Weather alert: strong winds and hail forecast to impact Wichita, southeast Kansas
The Wichita area could see severe weather move in Saturday evening. The National Weather Service in Wichita forecast strong winds gusts and quarter-sized hail for areas of central and southeast Kansas.
Wichita meteorologist Scott Smith says the weather event is expected to move in around 5 p.m. on Saturday. Storms will form and impact along a line from Salina to Wichita to Anthony, and the area east of that that line.
These storms are forecast to bring damaging 60 mph winds gusts, heavy rainfall and quarter sized hail. The storm will be just east of Wichita, but that dry line could retreat back west and move through the city, Smith said.
Storms will begin to taper off around midnight as the storm system continues to move further southeast, Smith says.
Looking west of the state, the National Weather Service issued a high fire danger for areas west of Inerstate 135 in central and south central Kansas, a weather report showed.
Affected counties include Sedgwick, Reno, Harvey, Butler and Marion county. Smith said no wildfires have been reported as of Saturday morning.
The National Weather Service says they are keeping an eye on any hot spots that might pop up, and will notify local authorities in that area. The fire danger watch is slated to expire at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Smith says.