Quick, short-lived storms, steamy heat: Kansas City faces summer’s double punch
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Severe morning storms brought gusty winds, lightning and local hail to Kansas City.
- Heat index to climb near 105 degrees in some areas.
- Temperatures are expected to cool near seasonal averages by mid-to-late week.
A burst of quick-hitting thunderstorms rumbled through the Kansas City metro on Tuesday, setting the stage for steamy weather later in the day.
Strong to severe storms brought flashes of lightning, gusty winds, and torrential downpours. As the storms swept through, the National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for east-central Wyandotte County, northeastern Johnson County, and Jackson County.
Shortly before 6 a.m., a severe thunderstorm was located over Westwood Hills, moving south at 30 mph, according to the weather service. Wind gusts as high as 60 mph and penny-sized hail were possible. The warning has since expired.
Isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms were expected to linger into the morning rush hour, with a few storms packing strong winds, frequent lightning, and heavy rainfall. Storms are expected to gradually weaken as they progress.
Hot, steamy weather lingers in Kansas City
Once the small complex of thunderstorms push through the metro, hot and humid weather returns, the weather service said.
“Heat index values will be a little lower (around 100 degrees) than previous days,” the weather service said. Some places, especially near Butler and Clinton, might briefly feel as hot as 105 degrees.
Temperatures in the metro are expected to be in the low 90s, with a heat index as high as 101 degrees.
Additional storms will be possible in the afternoon and evening across the southern portions of the Kansas City forecast region, mainly south of Interstate 70 and U.S. 50 and more likely along Interstate 44.
These storms aren’t expected to last long because weak winds higher up and just enough instability will let them form quickly, get briefly intense, and then fizzle out.
“Like this morning, this will likely keep any storms that form to behave more like pulse storms,” the weather service said.
There is a marginal risk for strong to severe storms, with heavy downpours and gusty winds being the main threat, the weather service said.
Relief in the heat on the way
A break in the latest stretch of hot and humid weather is expected to arrive Wednesday and continue through the rest of the week.
Temperatures will be around 90 degrees on Wednesday and 87 degrees on Thursday, which is near the metro’s average of 87 degrees for this time of year.
Even cooler, more comfortable weather is expected for the weekend, with highs in the upper 70s, the weather service said. A new wave of cooler air may also bring another chance for storms over the weekend.
