Cooler weather for mid-week

Tuesday - Partly cloudy to mostly sunny. High: 53
Tuesday night – Partly cloudy. Low: 32
Wednesday - Partly cloudy, then increasing clouds. A chance for showers and t-storms Wed. night. High: 56
Thursday - Mostly cloudy with a chance for showers and t-storms. High: 55
Friday - Partly cloudy. High: 58
Saturday - Partly cloudy. High: 62
Sunday - Partly cloudy. High: 65

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The cold front is in the process of moving through the metro area right now, ending the threat for severe weather. We haven’t received much more than a few passing showers through much of the city. As expected, most of the activity will be well to the southeast of the metro area.

The early initiation of thunderstoms across SE KS and SW MO really put the breaks on deeper instability reaching Kansas City. Those storms to the south continue to rage on at this hour.  So far, one tornado has been reported in near Miller, MO (Springfield area). While the severe weather threat will continue to evolve and grow there over the next few hours, the main concern may turn to additional flooding in areas that have seen brutal flooding rains over the last couple of weeks.

UPDATE: Rainfall estimates from the NWS Radar in Pleasant Hill (image courtesy of the College of DuPage)

Clouds have dominated the south side of the metro area all morning long. These clouds are the tops of thunderstorms that have been rolling across parts of southeast Kansas and southwest Missouri. While some of us have seen a few showers or rumbles of thunder already, most of us have stayed dry. Rain cooled air and the cloud cover has kept things cooler so far today. This is good news, as it means the atmosphere is a little less unstable for severe thunderstorms. However, as we have seen a few thunderstorms bubble up closer to the metro area, we are seeing some of this cloud cover get scoured out. That will allow for some sunshine to work its way through.

Either way, our slight threat for severe thunderstorms will continue through mid-afternoon. The area of low pressure is now located to the north-northwest of St. Joseph right now, and as it passes, it will drag a cold front through the area this afternoon. Once winds shift around to the west in your area, the severe weather threat will end.

A marked change to the air this morning as we are waking up with the warm from already through the metro area. Warm, muggy air overspread the area in a hurry early this morning with temperatures jumping into the 50s. Dewpoints, while in the 50s now, will continue to climb toward the 60 degree mark.  The extra moisture in the atmosphere will continue to set the stage for a threat for severe thunderstorms this afternoon.

Here in KC, we will be near the “triple point”. Often in these early season severe weather events, we see an increased threat for tornadoes the path of this triple point. While our main threat is for large hail and damaging winds, an isolated tornado can not be ruled out.

I’ll keep things updated as we head through the day. As always, do not rely on this blog for severe weather warnings. Instead, keep tuned into local media, or have your NOAA Weather Radio handy for weather alerts.