Weather News

Strong thunderstorms rolling into Kansas City area with heavy rain, gusty winds, lightning

Strong, widespread thunderstorms are rolling into the Kansas City area bringing gusty winds, heavy rains and lightning, according to the National Weather Service. Storms are expected to affect the morning commute with limited visibility and water possibly ponding on area roads. Heavy rains and frequent lightning were seen along Kansas 10 highway in Johnson County.
Strong, widespread thunderstorms are rolling into the Kansas City area bringing gusty winds, heavy rains and lightning, according to the National Weather Service. Storms are expected to affect the morning commute with limited visibility and water possibly ponding on area roads. Heavy rains and frequent lightning were seen along Kansas 10 highway in Johnson County. tljungblad@kcstar.com

Strong, widespread thunderstorms were rumbling into the Kansas City area Wednesday morning, possibly impacting the morning commute with low visibility and ponding of water on the roads, according to the National Weather Service.

Heavy rains and lightning are expected from the storms as they roll through, along with gusty winds of 30 to 50 mph. There could be some areas that see wind gusts of 60 mph.

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Drivers out and about on Interstate 35, 29 and 49 can expect their morning commute and errands to be affected by the storms, the weather service said.

“Thunderstorms moving into the KC Metro now,” the weather service said about 6:20 a.m. on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Expect a wet commute with periods of heavy rain and gusty winds.”

Strong, widespread thunderstorms are rolling into the Kansas City area around 6:20 a.m., according to the National Weather Service in Kansas City. Here’s the expected timing.
Strong, widespread thunderstorms are rolling into the Kansas City area around 6:20 a.m., according to the National Weather Service in Kansas City. Here’s the expected timing. National Weather Service in Kansas City

Widespread severe weather is not expected. There could be some flooding, especially in areas that have seen the most rain over the last week, the weather service said.

Strong to severe thunderstorms are expected to redevelop Wednesday afternoon and evening. The strongest storms are expected to be south and east of the Kansas City metro area, mainly south of Interstate 70.

Gusty winds, large hail and heavy rains with possible flooding are the primary hazards.

Weather watches and warnings

A live data feed from the National Weather Service containing official weather warnings, watches, and advisory statements. Tap warning areas for more details. Sources: NOAA, National Weather Service, NOAA GeoPlatform and Esri.


This story was originally published August 9, 2023 at 7:02 AM.

Robert A. Cronkleton
The Kansas City Star
Robert A. Cronkleton is a breaking news reporter for The Kansas City Star, covering crime, courts, transportation, weather and climate. He’s been at The Star for 36 years. His skills include multimedia and data reporting and video and audio editing. Support my work with a digital subscription
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