SEVERE WEATHER UPDATE: High Storm Risk Area Shifted Westward

Hopefully this is better news for Metro K.C. residents.

The latest storm forecast from the NWS' Storm Prediction Center (SPC) shows their guess for the best chances of severe storms- the "high risk" area- now DOES NOT include Metro Kansas City.

Metro K.C. still remains in a "moderate risk" area.

The high risk area DOES include the area generally along and west of a St. Joseph-MO- Topeka to Wichita-KS line.

Storms are forming now well to the west & southwest of the MetroRegion- west-central to southwest-central Kansas- and storms should continue to fire-up in these areas and move rapidly north-northeast.

It still appears that the best chance for storms in the Metro area should be after about 7pm tonight- possibly after sunset.

More here as received....

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K.C. METRO WEATHER ADVISORY: "HIGH RISK" OF SEVERE STORMS TODAY

The situation has deteorated further from my earlier-today post of a large "moderate risk" area of severe storms today --- if you refer to the image (click on for full size) - most of Metro K.C. as well as all areas from southwest to north MetroRegion are now in a "HIGH RISK" of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes later today and tonight.

Meteorologists are and have been saying "severe weather outbreak" today- and some have gone out on a limb to even compare today's weather setup to that of April 3-4- 1974- America's last "Super" tornado outbreak that killed hundreds of people in nearly a half-dozen states.

Regardless- I expect things to start going crazy after noon. Some storms already formed this morning southwest to northwest of Topeka. Those are moving into southeastern Nebraska and are not yet severe.

PLEASE review your own storm protection plans NOW- and be ready.

More here as it breaks- before we head off to video & photograph (local-area spotting- I'm no gas-fool!).

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KANSAS CITY Metro-MetroRegion WEATHER: "Moderate Risk" Of Severe Thunderstorms With A Tornado Today-Tonight

The day meteorologists have been watching for the past week has arrived- the day with a good chance of a severe weather outbreak.


Thursday begins with a moderate risk area that covers a swath from Minnesota on the north to Kansas and northwestern Missouri on the south- including the the K.C. Metro generally along and west of I-35.

THERE IS A (MODERATE) RISK OF (SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS) TO THE RIGHT OF A LINE FROM 45 NNE RSL- 20 S LBF- 35 NE MHN- 20 SE ABR- 25 SSE DTL- 40 ENE BRD- 40 N EAU- 10 SW LSE- 30 E ALO- 30 NNE OTM- 30 N CDJ- 15 NE MKC- 40 N CNU- 10 NE ICT- 30 WNW HUT- 45 NNE RSL.

The biggest caveat for a large storm outbreak is a strong capping inversion above us- preventing daytime storm development. It may well be around & after sunset before storms develop/threaten the Kansas City Metro.

Nonetheless- prepare for storms of equal if not greater intensity than those that struck Metro-wide back on May 1-2- that produced hurricane-force winds and 2 tornadoes in the Metro.

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More Bank Security Video Of The Parkersburg-IA Tornado

Courtesy of WOOD-TV8- this is another video- taken from that bank's outside ATM cam.

Also- an 8th victim has been claimed in Parkersburg.

Locally- no severe storms tonight in the K.C. Metro- but 24 hours from now will be a different story.

More on that here later....

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New Videos Up - MetroRegion Severe Storm Chances

Click on any of the videos displayed on the top right side of this page- or go to my You Tube video page at http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=CaptGSpaulding.

Our video of the Fairfax oil tank fire is still uploading- should be available on You Tube in a few hours.

Now the present weather.

The NWS-SPC has about the northwestern quarter of the Kansas City MetroRegion again under a "moderate risk" of severe thunderstorms later today and overnight tonight.

A moderate risk of severe storms will also exists Thursday over most of these same areas- close to if not including Metro K.C..

Will update this situation later this evening (weekly visit to the Church of Ameristar this afternoon! g).

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BREAKING NEWS: Flooding Continues In Cass County-MO

Although less frequent now- there were at least a half-dozen reports of either people trapped in their cars or homes by high water throughout the northern half of Cass County.

High water closed southbound U.S. 71 south of Belton-Raymore. It's unknown whether the water has gone down- but storms have been out of this area for nearly an hour now.

