Tornado touched down northeast of Kansas City Monday night, weather service says
Monday night, a tornado touched down in Ray County, to the northeast of Kansas City, according to preliminary reports.
At 9:52 p.m., the National Weather Service observed a tornado damage signature on the radar near Excelsior Springs, 3 miles south of Wood Heights in Ray County.
The tornado was part of a stormy Monday night when a cold front in the Kansas City area caused lightning and high winds.
Strong gusts were reported across the metro, including 84 mph near Gardner, 72 mph near Edgerton, 70 mph in western Shawnee, 64 mph at Kansas City Downtown Airport–Wheeler Field, 63 mph near Kearney and 60 mph near Bonner Springs.
The most common storm damage was downed trees, large limbs and power lines, according to the National Weather Service’s local storm reports. The damage was spread across the metro and nearby counties, with a cluster of affected trees in Jackson County.
Calmer, albeit cooler weather, moves in Tuesday, with temperatures reaching the mid-60s. The weather will be similar on Wednesday, with temps a few degrees warmer. Kansas City’s average high temperature this time of year is 76 degrees.
Kansas City’s next best chance for widespread rain is late Thursday into Friday. No severe weather is expected, although there may be a few rumbles of thunder.
The weekend is looking warmer, with temperatures back into the upper 70s and low 80s. Rain chances look low, under 20%, and will remain largely confined to the southern counties in the Kansas City forecast area.
