Tornadoes, damaging winds threaten KC as severe storms likely to sweep across area
Severe thunderstorms will likely develop along a cold front moving through the Kansas City area Wednesday, bringing the threat of damaging wind gusts and brief tornadoes.
But before the storms, it will be another windy day across the metro. Through Thursday morning, the National Weather Service said winds are expected to have sustained speeds between 20 and 30 mph with gusts up to 40 mph.
Afternoon temperatures will climb into the mid-70s. Kansas City’s temperatures are typically around 61 degrees this time of year.
Tornadoes, heavy rains, lightning in KC forecast
Rounds of thunderstorms will likely develop this evening in the Kansas City area. The weather service said some strong to severe storms are possible.
While some isolated, scattered storms will be possible in the afternoon, “the main concern is a line of storms that are expected to develop along a front moving through the region this evening,” the weather service said.
“Strong damaging winds and brief tornadoes are possible with this line,” the weather service said.
Because of the threat of severe weather, the weather service’s Storm Prediction Center placed northwestern Missouri, eastern Kansas, and northeastern Oklahoma at an enhanced risk of severe thunderstorms on Wednesday, the third highest threat of severe weather on a scale of one to five.
Kansas City, Overland Park, Kansas City, Kansas, Olathe, and Topeka are among the larger cities in the area with an enhanced risk of severe weather.
Because of ongoing rain showers in the Kansas City area, the Storm Prediction Center pushed the area at greater risk for the stronger tornadoes west of the Kansas City area.
Initially, the concern was that isolated severe thunderstorms could develop early in the afternoon and evening.
The latest forecast information indicates that any tornado potential for the Kansas City area will be embedded along a line of thunderstorms as it moves into metro in the evening, said Jonathan Kurtz, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Kansas City, during a morning weather briefing.
The storms are expected to bring heavy rains and lightning. The weather service said, “There is a chance for some areas to get closer to 2 inches of rain, especially if storms begin to train” over the same area in a relatively short period.
The timing of the storms has been slowed, but people should expect thunderstorms in northwestern Missouri late in the afternoon into the evening. Areas closer to central Missouri and south will see thunderstorms overnight. The timing of the storms may change.
Winds calm, cooler temps for Halloween weather forecast
Winds are expected to weaken on the morning of Halloween. With the passage of the cold front, temperatures will be cooler, climbing to the mid-50s in the afternoon.
By sunset, temperatures are expected to be in the low 50s and dip to the low 40s overnight. The weather service said temperatures will be closer to freezing in northern Missouri, making for a chilly Halloween.
A slight warm-up is expected to begin as temperatures climb to the low 60s on Friday, the mid-60s on Saturday, and the upper 60s on Sunday.
The weather service said that additional storms are expected Saturday into Sunday, with heavy rainfall possible.
This story was originally published October 30, 2024 at 7:20 AM.
