Storms to soak Memorial Day weekend in KC. Here’s when heaviest rain will fall
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- Prolonged rainfall expected through Tuesday, with heaviest downpours Saturday night.
- Flooding risk rises south of I-70, with 2–5 inches of rain possible in some areas.
- Severe storms may bring hail and wind
A wet and stormy holiday weekend is in the Kansas City area forecast as multiple rounds of storms are expected to sweep through the region, according to the National Weather Service.
While Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer, this weekend’s weather will make it feel more like spring.
Temperatures will be their warmest on Friday, when they climb to 70 degrees. After that, they will fluctuate in the lower to upper 60s over the next five days, according to the weather service.
Kansas City’s temperatures are typically around 78 degrees this time of year. Overnight temperatures will be a few degrees cooler than the average of 56 degrees for this time of year.
Rains to begin Friday in Kansas City
“Multiple rounds of rain are expected starting as early as this (Friday) afternoon/evening and continuing through early Tuesday morning,” the weather service said. “Prolonged rainfall will bring flooding concerns, especially south of Interstate 70.”
The rain will be heavy at times, mainly Friday night into Saturday and again on Saturday night into Sunday.
“The heaviest rainfall period looking to be Saturday night into Sunday” along Linn, Bates and Henry counties, south of the Kansas City metro, the weather service said.
Areas south of I-70 could see between two and five inches of rain through Tuesday. Flooding is likely, especially for rivers already at elevated levels due to storms earlier this week.
The weather service advises people with outdoor activities near rivers, streams and lakes this Memorial Day weekend to remain aware of the weather.
Severe weather is possible
There is also a marginal risk of severe weather Friday afternoon and evening, as well as Saturday afternoon and evening.
The threat of severe weather is conditional on the position of a warm front in the area and whether temperatures are too cool and stable for storms to develop.
Heavy rainfall and flooding remain the primary concerns, the weather service said, but if the stronger storms materialize, hail and damaging winds will be possible.
The wet weather pattern is expected to end Tuesday, followed by a warming trend that will allow temperatures to return to the 70s by Thursday. Rain chances, however, creep back into the forecast late in the week, the weather service said.
This story was originally published May 23, 2025 at 8:13 AM.
