Smoke from Flint Hills grass fires has prompted the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to announce an air quality health advisory.
KDHE says conditions were ideal for burning Wednesday. Conditions are also good Thursday, and air quality degraded from moderate to unhealthy before sunrise Thursday before improving back to moderate levels by late morning.
KDHE says burns can release lots of particulate matter and other substances that can cause ozone, both of which can cause health issues like burning eyes, runny nose, coughing and bronchitis. People with respiratory concerns or pre-existing heart or lung conditions may get more significant symptoms, as can children and elderly residents.
Wind speeds pick up overnight as temperatures go from the mid-80s to the mid-60s Thursday. There is still an all-hazards risk for severe weather from mid-afternoon through the evening hours Friday as part of an overall enhanced risk. Hail up to 2 inches in diameter, gusts up to 75 mph and tornadoes up to EF-2 intensity are possible.
KVOE and KVOE.com will have updates.
7 am Thursday: Smoky Thursday may lead to stormy Friday
We catch a break from severe weather chances Thursday.
Sunny and warm conditions are ahead with highs in the mid-80s, and with south winds expected at 15 mph or less all day, there could be a lot of grass fires areawide as landowners are now running out of time to get their pastures burned before the end of the prescribed fire season. Air quality went from moderate to unhealthy overnight as tracked by AirNow.gov.
Short-term severe weather chances return and end Friday as a potent cold front brings chances of large hail, damaging wind, a few tornadoes and flooding rainfall. All area counties are in an enhanced overall risk, and the Storm Prediction Center says the most significant area risk is for wind along and east of the Kansas Turnpike. The National Weather Service expects supercells initially before storms merge into a line in far east Kansas, thus transitioning the risks from all hazards to a wind-driven event. Hail up to 2 inches in diameter, gusts up to 75 mph and tornadoes up to EF-2 intensity are possible areawide.
Behind the front, there will be a sharp cooldown Saturday as highs struggle to reach 60 degrees. Low 70s are in the forecast Sunday, with rain returning to the forecast by Tuesday night.
KVOE and KVOE.com will have updates.
