Full Notification

The Regional Watch Center is monitoring the potential for severe thunderstorms in parts of the Central Plains Today through Thursday. All modes of severe weather (Tornadoes, Large Hail, and Damaging Winds) will be possible.

A cold front will slowly work its way across the Central Plains over the next few days. Ahead of the front, warm moist air will spread north on very gusty south winds. The front and an upper level weather system will work together to produce thunderstorms for much of this week.

Today, most of the thunderstorm activity will be from northern Nebraska into southwest Kansas. The storms are expected to start to develop in the mid to late afternoon hours and continue overnight. The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has highlighted an area of northwest Kansas and much of central Nebraska with a Slight Risk for severe storms. The primary threat will be from hail to the size of golf balls and wind gusts to 70 mph. A tornado or two cannot be ruled out, especially during the afternoon hours. Parts of central Nebraska could see around an inch of rainfall.

Additional severe storms is likely on Tuesday as the front continues to slowly work its way to the southeast. The SPC has highlighted the area from southwest Iowa and northwest Missouri, across southeast Nebraska and into northern and central Kansas with an Enhanced Risk of severe storms. There is a better chance for a few tornadoes, some strong, very large hail and damaging winds in this area. The storms are again expected to begin during the mid-afternoon hours and continue into the evening and overnight. One to two inches of rain is possible from northern Kansas into northeast Iowa.

More severe weather is possible on Wednesday as the cold front will be nearly stationary across the region. The SPC has highlighted the area of southeast Nebraska and northwest Missouri to southern Kansas with an Enhanced Risk for severe storms. Again, a few tornadoes, very large hail, and damaging winds will be possible in these areas. Thunderstorms are likely to begin in the afternoon hours and continue into the night. Around an inch of rain is possible, especially over southern Kansas

The cold front is forecast to begin to push south and east on Thursday. While thunderstorms will be likely, especially over Iowa and Missouri, the predictability is too low at this time to determine if severe storms will be possible. Around an inch of rain is possible on Thursday over much of Iowa and northern Missouri.

Most of the precipitation is forecast to move out of the region by Friday.