornado|access-date=April 21, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110504232713/http://www.kansas.com/2011/02/23/1732673/wichita-tornado-1965.html|archive-date=May 4, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> Winters are cold and dry; since Wichita is roughly midway between [[Canada]] and the [[Gulf of Mexico]], cold spells and warm spells are equally frequent. Warm air masses from the Gulf of Mexico can raise midwinter temperatures into the 50s and even 60s (°F), while cold-air masses from the Arctic can occasionally plunge the temperature below 0&nbsp;°F. Wind speed in the city averages {{convert|13|mph|abbr=on}}.<ref name=Weatherbase/> On average, January is the coldest month (and the driest), July the hottest, and May the wettest.