Kansas City, Missouri – Drivers across parts of the central Plains and Midwest may face dangerous thunderstorms Friday afternoon and evening as a powerful severe weather setup develops capable of producing 2-inch hail, 75 mph wind gusts, and possible tornadoes across major interstate corridors.
According to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center, severe thunderstorms are expected to develop across Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri during the late afternoon Friday, then rapidly intensify as they move northeast toward the Kansas City metro and the Interstate 70 corridor during the evening hours.
Storms may begin forming across central Kansas during the afternoon before spreading east toward Wichita, Salina, and Topeka, eventually reaching the I-35 and I-70 interchange near Kansas City later in the evening. Large hail exceeding 2 inches in diameter could damage vehicles, rooftops, and windows while strong winds approaching 75 mph may bring down tree limbs and scatter debris across highways.
Communities including Olathe, Independence, Lee’s Summit, and St. Joseph sit within the corridor where storms may strengthen Friday evening. Drivers along Interstate 35, Interstate 70, and Interstate 435 could encounter sudden bursts of hail and blinding rainfall during the evening commute.
Farther south, storms may also intensify near Oklahoma City, Norman, and Enid before tracking northeast toward the Missouri Valley. A few storms could rotate and produce isolated tornadoes, especially during the early evening hours when atmospheric conditions are most favorable.
Storms are expected to move quickly toward the northeast, meaning conditions may deteriorate rapidly once thunderstorms develop. Residents should review severe weather safety plans and ensure mobile alerts are enabled before storms begin forming Friday afternoon.
Additional watches and warnings will likely be issued as severe storms develop across the Plains and track into the Midwest Friday evening and overnight.
