Stormy forecast: Rain, hail, flooding possible for south-central and southeast Kansas
After a warm and sunny Memorial Day weekend, Wichita and other areas of southeast and south-central Kansas could be in for a stormy couple of days, a meteorologist says.
The storms are expected to move in around 4 p.m. Tuesday in areas southeast of the Kansas Turnpike and closer to the Oklahoma border. Chances for storms this afternoon sit between 30 and 40 percent before 7 p.m., meteorologist Kelly Butler said.
As the night progresses, chances could rise to between 60 and 80 percent. Scattered storms could bring heavy rain, golf ball-sized hail and up to 60 mph winds. A tornado is possible with the initial storms late in the afternoon Tuesday, Butler said.
Counties that sit in the affected area include Russell, Barton, Ellsworth, Saline, Rice, McPherson, Marion, Chase, Reno, Harvey, Butler, Greenwood, Woodson, Allen, Kingman, Sedgwick, Harper, Sumner, Cowley, Wilson and Neosho.
Labette, Montgomery, Elk and Chautauqua counties have the highest chances of storms, Butler says.
The storms are expected to move north Tuesday night with Wichita seeing a 70 percent chance of storms by 10 p.m., Butler said.
Storms will remain in areas of south central and southeast Kansas on Wednesday, with a 40 to 50 percent chance. Storms should subside by early Thursday, Butler said.
The National Weather Service in Wichita will issue a flood watch that will go into effect at 4 p.m. Tuesday. The watch will extend southeast of a line through Kingman, Harvey and Chase counties. The flood watch will end around 1 a.m. on Thursday, Butler said.
This story was originally published May 31, 2022 at 2:36 PM.