The warning had been scheduled to last until 4:30 p.m., but the storms weakened until they no longer met the criteria for a severe thunderstorm. The storms are still capable of producing spells of heavy rain, however.

Not surprisingly, the National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for portions of Sedgwick, Sumner, Butler and Cowley counties until 4:30 p.m. A line of storms stretching from Wichita to Belle Plaine is capable of heavy rain and damaging winds of up to 60 miles an hour.

Among the cities included in the warning are Andover, Augusta, Winfield, Rose Hill, Mulvane, Derby, Leon and Winfield.

“Some of the storms may become strong in south central Kansas with small hail up to penny size along with some gusty winds to 50 mph. The storms will generally move northeast at 35 to 40 mph and produce rainfall amounts between one-quarter and one-half inch.”

Along with Wichita, cities included in the cautioned area are Russell, Great Bend, Ellsworth, Salina, McPherson, Marion, Hutchinson, Newton, Kingman, Anthony and Harper.

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.

Severe thunderstorms capable of producing heavy rains and damaging winds of up to 60 miles an hour were located along a line extending from 7 miles northeast of Cambridge to 8 miles southeast of South Haven. The storms are moving southeast at 30 miles an hour.

Among the towns and cities affected by the warning are Arkansas City, Winfield, South Haven, Cedar Vale, Dexter and Sedan.

Heavy rains have reached Wichita, and winds of 50 miles an hour are anticipated with this line of thunderstorms.

The storms are providing challenges for the first day of school for students of Wichita public schools, as well as the morning commute.

Only .08 of an inch was recorded at the National Weather Service’s official reporting station next to the airport, but nearly an inch was reported three miles southwest of Park City.

Another .67 was reported two miles southwest of Garden Plain and nearly half an inch seven miles northeast of Wichita.

The strongest storm of the day ripped through the Salina area Monday morning. Winds estimated between 80 and 100 miles an hour uprooted trees and snapped power poles in northcentral Kansas, and more than an inch of rain was reported with the storm – including 1.75 inches of rain nearly a mile southwest of Salina, and 1.17 northwest of Smolan.

Nearly an inch fell just east of Lindsborg, and .89 fell nine miles west-southwest of Brookville.

“The hail was screeching along the window,” church secretary Shirley Train said. “At first we thought someone was screaming.”

The wind and the hail was so loud no one heard the steeple snap off and stab the roof like a spear shortly after 10:30 a.m. Monday, Train said. The tip of the steeple pierced the sanctuary, protruding perhaps six feet past the ceiling tiles.

“The custodian was checking the doorways for water seepage,” Train said. “She came in and said, ‘Shirley, I need your help.’”

The damage is blamed on winds unofficially estimated at 100 miles an hour that blew through Salina with a thunderstorm Monday morning.

The National Weather Service’s official data collection site at the airport on the south side of Salina recorded maximum sustained winds of 69 knots, or about 80 miles an hour, said Dick Elder, meteorologist in charge of the Wichita NWS office.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if there were winds approaching 100 miles per hour” in that storm, he said.

Perhaps 15 feet of the five-year-old steeple was snapped off, Train said. It is hollow, so it was serving as a large spout funneling water into the sanctuary.

The sound of dripping water drew the custodian to the sanctuary, where she spotted the damage, Train said. The good news is the unlikely spear missed wiring and sprinkler systems, so repairs should be pretty straightforward.

“It came through the structure in just the right way,” Train said. “I think everything will go on as usual…we’ll just carry on.”

Strong storms are also reported west and north of the metropolitan area.

Stay tuned to conditions and forecasts.

A strong thunderstorm capable of producing hail the size of quarters and winds of up to 60 miles an hour was located 8 miles southeast of Partridge, or 14 miles south of Hutchinson. It was moving east at 5 miles an hour.

Towns in the storm’s path include Partridge and Yoder.