The Storm Prediction Center in Norman has upgraded the storm threat in northwest Kansas and southwest Nebraska to moderate for Saturday.
Forecasting models are suggesting conditions in that sector will support the development of tornadoes and large hail – as big as baseballs in some cases.
Among the cities included in the moderate are Hays, Stockton, Colby, Hill City, Atwood and Norton.
Suzanne Fortin, meteorologist in charge of the National Weather Service in Wichita, said she wouldn’t be surprised if the moderate zone for Saturday is eventually increased to include Russell and Rush counties in central Kansas.
The morning commute could offer a few challenges in the Wichita metropolitan area, thanks to patchy fog expected to develop across the region.
Clouds will gradually dissipate, however, and winds will stir enough later this morning to clear the fog, forecasters say. Highs are expected to climb into the low 80s, with south-southeast winds eventually reaching the teens. Gusts could touch 20 miles an hour.
After an overnight low in the upper 60s, Saturday is expected to bring plenty of sunshine and highs in the mid-80s. Chances of strong thunderstorms arrive Sunday, forecasters say, so residents in the region should monitor forecasts and conditions closely.
For more information on current conditions, go to our weather page.
Here’s video of the large tornado that struck Cleburne, Texas, last night. It was shot by Paige Burress, a University of Oklahoma student who chases with the group Texas Storm Chasers
The tornado was one of a dozen twisters that struck north Texas Wednesday night, killing 6 and injuring dozens. Another 7 people were still missing Thursday morning. All of the fatalities occurred in the town of Granbury, about 30 miles southwest of Fort Worth.
A preliminary assessment of the Cleburne tornado by the National Weather Service indicates it grew to more than half a mile wide and earned an EF-3 rating on the Enhanced Fujita scale. EF-3 tornadoes have winds of up to 165 miles an hour.
You’ll hear a chaser comparing this tornado to the deadly tornado that wiped out Greensburg, Kansas, on May 4, 2007. Actually, this tornado wasn’t as large or as strong as the Greensburg beast, but the two twisters did have one thing in common: they both took hard left turns to travel straight north late in their tracks.
That left turn to the north took the 2007 tornado right into Greensburg.
April snow brings May shower — wait, that doesn’t sound quite right.
In any event, scattered showers and thunderstorms could reach the Wichita area on Thursday, forecasters say. Highs under intermittently cloudy skies should reach the low 80s. Winds will be out of the south-southeast in the teens.
Lows tonight will be in the mid-60s, with slight chances for thunderstorms lingering. Winds will stay in the teens and gust at times.
Friday will be warm and humid, forecasters say, with highs in the low 80s and a few clouds. Winds will remain out of the south-southeast and generally stay below 15 miles an hour.
Storms – some of them severe – are possible in Kansas throughout the weekend, so residents should monitor forecasts and conditions closely.
For more information on current conditions, go to our weather page.
A cold front will drop temperatures several degrees today but not bring the chances for thunderstorms forecasters had predicted early in the week for the Wichita area.
Highs should reach the low 80s under mostly sunny skies, forecasters say, with south winds in the teens and gusts topping 25 miles an hour. Overnight lows will only drop to the mid-60s under partly cloudy skies. Southerly winds will ease, but only a slightly.
Thursday may offer patchy fog and light drizzle for the morning commute in the Wichita area, forecasters say. Highs will again creep into the low 80s, with light southerly winds.
For more information on current conditions, go to our weather page.
That’s what summer so often is in Wichita – and that’s what it’ll be like on Tuesday, forecasters say.
Highs could climb into the low 90s under sunny skies, with south-southwest winds in the teens gusting to at least 25 miles an hour. The direction of those winds is key, because the warm, dry desert air being swept into Kansas will help hoist readings to summer-like levels.
Overnight lows will settle in the low 60s, forecasters say. Skies will remain mostly clear.
Wednesday brings with it a chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening. Some storms could be strong. Highs will reach the low 80s, with south winds in the teens gusting to nearly 30 miles an hour.
For more information on current conditions, go to our weather page.
The Iowa Environmental Mesonet compiled a compelling map showing how many days it had been since each National Weather Service branch issued a tornado warning. It reflects the extent of the on-going lull in tornado numbers.
