Large hail, possible tornadoes in Wichita area today. Here’s when
Severe weather could move into the Wichita area Friday afternoon, including 2-inch hail, 60 to 70 mph wind gusts, rainfall and possible tornadoes, according to the National Weather Service’s forecast.
Severe weather is expected in Kansas from 1 p.m. to midnight, while the Wichita area is expected to see it between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., National Weather Service forecaster Vanessa Pearce told The Eagle.
“You can’t rule out that there wouldn’t be a tornado,” Pearce said.
Most of southeast Kansas and the Flint Hills are expected to be affected. The threat of storms in southeast Kansas will leave around 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
The storm is expected to move into the area with a cold front, the National Weather Service said in an X post, with the timing of the cold front affecting when storms develop in southeast Kansas.
Friday’s high in Wichita is 82 while the low is expected to dip down to 40 degrees. Saturday will see a high of 62.
Friday’s storm could also see some locally heavy rainfall, NWS said, but just how much is hard to predict.
“It’s just a matter of where things develop and how much they do. Precipitation forecasts can be pretty tough to really pinpoint how much an area is going to get,” Pearce said. “I would say that the better chances for kind of more meaningful precipitation are going to be across east Kansas.
“It’s just dependent on where the storms initially fire.”
It’s important to have a plan ahead of severe storm, Pearce said. Everyone should know where to shelter if a tornado warning arrives, and have a plan if they are not home when they do. People should also have multiple ways to receive weather warnings.
Chances of thunderstorms return Wednesday, the NWS forecast shows.
