Thunderstorms Wednesday

Thunderstorms developed across eastern Kansas and Missouri today (Tuesday) with the heating of the day. Some of these thunderstorms reached severe limits and produced some hail. Ping pong sized hail was reported just east of Smithville, MO. Since these thunderstorms were being powered by the heat, once the evening approached, they began to die. The bigger threat with these thunderstorms today was the heavy rain. There was just about no wind shear, so the storms were moving very very slowly and flash flooding was a concearn.

The thunderstorms this afternoon were scattered, but they will be more numerous for Wednesday from Kansas through Missouri and northeastward into Iowa, Illinois, and southern Wisconson. The storms will be developing along the frontal boundary and the thunderstorms will likely not get into anything very organized, but some organizations is possible at time throughout the afternoon and into the evening hours. There is a very slight threat of some of the thunderstorms turning severe, but some of these storms will “pulse” up during the afternoon and become strong to severe with hail the main threat.

The thunderstorm threat will diminish by Thursday across the southern Plains and lead to a very pleasent Memorial Day weekend with high temperatures in the 80’s throughout the region.

Alex Pickman