Get ready for Christmas storms to move through KC this evening

If you were dreaming of a white Christmas, then 2016 wasn’t the year for you; the holiday will be an unusually warm and perhaps stormy one.

Instead of snow and cold temperatures, weather forecasters anticipate unseasonably warm highs around 60 degrees before a line of storms works its way through the metro area during the early evening hours.

Meteorologists are keeping an eye on a storm system in western Kansas that’s pushing eastward and expected to arrive in Kansas City between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.

“Right now, there’s still a very slight risk of some of those storms becoming strong,” said Scott Blair, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Pleasant Hill. “Some of those could have some wind gusts that could come through during the evening.”

Blair added that the storms could have brief periods of heavy rainfall, but did not expect flooding or much lightning. The National Weather Service anticipates winds could reach speeds of 40 to 50 miles per hour.

Forecasters also have not dismissed the possibility of an isolated tornado.

“You cannot completely rule it out,” Blair said on Sunday morning. “The percentage of that is very small.”

Those going to the Kansas City Chiefs match against the Denver Broncos Sunday night should be mindful of the weather, particularly if they considered heading to Arrowhead Stadium to tailgate before the 7:30 p.m. kickoff. The parking lot at Truman Sports Complex opens at 3 p.m.

Current forecasts have the storms headed to the area before the game starts. It’s a fast-moving system, so there’s a chance the weather could clear up by the time both teams take the field

This story was originally published December 25, 2016 at 9:05 AM with the headline "Get ready for Christmas storms to move through KC this evening."