Tornado, thunderstorm warnings issued as severe weather approaches Kansas City metro
A thunderstorm warning has been issued for parts of the Kansas City area as severe weather approaches the metro, according to the National Weather Service.
The warning is for a line of storms that prompted the National Weather Service in Topeka to issue a tornado warning for parts of southern Jefferson and northwestern Douglas counties in Kansas.
At about 2:30 p.m., a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was near Grantville, Kansas, moving east at 40 mph.
Closer to the metro area, the Douglas County Emergency Management said that there was a tornado warning for Lecompton and North Lawrence.
“Take shelter immediately!!!!” the agency said on Twitter.
Lawrence police officers reported seeing funnel clouds near Bob Billings Parkway and Wakarusa Drive, according to the department’s Twitter account.
“These were funnel clouds, nothing on the ground,” the department said in a subsequent tweet.
A severe thunderstorm warning was issued about 2:35 p.m. for parts of Wyandotte, Leavenworth and Johnson counties as severe thunderstorms were located along a line that stretched from Holton to near Perry Lake to near Auburn in Kansas. The storms were moving east at 40 mph.
Wind gusts of 70 mph were expected, along with quarter-sized hail, according to the weather service.
“Hail damage to vehicles is expected,” the weather service warned. “Expect considerable tree damage. Wind damage is also likely to mobile homes, roofs and outbuildings.”
Cities that could be impacted by the storms included Olathe, Shawnee, Lenexa, Bonner Springs, De Soto, Tonganoxie, Basehor, Edgerton, Linwood, and Easton.
As that warning was expiring, a new one was issued for parts of Leavenworth, Johnson, Wyandotte and Miami counties as severe thunderstorms extended along a line from near Winchester to Linwood to near Baldwin City.
Hail damage to vehicles also was expected along with wind damage to roofs.
The cities expected to be impacted by this line of storms included Overland Park, Olathe, Shawnee, Lenexa, Leavenworth, Gardner, Lansing, Bonner Springs, De Soto, Paola, Spring Hill, Tonganoxie, Basehor, Edwardsville, Edgerton, Lake Quivira, Kansas City and Linwood
Meanwhile, storms were popping up in the Northland. Strong storms were being tracked near Smithville, Missouri.
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