Severe Weather Expected Across Northwest Kansas Wednesday and Thursday

Strong winds, blowing dust, and hail are expected to impact portions of northwest Kansas, eastern Colorado, and southwest Nebraska over the next two days as multiple rounds of thunderstorms move through the region. The greatest threat will be Wednesday afternoon through the overnight hours, with another round of storms expected on Thursday.

What to Expect Today (Wednesday)

Storms are expected to begin developing between 4:00 and 6:00 p.m. Mountain Time (5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Central Time) across eastern Colorado before moving east-southeast at 25 to 45 mph into northwest Kansas and southwest Nebraska during the evening.

Today's strongest storms could produce:

• Wind gusts of 55 to 75 mph, with isolated gusts up to 85 mph

• Blowing dust, including possible walls of dust that could quickly reduce visibility on area highways

• Hail ranging from one-half inch to 1.5 inches in diameter, with isolated hail up to 2 inches

• A very low tornado threat due to the high-based nature of the storms

Forecasters say the most likely scenario is a line of storms moving across the region this evening, although there is a smaller chance storms could develop into two separate clusters.

Thursday Looks Similar

Another round of thunderstorms is expected Thursday with nearly the same timing. Storms are expected to develop between 4:00 and 6:00 p.m. Mountain Time (5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Central Time) before moving east at 25 to 40 mph.

Thursday's storms could bring:

• Wind gusts of 50 to 70 mph, with isolated gusts up to 80 mph

• Hail up to 2 inches in diameter

• A slightly higher, but still very low, tornado risk

• Less blowing dust than Wednesday due to expected rainfall from today's storms

Friday Outlook

The weather pattern begins to settle down on Friday. While a few thunderstorms remain possible during the late afternoon and evening, they are expected to be weaker and less widespread than the previous two days.

Stay Weather Aware

Confidence remains high that severe weather will impact portions of the Tri-State area Wednesday and Thursday, with damaging winds expected to be the primary hazard. If you have outdoor plans, be sure to have multiple ways to receive weather warnings and be prepared to move indoors quickly if severe weather approaches.

Remember:

• A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are favorable for severe storms to develop.

• A Severe Thunderstorm Warning means severe weather is occurring or imminent, and you should seek shelter immediately.

For the latest warnings, radar updates, and live severe weather coverage, tune in to your NWKS Radio stations or stream online anytime at NWKSRadio.net.