Cape Girardeau, Missouri – A powerful line of thunderstorms could sweep across southeast Missouri and western Kentucky late Sunday afternoon into the evening, bringing the risk for damaging wind gusts up to 60 to 75 mph capable of knocking down trees and power lines.
According to the National Weather Service in Paducah, a strong cold front pushing east Sunday afternoon and evening will likely trigger a line of severe storms across the Missouri Bootheel and western Kentucky, including cities such as Cape Girardeau, Poplar Bluff, Sikeston, Paducah, and Mayfield.
Much of the region is under a Level 3 “Enhanced Risk” for severe storms, meaning several storms could become strong with widespread impacts. The primary hazard will be damaging straight-line winds between 60 and 70 mph, with isolated gusts approaching or exceeding 75 mph in the strongest parts of the storm line.
Forecasters also warn that quick spin-up tornadoes may develop along the leading edge of the fast-moving storms as they race east at 50 to 60 mph, giving residents little time to react once warnings are issued.
Ahead of the storms, strong southerly winds will increase throughout Sunday with gusts between 35 and 45 mph, which could already blow around unsecured outdoor items before storms arrive.
Behind the cold front late Sunday night, colder air will surge into the region and lingering rain may briefly change to light snow before daybreak Monday, with up to around 1 inch possible on grassy surfaces in parts of southeast Missouri and western Kentucky.
Residents should secure loose outdoor items, charge devices, and enable weather alerts before storms begin developing Sunday afternoon. Additional watches or warnings could be issued as the severe line organizes across the region.
