Dangerous storms capable of generating damaging winds, large hail, tornadoes and heavy rain are expected to hit the Kansas City area on Wednesday. See the probabilities for each type of risk associated with severe weather.
The National Weather Service has placed several counties in the Kansas City metro area under a tornado warning in preparation for severe storms, which could move into the area as early as Wednesday afternoon.
The alert, which remains in effect until 9 p.m., includes Johnson, Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties in Kansas, as well as Clay, Platte, Jackson, Lafayette and Ray counties in Missouri.
The storms could begin in the early afternoon and last through the rest of the night, entering the early hours of Thursday, bringing threats of damaging winds, large hail, tornadoes, heavy rain showers and flooding.
The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for three Missouri counties located just outside the Kansas City metro area.
South Gentry, southeast Andrew and DeKalb counties were placed under a severe thunderstorm warning until 4 p.m., according to the weather service.
Forecasters identified a severe thunderstorm over Union Star near Savannah that was moving northeast at 45 mph, the alert said.
The storm could bring wind gusts of up to 60 mph and hail the size of a quarter, according to the weather service.
“Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage to roofs, siding and trees,” the weather service said.
Cities impacted by the severe thunderstorm warning include Maysville, King City, Union Star, Cosby, Weatherby, Mcfall, Amity, Fairport, Ford City, Helena and Santa Rosa.
