Thunderstorms, possible hail in forecast for Wichita area. Latest on severe weather
The Wichita area could see scattered thunderstorms Monday afternoon into the night, and part of the area is under a tornado watch until 9 p.m.
Wichita was under a severe thunderstorm watch Sunday night. While the city didn’t receive much other than rain, tornadoes did touch down in the Sunflower State. The city of Grinnell, more than three hours from Wichita, took a direct hit Sunday night.
The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for parts of Kansas, including Wichita, in effect until 9 p.m. Monday.
Scattered storms will be moving east of I-135, stretching into Salina and Hutchinson.
“That doesn’t mean Wichita will see a thunderstorm, but there will be some scattered storms across the area,” Andy Kleinsasser, a forecaster with the National Weather Service, said. “Not every storm will be severe, but a few of the strongest storms will be capable of large hail, possibly as large as tennis ball size, damaging winds, possibly as high as 80 miles an hour.”
The NWS forecast shows a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 3 p.m. with a high of around 83 degrees Fahrenheit. Those chances increase to 40% Monday night, mainly before 1 a.m., with a low of 53.
“The tornado setup doesn’t look quite as favorable today [as Sunday],” Kleinsasser said, “but, you know, we’ve got a lot of energy. We’ve got a lot of wind shear in the atmosphere, so we can’t rule out a few tornadoes across the area today.”
The forecast shows sunny skies Tuesday and Wednesday for Wichita, with more rain possibly moving in Thursday night. Chances of thunderstorms continue through Sunday into early next week, Kleinsasser said.
“Anytime Thursday night through early next week, just periodic, chances for thunderstorms,” Kleinsasser said. “Some of those storms look like they could be strong to severe, once again.”
It’s important to have a plan in place in case of severe weather, especially during tornado season, which is most active April through June.
Everyone should have multiple ways of keeping updated on the weather, as well as supplies like flashlights and prepackaged food in the event of severe storms. In the event of a tornado, take immediate shelter, preferably in a basement. If there’s no basement available, shelter in an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
This story was originally published May 19, 2025 at 11:52 AM.
