Tornadoes possible as severe storms threaten Kansas City with heavy rain, strong wind

Strong to severe thunderstorms will likely sweep across the Kansas City area Tuesday afternoon and evening, bringing the possibility of damaging winds, heavy rains and isolated tornadoes, according to the National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill.

Any additional rain the area gets may cause localized flash flooding as well as add to the ongoing flooding across the region.

The storms are expected between 2 and 8 p.m. The threat of severe weather will quickly diminish after sunset, according to the Weather Service.

Waves of moderate to heavy rain showers are expected to move north along the Kansas and Missouri border and persist through much of Tuesday morning.

By afternoon, strong to severe thunderstorms will begin moving into the region. The strongest thunderstorms could produce damaging winds, hail and isolated tornadoes in an area that stretches from east-central Kansas to central and northern Missouri, which includes the entire Kansas City metropolitan area, according to the Weather Service.

The risk of tornadoes is low, but they cannot be ruled out.

The storms will likely continue to produce moderate to heavy rain overnight into Wednesday morning, leading to more flooding. Between 1 to 3 inches of rain is expected to fall across eastern Kansas and northwest Missouri. Some areas could see higher amounts, according to the Weather Service.

In recent days, persistent storms have dumped between 6 and 8 inches of rain across the Kansas City area. Some areas in southern Kansas City have reported more than a foot of rain.

So far this month, 7.65 inches have fallen at Kansas City International Airport, which is more than double the normal rainfall in October.

The rainfall caused creeks and streams to rise out of their banks, flooding Kansas City area roads Monday morning. Students aboard a school bush headed to Raytown South High School had to be rescued after their bus stalled in flood water on Oldham Road near Gregory Boulevard.

The area is expected to begin drying out Wednesday afternoon, but there’s a chance for more rain later this week and this weekend.

That includes Saturday, when two major outdoor concerts are scheduled — Ed Sheeran at Arrowhead Stadium and Janelle Monae at Startlight Theatre.

This story was originally published October 9, 2018 at 8:39 AM.