Weather

Eastern Kansas has been running above average for rainfall during April, which is improving drought conditions in some areas. Mary Knapp is the state climatologist.

Knapp says the drought is being downgraded in some counties in extreme eastern Kansas, but the entire state remains dry.

“In the eastern part of the state, we have seen more than usual,” says Knapp.  “It’s by no means our wettest April on record, but it is a welcome change from the last several years.”

6:50 pm update: National Weather Service cancels tornado watches for most of the Kansas City metro area. A watch remains in effect in Linn and Miami counties.

A storm system is developing over the Kansas City region that is more likely than not to produce tornadoes.

By reckoning of forecasters, the gathering of forces is unusual. 

Super-cells had already formed and fallen apart in areas of east central Missouri by mid-afternoon.

The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for the Kansas City area, eastern Kansas and most of Missouri. 

The watch was issued late Wednesday morning and is expected to last until at least 10 pm CDT. The storm could bring several intense tornados, hail up to 2.5 inches in diameter, and wind up to 70 mph.

A flood warning has been issued for Jackson county.

You can follow storm at the National Weather Service website.

An elliptical shape closely resembling a snowshoe has been drawn by forecasters over a map of much of Missouri and Kansas, representing the chance for severe thunderstorms Tuesday night.