Severe Thunderstorm Watch

8:00AM UPDATE

Alright, this is just a quick update that the storms are making there way into the KC area, and they have weakened below severe limits. Lots of lighting, heavy rain, a wind gust or too, and maybe some pea sized hail in some places is possible with these thunderstorms. I'll update in a few hours on tonight's severe potential.

PREVIOUS ENTRY(S) BELOW

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The SPC has issued Severe Thunderstorm Watch 284 effective immediately and expiring at 9AM CDT for portions of the KC area, from the 2nd tier of counties in eastern KS to points westward into central KS. A map with the watch regions highlighted is below. You can also see the radar picking up the leading edge of a bow-echo in north central KS and southern NE. These storms are very strong, packing winds up to 70MPH, and some gusts may be even higher.
If this bow echo holds together and retains the strong winds, it should pull through KC around 8AM this morning with the possibility for severe winds. I have relatively high confidence in the timing of these thunderstorms that are associated with an MCS, or mesoscale convective system, which is simply a large mass of thunderstorms all behaving in a similar fashion, and moving in a similar direction.

As for the rest of tomorrow, below is my revised version of the SPC Day 1 outlook. I believe that tomorrow afternoon, more severe thunderstorms will develop along or just north of I-70, and that they'll push southward with large hail, damaging wind, and possibly a couple of isolated tornadoes.I'm not sure how readable my text is there, so sorry for that. But, what it contains is reference to my forecast that the highest tornado threat will be confined to along and just south of the front, which may set up anywhere from north central MO to just south of KC. Right now, my best guess and the best guess of the NWS using the NAM model is that the front will set up along I-70 and stretch northeast into IL.

For tonight's storms, around 8AM you can expect some thunder around, severe weather possible so keep a weather radio on if you won't be up by then. I think that the storms may weaken, but we'll just have to see. Have a great night everyone! And, I'll update before 8AM if the storms continue to be severe.