Isolated tornadoes, quarter-sized hail, strong winds in the KC forecast. What to know
Unseasonably hot and humid weather between 10 and 15 degrees above average is expected to persist across the Kansas City area over the next few days, according to the National Weather Service.
Temperatures will be near 90 degrees on Wednesday and the low to mid-90s on Thursday and Friday.
Typically, Kansas City sees temperatures around 78 degrees this time of year.
“These hot temperatures will occur with increasing moisture into the area,” the weather service said in its forecast discussion.
The added moisture will send dew point temperatures into the mid- to upper 60s. When dew points rise above 65, there’s a lot of moisture in the air, and the heat becomes oppressive.
Severe storms forecast for Kansas City
The heat and humidity will lead to an unstable atmosphere across the Kansas City forecast area.
The weather service said this could lead to strong to severe thunderstorms as a cold front moves into the area Thursday evening.
“Hail up to the size of quarters, wind gusts to 60 mph and an isolated tornado are the main threats,” the weather service said.
The weather service’s Storm Prediction Center has marked Kansas City, Overland Park, Kansas City, Kansas, Wichita and Des Moines as areas with a marginal risk of severe weather.
The storms will come as Kansas City is experiencing one of its driest September on record. So far this month, Kansas City has only seen a trace of precipitation. The weather service said on X, formerly Twitter, that the driest first 17 days of September came in 1893, when no precipitation was recorded.
Cold front to stall, weather service says
The front that moves through Thursday night and Friday will stall near the Kansas City forecast area, the weather service said, potentially leading to widespread and much-needed rainfall.
“Generally, it looks more likely that north of the river and across far northwestern MO will see the heaviest rainfall,” the weather service said.
Most of the forecast area will see more than one inch of rain, with two to three inches falling in far northwestern Missouri and northeastern Kansas. The weather service said there is a slight chance that northwestern Missouri will see more than three inches of rain.
Showers, and maybe a thunderstorm, will be likely Saturday and Sunday, making for a soggy weekend.
“If these rain totals come to fruition, it will help greatly with the worsening drought conditions across the area,” the weather service said.
Cooler weather is expected over the weekend, with temperatures in the mid-80s on Saturday and mid-70s on Sunday. The cooler temperatures continue into next week.
