A TORNADO WATCH is in effect until 9 PM Wednesday. This includes Salina, McPherson, Newton, Marion, Abilene, Junction City, Cottonwood Falls and Emporia. Primary threats include a few tornadoes likely with a couple intense tornadoes possible; scattered damaging winds and isolated significant gusts to 75 mph likely; and scattered large hail and isolated large hail to 3 inches in diameter likely.
A weak front will interact with an unstable and juicy atmosphere this evening. Storms will develop in Northeast Kansas and build back closer to I-135 and the Wichita area after 6 PM. The forcing is weak but may be enough for a few strong to severe storms. Large hail and damaging winds are primary hazards. A tornado cannot be ruled out with a higher probability to the northeast. Storms should wane by midnight at the latest.
Temperatures are hot ahead of this boundary, sweating it out to the 90s. Heat indices to 106 degrees have prompted a Heat Advisory for the Wichita area through this evening. This front coming through will allow for most to dial back the heat and some of the humidity Thursday into Friday. Storms on Thursday will be amplified over Nebraska, Eastern Kansas and farther south into Oklahoma. Much of our viewing area will miss this chance although the Flint Hills will see the storms bubble up first, meeting their full potential just outside of our viewing area.
The front starts to come back on Friday as a warm front. A small complex of showers and storms may develop late Thursday night into Friday morning over Southwest Kansas. Any additional storms the rest of Friday are possible over southern Kansas and will be isolated if they can form at all. The weekend will be much more active.
Scattered storms are possible on Saturday and there is a risk for severe weather from central into eastern Kansas. With the front coming through, which is a strong cold front for June, this will prompt more scattered showers and storms to form on Sunday. Rain heads for the exit on Monday with a refreshing start to the KSN Summer Road Trip. Highs will be near 80 degrees with less humidity. The heat will gradually build back by mid-week, and storm chances will return to the region the second half of next week.
KSN Storm Track 3 Forecast from Chief Meteorologist Lisa Teachman:Wichita:Tonight: Partly cloudy, windy. 30% chance of showers and storms. Lo: 77 Wind: S 10-25Tomorrow: Partly cloudy, windy. 10% chance of showers and storms. Hi: 90 Wind: S/N 15-25Tomorrow Night: Partly cloudy. 10% chance of showers and storms. Lo: 61 Wind: N/SE 5-15Wichita WeeklyFri: Hi: 85 Lo: 71 Partly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms.Sat: Hi: 92 Lo: 68 Mostly cloudy, breezy. 50% chance of showers and storms.Sun: Hi: 77 Lo: 60 Mostly cloudy. 50% chance of showers and storms.Mon: Hi: 78 Lo: 60 Mostly to partly cloudy, breezy. 20% chance of showers and storms.Tue: Hi: 82 Lo: 64 Partly cloudy.Wed: Hi: 87 Lo: 70 Partly cloudy, breezy.
SOUTHWEST: Dodge City, Garden City, Liberal, Greensburg, GuymonSouthwest:Tonight: Partly cloudy to mostly clear. Lo: 63 Wind: SW 10-25Tomorrow: Mostly sunny to partly cloudy. Hi: 83 Wind: SW/N 15-25Tomorrow Night: Partly cloudy. 10% chance of showers and storms. Lo: 57 Wind: N/SE 5-15Southwest WeeklyFri: Hi: 86 Lo: 66 Partly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms.Sat: Hi: 94 Lo: 61 Partly to mostly cloudy. 30% chance of showers and storms.Sun: Hi: 73 Lo: 53 Mostly cloudy. 50% chance of showers and storms.Mon: Hi: 74 Lo: 52 Mostly to partly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms.Tue: Hi: 81 Lo: 58 Partly cloudy.Wed: Hi: 89 Lo: 66 Partly cloudy.
NORTHWEST: Colby, Goodland, Hill City, Oberlin, McCookNorthwest:Tonight: Partly cloudy to mostly clear. Lo: 59 Wind: SE/N 10-20Tomorrow: Mostly sunny to partly cloudy. Hi: 80 Wind: N 15-25Tomorrow Night: Partly cloudy. Lo: 54 Wind: N/S 5-15Northwest WeeklyFri: Hi: 88 Lo: 63 Partly cloudy.Sat: Hi: 92 Lo: 58 Partly to mostly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms.Sun: Hi: 70 Lo: 51 Mostly cloudy. 40% chance of showers and storms.Mon: Hi: 72 Lo: 50 Mostly to partly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms.Tue: Hi: 78 Lo: 57 Partly cloudy.Wed: Hi: 87 Lo: 63 Partly cloudy.NORTHCENTRAL: Salina, Great Bend, Hays, Russell, Beloit, OsborneNorth Central:Tonight: Partly cloudy. 30% chance of showers and storms. Lo: 76 Wind: S 15-25Tomorrow: Partly cloudy. 10% chance of showers and storms. Hi: 84 Wind: S/N 15-25Tomorrow Night: Partly cloudy. Lo: 61 Wind: N/NW 5-15North Central WeeklyFri: Hi: 85 Lo: 70 Partly cloudy.Sat: Hi: 90 Lo: 64 Partly to mostly cloudy. 70% chance of showers and storms.Sun: Hi: 75 Lo: 59 Mostly cloudy. 40% chance of showers and storms.Mon: Hi: 77 Lo: 60 Mostly to partly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms.Tue: Hi: 80 Lo: 62 Partly cloudy.Wed: Hi: 88 Lo: 70 Partly cloudy…