The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for portions of extreme southern Kansas and much of northern Oklahoma until 11 p.m. today.
The Kansas counties included in the watch are Barber, Chautauqua, Commerce, Cowley, Harper and Sumner.
A tornado has touched down near downtown Minneapolis, authorities say. Damage has been reported, including the destruction of a 90-year-old church’s steeple.
No injuries have been reported. Here’s a photo of the tornado near I-35, as posted on Twitpic.
More photos of damage in Minneapolis are being posted as the afternoon unfolds.
Forecasters say strong thunderstorms are possible in much of the eastern half of Kansas tonight, including the Wichita metropolitan area.
The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla., has placed all of Iowa, much of Oklahoma and Missouri, the eastern half of Kansas and portions of more than a half-dozen other states under a slight risk for severe weather today.
Heavy downpours and dime-sized hail have already been reported with a line of storms from Mount Hope to Potwin this afternoon.
Damaging downburst winds of as much as 65 miles an hour, and hail the size of golf balls are possible through early evening in central and southcentral Kansas – and mainly east of the Kansas Turnpike after dark.
Residents are urged to monitor conditions and take appropriate safety precautions.
WICHITA – After heavy downpours overnight, Wichita’s still not done with rain just yet.
Forecasters say scattered showers are possible in the area this morning and again tonight, forecasters say. Some of the storms tonight could be strong, bringing heavy rain, damaging winds and hail the size of golf balls.
The area most likely to endure these strong storms should be southeast of a line from Marion to Hutchinson, the National Weather Service reports.
Highs should be in the upper 80s today, forecasters say, with south-southwest winds in the teens and gusting to nearly 30 miles an hour. Skies will be cloudy early, then gradually clear through the afternoon until the storm threat arrives tonight.
The cold front that brings the thunderstorms tonight will drop temperatures to autumn-like levels, with highs the rest of the week in the 80s.