Strong, severe thunderstorms threaten Kansas City area. What are the primary risks?
Strong southwest winds and above normal temperatures are expected to close out the workweek in Kansas City on Friday.
Lingering isolated showers and thunderstorms were moving across north-central Missouri just north of St. Joseph Friday morning, according to the National Weather Service.
The storms were able to tap into strong winds overnight, leading to gusts of 50 mph at Kansas City International Airport around 3 a.m., according to the weather service.
Gusts of up to 40 mph are expected Friday, with winds diminishing after 4 p.m., the weather service said.
The weather is expected to be unusually warm, with temperatures reaching 78 degrees in the metro area. Kansas City typically sees a temperature of 60 degrees this time of year.
Some areas will be warmer. Temperatures in St. Joseph reached 83 degrees on Thursday, setting a new record for that date. The previous record was 82 degrees, set in 1910. The city is expected to experience near-record temperatures again on Friday. The record high of 84 degrees was set on this date in 1968.
“We are not expecting many other record high temperatures elsewhere, for example the record temperature at MCI is 88F set (in) 1895 and forecasted temperatures are nearly 10 degrees below the record high,” the weather service said.
Weekend severe storms in Kansas City main weather concern
Above-average temperatures are expected to persist on Saturday, with temperatures expected to reach near 80 degrees.
Another disturbance is expected to move across the area, bringing the possibility of severe weather from Saturday night into Sunday. As the disturbance tracks east, a cold front will move southeast toward the Kansas City area by Saturday afternoon.
There is some lingering uncertainty in the location and timing of the severe weather, the weather service said.
Currently, the storms are expected to develop in Kansas and push eastward into the Kansas City area.
“Scattered thunderstorms are possible late Saturday into Sunday along a cold front moving east overnight,” the weather service said.
There is a slight risk of severe thunderstorms overnight, with large hail and damaging winds being the primary threat, the weather service said.
As the cold front continues to move across the area, new thunderstorms are likely to develop on Sunday, with some of these storms expected to be strong to severe. The weather service said the strongest storms have the potential to produce damaging winds and large hail.
There is a slight risk of severe weather extending east of a line from Harrisonville to Kirksville, with hail and damaging winds being the primary threats.
Meanwhile, areas in eastern Missouri are at a greater risk of seeing severe storms. The weather service has placed parts of southeast and east Missouri, including St. Louis, at an enhanced risk of severe weather on Sunday.