Y highway was closed and remains so south of 187th Street. Ward Road was closed at Alexander Creek with water over the bridge that trapped a vehicle. The occupants escaped without injury.

J highway was closed- with propane tanks broken loose. Those have been corraled and shut down.

A victim drove into the flooding Big Blue River at 159th St. & Mission Road just before 2am- but got out of the vehicle safely.

Lightning caused house fires in Lee's Summit- Pleasant Hill and one going right now in Raymore in the 600 block of Loren Lane. No injuries have been reported.

This radar-indicated precipitation amounts map shows areas of 4 to 4.5-inch rains in northwest and north Cass County as well as extreme southern & southeastern Jackson County MO..

There are more strong storms in central & north-central Kansas that could possibly move into the Metro area by dawn.

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BREAKING NEWS: LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODING IN CASS COUNTY MO

Numerous reports are coming in from the various Cass County communities of storm-related problems due to the on-going strong thunderstorms.

High water has closed southbound U.S. 71 south of Belton-Raymore. At 12:42am- a vehicle was trapped in high water north of J-Highway in Peculiar- but the driver escaped unharmed.

Police have confirmed considerable water over U.S. 71 north of J highway.

Flooding is reported in Belton. "Numerous streets and bridges with water over them" was reported by police at 12:40am- evacuations were advised to residents in the 400 block of Park Avenue.

At 12:45am- a van is reported "stuck in high water on Y highway north of 195th Street.

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Metro Kansas City Gets Its Wild Weather Day

Several reports of funnel clouds- Incredibly strong cloud to ground lightning (causing a large oil storage tank to burn in KC-KS)- some mostly small hail and torrential rains raged through the Kansas City Metro early Tuesday evening.

It's not over yet either.

Strong storms with more torrential- possibly flash flooding rains are moving over the southern Metro counties right now- with more storms off & on through sunrise Wednesday.

I'm uploading storm and the KC-KS tank fire video to You Tube right now.

More on this continued stormy weather within the hour.

BREAKING NEWS: A 3rd-alarm has just been sounded on an apartment building fire at 39th St. & Baltimore in KC-MO..

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KANSAS CITY MetroRegion - Metro BREAKING WEATHER: NWS-SPC: Tornado Watch No. 437 In Effect Until 11pm

The Kansas City Metro- and Kansas MetroRegion counties of Doniphan- Atchison- Leavenworth- Wyandotte- Johnson and Miami- as well as all counties eastward into Missouri- are under TW No. 437 till 11pm tonight.

Thus far- no storms have formed- and this probably won't happen for at least another hour or so.

However when these storms finally do blow- they'll likely become severe fairly rapidly after initial formation.

Ms. Rittenhouse and the Captain will be out locally for video & still photos if anything breaks- till then updates here & on NBC-41 at 5 & 6pm.

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KANSAS CITY MetroRegion WEATHER: NWS-SPC- Slight To Moderate Risk Of Severe Storms Today- Tonight

Although most of us in the immediate K.C. Metro counties have avoided the severe storms the past few days- today there's a "moderate risk" of severe storms in a band from about the K.C. Metro eastward generally along and either side of I-70.

In addition- the flooding threat is rather high for those areas experiencing heavy storms the past few days- especially the west & southwestern Kansas MetroRegion counties- Douglas- Franklin- Miami & Linn- but also Cass & Bates counties in Missouri.

Strong thunderstorms have been and will again produce rain amounts of 1.5 to 2-inches per hour- producing flash flooding.

I'll be on top of the weather situation here today- so check back for updates.

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UPDATE - 1200CDT - The latest SPC Day-1 storm outlook has moved the moderate risk further westward into the K.C. Metro.

Best chance for storms to start firing up will be around and after 4pm this afternoon.

Please stay informed- I'm getting my "hinky" feeling about either this afternoon or later this week.

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Bank Surveillence Cam Video Of Parkersburg-IA Tornado

Courtesy of KETV-TV7 in Omaha- this video of a bank camera behind the teller's area showing as the tornado struck the bank.

Watch the windows in the center of the screen- how the outside light goes to daylight- grayer- an orange flash- then darkness as the winds rip apart the inside of the bank.

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