Rain showers and thunderstorms move into Kansas City. Here’s what to expect tonight
Showers and thunderstorms began firing around the Kansas City metro Thursday afternoon, and a more organized round is expected to arrive from the west later this evening.
Some of the storms could be strong to severe, with lightning as one of the primary hazards. Strong winds and small hail also can’t be ruled out, the National Weather Service said.
“These showers and storms will also be capable of producing heavy rain,” the weather service said. Flash flooding will be possible, especially in areas that get repeated downpours.
The weather service has expanded its flood watch slightly to the north. Totals of 2 to 3 inches of rain are possible, generally along and south of Interstate 70. Some areas could see as much as 5 inches if stronger storms repeatedly track over the same areas, the weather service said.
Rain affects FIFA World Cup festivities in Kansas City
The developing storms forced the FIFA Fan Festival at the National World War I Museum & Memorial to close early. The Netherlands plays Tunisia at 6 p.m. in a World Cup match at Kansas City Stadium.
Shortly after 2:15 p.m., the weather service issued a flood advisory for the Kansas City metro, saying that excessive rainfall could cause flooding in urban areas and along small streams.
“Doppler radar indicated heavy rain due to thunderstorms,” the advisory said. “This will cause urban and small stream flooding. Rainfall in excess of a half-inch has fallen in the past 15 minutes under the heaviest rainfall.”
Areas included in the advisory are northeastern Johnson and Wyandotte counties, southwestern Clay County, northwestern Jackson County and southeastern Platte County. The advisory expires around 5:15 p.m.
Where flooding may be expected
Some locations that could experience flooding include Kansas City, Independence, Liberty, Gladstone, Prairie Village, Mission, North Kansas City, Fairway, Mission Hills, Sugar Creek, Riverside, Westwood, Claycomo, Kansas City, Kansas, and Pleasant Valley.
In an updated forecast, the Weather Service said some showers could develop early in the afternoon, but there was a stronger signal for organized thunderstorms around 3 to 4 p.m. along a stalled-out boundary stretching west to east across the metro.
Chances for storms increase later in the afternoon and through the evening as another stronger weather system pushes in from Kansas.
The storms are likely to continue overnight, with the heaviest rain risk mainly south of Interstate 70. The flood watch remains in effect through Friday morning.
This story was originally published June 25, 2026 at 2:58 PM.
