Kansas City’s severe weather threat grows: When storms could turn dangerous
As midweek showers and thunderstorms add to Kansas City’s soggy week, the threat of severe thunderstorms ramps up on Friday, with all types of hazards possible, including large hail, damaging winds and isolated tornadoes, according to the National Weather Service.
Before the severe weather arrives, the metro will face fog and drizzle on Wednesday morning, followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms through midday, the weather service said.
Additional rounds of showers and thunderstorms are expected in the afternoon and evening. No severe weather is anticipated with these storms, though some isolated pockets of heavy rainfall are possible, according to the weather service.
Temperatures on Wednesday are expected to be around 53 degrees, slightly above the average high of 50 degrees for this time of year.
Brief break Thursday with warmer, drier weather
The storms are expected to exit the area by Wednesday night, bringing a period of dry and partly sunny weather on Thursday. Temperatures are expected to soar into the upper 60s.
Showers and thunderstorms return to the region late Thursday night into Friday morning, the weather service said.
“A few storms could be strong to severe, especially across far eastern Kansas and into (northwest) Missouri,” the weather service said.
The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center has placed Kansas City in the marginal risk category for these storms, the lowest of its five risk categories.
Friday afternoon, evening bring highest severe risk
The main concern, though, comes on Friday afternoon and night. It will be very warm — with highs in the low 70s — and gusty southwest winds.
Thunderstorms that form could become severe supercells — powerful rotating thunderstorms that can produce large hail, damaging winds and tornadoes.
Overnight, a line of thunderstorms could form ahead of a cold front that is expected to move through the region from northwest to southeast, the weather service said.
The Storm Prediction Center has placed parts of Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri, including the Kansas City area, under an enhanced risk of severe weather, the third level of its five risk categories.
“Storms are expected to persist through the overnight hours,” the Storm Prediction Center said on X, formerly Twitter. “Approaching severe weather will be difficult to see. It is important to have multiple ways to be notified of severe weather warnings.”
Heavy rains, then a dry weekend warm-up
With all the storms, there is a 50% to 70% chance that rainfall totals will reach 1 inch or more by Saturday morning, the weather service said.
“Significant flooding issues are not anticipated,” the weather service said. “The heaviest rainfall will likely occur to the south and east along the I-44 corridor.”
The weather looks dry from Saturday through Monday. Temperatures will be cooler on Saturday, around 56 degrees, but will quickly rebound to near 70 degrees on Sunday and near 80 degrees on Monday.
