Kansas City MetroRegion Weather: NWS-SPC "Slight Risk" Of Severe Weather Through Sunday Morning

Referring to the graphics (click for full size) - about the northwestern half of the Kansas City MetroRegion - including the immediate Metro- is inside of a "slight risk" of severe thunderstorms later today through just after sunrise Sunday.

The severe storm threat will continue for the Metro- as well as the north west and north MetroRegion Sunday- then over the entire Kansas City MetroRegion on Memorial Day Monday.

Heavy rainfall is- or will be a concern with this repeat pattern of heavy rain-producing thunderstorms.

Most of Metro Kansas City got between one-half and one and one-half inches of rain this morning.

The next graphic is rainfall so far this May at stations in the Johnson County- KS "Stormwatch" network. Gauges are located in JoCo or Overland Park (OP) KS unless otherwise indicated.

EDIT: 0950CDT --- Current Doppler radar image from NWS-Topeka-KS and Central States visible satellite image from NASA.

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KANSAS CITY MetroRegion BREAKING WEATHER: NWS Severe Thunderstorm Watch No. 345- Kansas Counties

A Severe Thunderstorm Warning is currently in effect for Douglas county KS- including the city of Lawrence until 4:30am..

The Storm Prediction Center- according to the latest watch images on their Web site- has apparently extended ST Watch No. 345 to include the MetroRegion Kansas counties of Jefferson- Douglas and Franklin until 5am..

Here's the current radar image (click to enlarge) indicating the line of severe thunderstorms- capable of producing winds of 60 m.p.h. or greater- bearing down on eastern Kansas- and the K.C. Metro..

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KANSAS CITY MetroRegion WEATHER: Line Of Severe Thunderstorms Approaching

A line of thunderstorms- part of the same system that produced damaging tornadoes in central and western Kansas Friday- is now entering the extreme western & southwestern portions of the Kansas City MetroRegion.

Strong straight-line winds and hail are the current threats.

This line is accelerating toward the K.C. Metro and will possibly produced damaging winds in Lawrence-KS by 4am- and into the Metro itself by 5am.

More as monitored here at the All-Night Weather Station

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KANSAS CITY MetroRegion WEATHER: Severe-Storm Memorial Day Weekend In Store

The National Weather Service's (NWS) Storm Prediction Center (SPC) in Norman-OK has the K.C. MetroRegion- as well as Metro Kansas City- in forecasted areas of severe thunderstorms tomorrow (Friday) through Memorial Day (Monday) into early next Wednesday (see images- click on them for full size).

At this time- it appears K.C.'s best chances for storms until at least the first of next week are in late-night- early-morning periods.

In addition- heavy rains in the MetroRegion this morning have already produced Flash Flood warnings for Kansas counties west and northwest of K.C.- as indicated by this radar-indicated precipitation image from the NWS radar in Pleasant Hill-MO. (color code to inches of rainfall on left of image).

Heavy rains over the next 5 days seem to be the greater concern right now- as indicated by this forecast map of precipitation amounts issued by the NWS' Hydro Prediction Center (HPC).

If the HPC's forecast comes to fruition- MetroRegion rain totals of anywhere from 2 to 5-inches are expected through next Tuesday.

As usual- I'll keep you posted here at CSW....

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KC-MO City Council Wants 10-Cent Property Tax Increase Funding For Museums

While the City of Leawood-KS has a problem with coyotes- KC-MO has a problem with vultures- the elected variety.



With fuel & food costs soaring daily- with the whole American economy in DEEP- DEEP trouble- KC-MO's City Council wants to increase our property tax a dime per every $100 valuation to fund the city's museums and other touristy attactions.



Hell- that's ONLY "$40 on a $200000 house"- according to tax cheerleaders at The KANSAS CITY STAR.



It's your Captain's opinion that Deb Hermann and the rest of the council who approves this incredible venture have taken leave of their senses.



ANYONE approving ANY tax INCREASE at this so-terrible time needs to take a drug AND sanity test!!!



What are you people thinking (or not)???

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AP: Money Concerns Led To Minneapolis I-35 Bridge Collapse

Read this AP article regarding a study done after that tragic bridge collapse last summer in Minneapolis.

THEN tell me you think suspending the Federal fuel tax is a good idea (Clinton & McCain)....

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Kansas City MetroRegion Memorial Day Forecast

The first major holiday of the warm season is next Monday- and as usual this time of year- rain & storms are in the forecast.

The best days for outdoor activities looks to be Saturday and especially Sunday. Those 2 days have the lesser chances of precipitation.

Thunderstorms are possible overnight tonight- again overnight tomorrow into Friday morning- and another good chance for storms- possibly severe- Monday (Memorial Day) afternoon and evening.

The latest graphic of 5-Day precipitation amounts from the NWS' Hydro Prediction Center (HPC) indicates some copious rain amounts near K.C. over the 5-day time period.

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BREAKING NEWS: Senator Ted Kennedy Has A Brain Tumor

This from the Associated Press....

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John McCain's Morality Questioned By The Company He Keeps

McCain's chief advisor is Charlie Black.

Black heads a political lobbying business.

Some of Charlie Black's lobbying firm clients?

1. Ferdinand Marcos, who executed thousands of his own citizens in the Philippines,

2. Zaire's Mobutu, who publicly hanged his opponents and looted his country's vast mineral wealth, and

3. Rebel leader Jonas Savimbi, a mass murderer, who covered Angola with landmines.


Black said in a TV news interview nobody cares about his firm's ties to tyrants and mass-murderers.

John McCain "stands by" his good buddy Charlie Black.

Do we really want someone who associates himself with such an immoral person as president?

If this guy's elected- it will prove once and for all how "moral" America really is.

Your serve- citizen....

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Fifty-One Years Ago Today - F-5 Terror In Hickman Mills

I can still remember the night of May 20- 1957 like it was last week.

I was only 4-1/2-years-old at the time when an F-5 tornado tore through Hickman Mills and Ruskin Heights in what is now south Kansas City-MO..

I spent most of that evening in a dining room coat closet while the voice of KC broadcasting icon Walt Bodine warned of the impending disaster.

Still- 39 people died in what is still the Kansas City MetroRegion's deadliest tornado.

That tornado left an indelible mark on it's survivors and it left me with a lifelong passion for weather and later on- the world of television news.

This rememberance is dedicated to the victims- as well as the survivors of The Ruskin Heights Tornado of May 20- 1957- 51 years ago today.

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Fun With Paint Shop

I wuz just messing around with some of our nature photos and came up with this idea.

More nature stuff to come as we're headed to the Kauffman Gardens here inabit.

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