CSW WEATHER: High Risk of Severe Storms- Tornadoes Across Central States Saturday

An outbreak of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes is forecast across the Central States on Saturday- according to the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center in Norman OK..

In an about 50 to 75 mile wide area from about Salina to Wichita KS down to Oklahoma City- there is a HIGH RISK of severe storms and tornadoes.


A later-issued storm outlook has added another high risk area that covers eastern Nebraska and western Iowa.


Cities such as Omaha- Lincoln and Norfolk NE as well as Council Bluffs and Harlan in IA are now in a HIGH RISK area for possible severe thunderstorms and tornadoes..


Surrounding that high risk area is a moderate risk area that runs generally north-south in an about 125 mile wide area from eastern Nebraska-western Iowa- northwestern Missouri- much of eastern Kansas and northern through southern Oklahoma  (not in the high risk area) to extreme north Texas near Wichita Falls.

The moderate risk area includes Maryville and St. Joseph in MO- Atchison- Lawrence- Topeka- Emporia- Ottawa and Garnett as well as other eastern KS towns and cities


THE MODERATE RISK AREA FOR SEVERE STORMS AND TORNADOES EXTENDS TO THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF METRO KANSAS CITY.


Around both of those risk areas is a "slight risk" of severe weather that covers most of IA and parts of the other states mentioned above in the higher risk areas.


According to a paragraph in the latest SPC storm outlook- "THE HIGHEST TORNADO THREAT SHOULD EXIST ACROSS SERN NEB...SW IA...NW MO AND ERN KS WHERE A MODERATE RISK IS LOCATED."

There is also a "slight risk" of severe storms and possible tornadoes later today across many of the same areas forecasted to be hit on Saturday- and today's risk area runs just south to southwest of Metro Kansas City.


Friday afternoon- severe weather was breaking out from Oklahoma into southeastern Kansas...


A Tornado Watch was issued for much of southwestern  through northeastern Oklahoma- touching the Kansas border northwest of Miami- and a small part of western north Texas.

Tornado Watch Number 160 in effect until 9 pm Friday night includes Oklahoma cities such as Tulsa- Stillwater- Oklahoma City and Lawton.



Also issued by the SPC just before 4 pm Friday was Severe Thunderstom Watch No. 161 that's valid until 10 pm this Friday night.


This watch includes the Kansas City MetroRegion counties of Bates and Vernon in Missouri- Linn and Anderson counties in Kansas as well as Wichita- Emporia- Coffeyville and Parsons in KS..


As of this post- none of Metro Kansas City has any watches or warnings in effect- we're expecting the main show here to be later Saturday...

As of 4:15 pm- there were tornado warnings around the SPC office in Norman OK- with severe thunderstorm warnings extending into southeastern Kansas and a weather radar image from NWS-Tulsa's Doppler backs that up.

Now is the time to check batteries in flashlights- weather radios- etc. and please pre-plan NOW where you and/or your family would go if a tornado warning is issued in your area.



CSW will be on-duty overnight tonight and Saturday night- and we'll be on top of any severe weather outbreak in Metro Kansas City this weekend.