Storms, hail and possible tornadoes in Wichita area into early morning, NWS warns

The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook for Wichita and the surrounding areas, the agency said late Tuesday.

“Half dollar size hail and damaging winds to 80 mph will be the main threats,” it said. “The greatest tornado threat will be along and west of a line from Ellsworth, Lyons, Hutchinson, Kingman and Harper.”

The agency also warned of high winds and large hailstones, with spotters likely to be activated.

“The strongest activity may produce gusty winds, brief heavy rain and small hail. Severe storms are expected after 8 PM for areas generally along and especially west of Interstate 135.”

The weather may continue throughout the week, the NWS said, adding that it would continue to monitor extreme weather conditions well into Thursday, which might see a resurgence of hazardous conditions.

This story will be updated.

This story was originally published October 12, 2021 at 9:30 PM.