Summer will be knocking on the door as hot and muggy conditions move into the Kansas City region on Wednesday, the National Weather Service said.
This year, temperatures will climb into the 90s for the first time as moisture from the Gulf of Mexico flows into the area.
Because drier air was already present, dew points may still rise, so Wednesday will be “warm and a bit muggy” but somewhat comfortable compared to what’s to come, the weather service said.
Temperatures will rise into the mid-90s on Thursday, with dew points as low as 70 degrees.
“This will bring uncomfortably muggy conditions with heat index values of 100-105 for much of the region,” the weather service said in its forecast discussion.
Giant hail possible
The heat won’t be the only concern on Thursday. A strong cold front could bring severe thunderstorms to the area.
“Large to massive hail and damaging winds are the primary concerns,” the weather service said. The tornado threat is low.
Although the atmosphere will be volatile and volatile, the weather service says it is uncertain whether isolated storms will quickly develop into storms.
Storms may not form at all, but “if a storm can form, it has the potential to become very strong fairly quickly,” the weather service said. The storms are expected late this afternoon into the night.
The heat will continue into the weekend, with temperatures expected to be around 90 degrees on Friday, around 90 degrees on Saturday and around 90 degrees on Sunday.
“The rain and thunderstorms will continue throughout the weekend. Some strong to severe storms are possible; however, the area does not look as strong as Thursday evening,” the weather service said.
The weather service said warm and humid conditions will continue as the summer solstice approaches next week.
