More severe weather possible in Wichita area this weekend. Here’s when and where
More severe weather could be in store for Wichita and other parts of Kansas this weekend.
The National Weather Service in Wichita is predicting the possibility of strong to severe storms for Saturday and Sunday, mostly during the afternoon through late evening. Risks include hail and wind.
“There is medium confidence for a few strong to severe storms to develop today,” the NWS said in a severe weather outlook email Saturday morning. “Large hail quarter to golf ball size is the primary risk with damaging winds also possible this evening.”
Forecasters say central and south-central Kansas, including Wichita, are the areas mainly at risk for stronger storms, expected to develop between 4 p.m. and midnight.
The outlook for Sunday also includes the possibility of afternoon storms that could form in western Kansas then move northeast.
But uncertainty about the severity, location and other aspects of that potential storm remain high, according to the weather service.
“Confidence is currently lower regarding severity and coverage of the upcoming weather event due to anticipated lingering cloud cover,” the NWS said. “The forecast remains highly dependent on the timing of the weather system and extent of atmospheric destablization during the afternoon. All severe weather hazards are possible.”
The weather service is expecting to release another update Saturday afternoon or evening.
The weekend forecast comes on the heels of severe storms Thursday that produced hail, landspouts and a few tornados in portions of Oklahoma and Kansas, including one that damaged some cabins at Lake Kahola in Morris County.
The lake is about 95 miles northeast of downtown Wichita.
