Reminder about the FOX 4 Weathering The Storm Seminar @ Union Station's Extreme Theater on Saturday the 18th from 9AM to about Noon. A benefit for the Tornado Victims in MO/KS. 1st come...1st serve, tickets are free but we're asking for a $5 donation to Project Storm Relief. Speakers include Chris Novy (SKYWARN Spotting), Andy Bailey from the NWS and Reed Timmer (Stormchasers show on Discovery Network). Others are planned. Love to see you out there!

Weatherwise...storms/showers have been percolating across the N MO area and parts of NE KS all morning...weakening now...as the atmosphere, especially to the N/NE and NW of KC starts to slowly reload. There is a boundary separating the cool air 50s-70s and the hotter more oppressive air 80s-90s snaking to the N/NW of KC. The higher chances of storms (potentially severe) still looks to be NE KS and N MO...especially along and north of 36 highway. We'll need to watch those storms this evening and overnight as they may tug some of the cooler air farther and faster southwards. Regardless that cooler air will make it here tomorrow and last through the weekend. 70s are possible SAT/SUN with the potential of 60s(!) on SUN should we have a decent t/storm complex move through during the day.

For the rest of the day...here is the latest weather map...quite the spread in temperatures, and you add in a piece of upper level energy, across the western plains states moving towards the ENE and the potential is there for rapid storm development. The storms that do form would probably move towards the ENE and maybe NE...while the whole mass moves slowly towards the East.

Click on that image to make it larger.

The SPC has put areas from KC northwards under a slight risk of severe weather. The areas farthest to the N/NW should have a somewhat heightened chance of some rotating storms that would have a higher hail and potentially tornadic threat associated with them. At this point we're still focused on NW MO and NE/NC KS for that potential. Here are the SPC thoughts....

and there tornado potential...again somewhat elevated but the 5% means a 5% chance of a tornado report within 25 miles of a given point...something to watch for should the storms fire up before sunset.

The heat is a story here...but also back east where record highs have been tumbling like crazy. Today more record heat has been reported in Atlantic City, NJ (101), Newark, NJ (101), Wilmington, DE (97) and Baltimore (100). Yesterday there were some 300 records including some smaller communities. here are the reports from yesterday from the more major communities...

Bluefield WV 90F
Marquette MI 90F tied 2004
Sturgeon Bay WI 90F
Binghamton NY 91F
Burlington VT 91F tied 2008
Mt Pocono PA 91F
Rhinelander WI 91F tied 2000
Erie PA 92F
Jackson KY 92F
London KY 92F tied 2008
Albany NY 93F tied 1984
Green Bay WI 93F
Lansing MI 93F
Milwaukee WI 93F tied 1933
Wausau WI 93F
Allentown PA 96F
Nashville TN 96F tied 1963
Reading PA 96F
LaGuardia NY 97F
Naples FL 97F
Philadelphia PA 97F
Syracruse NY 97F
St Louis MO 97F
Ft Wayne IN 97F
Atlantic City NJ 98F tied 1999
Baltimore MD 99F
Newark NJ 99F
Washington National DC 99F
Midland TX 105F
Also of note earlier this AM was a "Heat Burst" that occurred in the Wichita area between 12 and 1AM. A heat burst, isn't that rare...and typically will happen a few+ times across the US each late Spring and Summer.
The temperature went from about 82 to near 102 and winds were gusting to close to 50 MPH as this happened. Very impressive and neat to see!


Also in the Pacific Ocean the seasons 1st Hurricane has formed...and it's considered a major hurricane at that! Take a look...

and now something a little more close-up!

Very impressive storm for sure...that thankfully should not threaten any significant land masses...

Well that ought to do it for a busy Thursday afternoon of blogging....have a great day and we'll see you tomorrow. Again for NW MO and NE KS let's keep a more careful eye on the sky!


Joe