Tornado watch extended for Kansas City as storms, hail batter area
A tornado watch has been issued for parts of Kansas and Missouri, including the Kansas City metro area, as severe thunderstorms threaten the region, according to the National Weather Service.
The watch is in effect until 9 p.m. in Kansas City and eastern Kansas into central Missouri. At 8:46 p.m., the watch was extended until 11 p.m.
A few tornadoes, along with widespread, apple-size hail and gusts up to 70 mph, are likely.
Over 4.8 million people live in locations covered by the tornado watch.
The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center said in a special weather report that thunderstorms will likely start developing in eastern Kansas by mid-afternoon and move eastward into Missouri.
Skies are clearing in eastern Kansas, which is making the atmosphere more unstable, the Storm Prediction Center said. Slightly warmer temperatures also could lead to thunderstorms beginning earlier than predicted.
The Storm Prediction Center said the storms could become severe quickly and organize into supercells, with all severe weather threats possible, including large hail between 2 and 3 inches in diameter, and potentially strong tornadoes.
Additionally, strong to severe thunderstorms moving across eastern Oklahoma are expected to spread northeast into southwest Missouri by mid-afternoon.
The weather service reminded people on social media that a tornado watch is issued when a tornado is possible. People are encouraged to know where to seek shelter in case a tornado warning is issued.
A tornado warning means that a tornado is happening or is about to happen, and people should seek shelter, the weather service said.
This story was originally published May 19, 2025 at 2:41 PM.
