High fire danger, severe storms with damaging winds and hail threaten KC

The National Weather Service Kansas City’s Facebook page had short and sweet advice for Tuesday’s weather:

“Don’t burn anything this afternoon & watch for potentially strong to severe storms tonight.”

The Weather Service has issued a red flag warning from noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday for the entire Kansas City area and areas to the south and west. The warning means gusty winds, low humidity and dry conditions will allow fires to spread rapidly.

Later on Tuesday, a cold front will drop down from the northwest, providing the chance for strong to potentially severe thunderstorms to develop Tuesday evening, according to the Weather Service.

Areas from Missouri’s north-central border through the Kansas City metro and points south and east have the greatest chance of storms becoming strong to severe.

The primary hazards from the severe weather is damaging winds and hail.

This story was originally published February 28, 2017 at 10:32 AM with the headline "High fire danger, severe storms with damaging winds and hail threaten KC."