Mother Nature has thrown a lot into this weekend’s forecast, with rapidly climbing and falling temperatures, fog, heavy rain — and, now, a chance of severe weather.
The National Weather Service says areas along and southeast of the Kansas Turnpike and Interstate 35 have a marginal to slight risk, the lowest possible risk categories, of severe weather Saturday afternoon. Damaging wind is the main concern, but isolated tornadoes are possible. Any tornadic activity would be brief if it develops.
Patchy fog Saturday morning will dissipate as storm chances increase. Officially, showers and storms are possible all day and well into Saturday night. The Weather Service says storms will likely cover the area by early afternoon, with isolated or widely scattered strong to severe storms possible through sunset.
Regardless of whether severe weather develops, Saturday’s rainfall totals will likely be impressive with widespread totals from 0.75 to 1.5 inches and higher amounts possible.
A notable temperature swing is also coming. Friday’s daytime high was 44 degrees, but temperatures climbed after midnight into the low 50s by sunrise. Saturday afternoon’s high could hit 60 degrees, but Sunday’s high will struggle to reach 40.
There had been a concern about light snowfall or rain freezing on streets earlier this week, with forecasts calling for temperatures dipping just below freezing early Sunday. The Weather Service now says light snow should not get to the KVOE listening area by Sunday morning and Saturday night’s temperatures should hold in the mid-30s, eliminating any icing risk for travelers.
Stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for updates. Join KVOE’s social media outlets on Facebook@kvoenews and Twitter@kvoeam1400 for instant weather alerts.
