Strong storms roar through W. Kansas
Another round of severe Kansas weather impacted several areas across western Kansas Friday, dropping large hail and bringing a slight tornado threat that led to a couple warnings throughout the evening.
Some areas experienced wind gusts in excess of 70 mph, but the primary concern for many heading through Friday night into Saturday morning is flooding from localized torrential rain.
You can follow developments through Friday afternoon into the night with updates below.
Storm Team 12 is keeping a close eye on a couple ares of severe weather that remain in western Kansas. A storm southeast of Bucklin in southwestern Kiowa County poses a risk of producing hail and strong wind of about 60 mph.
Southwest of Garden City, there's a chance for a wind gust of more than 60 mph, but no significant hail threat. The primary concern as the night moves on is potential flooding from localized heavy rain in several areas, including the Garden City area.
Scattered showers in the Pratt area into Kingman County is pushing east toward the Wichita area, but there's no significant threat of severe weather for central and south central Kansas. Rainfall in Wichita isn't expected to exceed more than about half of an inch.
Saturday night, another round of rain again moves into western Kansas. There won't be the severe threat many areas experienced tonight (Friday), but the localized flooding is a concern with more rain following these storms.
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Add Clark and Ford counties to the list of western Kansas counties in a severe thunderstorm warning. The warning for Clark and Ford counties is in effect until about 11 p.m.
Golf-ball-sized hail was reported in Bucklin in Ford County.
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The tornado warnings for Wichita and Greeley counties have expired. These counties are among several across western Kansas that remain in severe thunderstorm warnings. Primary threats include potential damage from strong winds and flooding.
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Tornado warnings issued for Wichita and Greeley counties are in effect until at least 9:30 p.m. A severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located 9 miles southwest of Leoti in Wichita County, moving southeast at 15 mph
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Much of northwest Kansas remains in a tornado watch until 10 p.m., but the primary threat currently is flooding from torrential rainfall. Flash flood warnings for Rush, Ellis, Hodgeman, Ness and Pawnee counties are in effect until at least 9:45 p.m.
Strong winds of at least 60 mph also pose a threat with storms firing up and moving across the area.
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Radar shows a band of storms impacting areas including Goodland, Colby, Hays and Great Bend, but the lone tornado warning is in Kit Carson County, Colo. The Kansas storms come with a primary threat of hail and high winds.
Northwest Kansas remains in a tornado watch until 10 p.m. A thunderstorm watch for most of west central to southwest Kansas, approaching the state's central region, is in effect until 2 a.m. Saturday.
The watch remains west of Wichita, Hutchinson and Salina. These areas could see storms, but they won't be severe.
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A tornado watch has been issued until 9 p.m. for the following counties: Cheyenne; Decatur; Gove; Graham; Greeley; Logan; Norton; Rawlins; Sheridan; Sherman; Thomas; Wallace; Wichita.
Stay ahead of the weather in your area with the Storm Team 12 app and
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Storm Team 12 has issued a Weather Alert Day after the chance for severe weather increased to moderate.
The threat includes very large hail and intense wind gusts. A few tornadoes are also possible.
Expect storms to begin popping up around 3 p.m.
Stay ahead of the weather in your area with the Storm Team 12 app and
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Meteorologist Mark Larson says we'll see several more rounds of rain and storms through this weekend. Severe weather and flooding rains will be threats for western Kansas Friday evening.
Look for a mix of sun and clouds Friday with highs will in the low to mid and upper 80s. Winds will be gusty across western Kansas but light again for the central and east.
Another round of strong or severe storms will move into central and western Kansas later this evening. The main threats will be dsetructive wind gusts, very heavy rainfall and some large hail.
We could see a few, lingering, showers or storms early Saturday but it'll dry up by afternoon with highs in the low to mid 80s under a partly to mostly cloudy sky.
More areas of rain and scattered storms will pass through our region Saturday night and Sunday but widespread severe weather is not expected through the weekend.
WICHITA AREA FORECAST:
Today: Mostly sunny. Wind: E/SE 5-15. High: 88.
Tonight: Increasing clouds, rain/storms likely. Wind: SE 5-10. Low: 67.
Tomorrow: Mostly to partly cloudy. Wind: SE/E 5-15. High: 86.
Tomorrow night: Partly to mostly cloudy, rain/storms late. Wind: E 5-10. Low: 68.
Sun: High: 84 Early showers then mostly cloudy. Rain and storms overnight.
Mon: High: 85 Low: 66 Early showers then becoming mostly sunny.
Tue: High: 89 Low: 63 Sunny.
Wed: High: 91 Low: 67 Sunny.
Thu: High: 92 Low: 69 Mostly sunny.
Fri: High: 93 Low: 70 Partly cloudy, breezy.
