Summer will be pounding on the door as hot and muggy conditions begin moving into the Kansas City area on Wednesday, the National Weather Service said.
Temperatures will climb into the 90s for the first time this year, as moisture from the Gulf of Mexico flows into the area.
Because drier air was already in place, dew points have a way to climb, so Wednesday will be “warm and a bit muggy” but somewhat comfortable compared to what’s to come, the weather service said.
On Thursday, temperatures will soar into the mid to upper 90s, with dew points reaching 70 degrees.
“This brings uncomfortably muggy conditions with heat index values from 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 trigger severe thunderstorms in the area.
“Large to giant hail and damaging winds are the primary concerns,” the weather service said. The tornado threat is low.
While the atmosphere will be primed and volatile, the weather service said it is uncertain whether isolated storms will quickly mature into storms.
Storms may not form at all, but “if a storm is able to form, it has the chance to become very strong quite quickly,” the weather service said. The storms are expected late afternoon into the night.
The heat will continue into the weekend, with temperatures expected to be near 90 on Friday, lower-90s on Saturday and mid-90s on Sunday.
“Showers and thunderstorms continue through the weekend. Some strong to severe storms are possible; however, the environment does not look as potent as Thursday evening,” the weather service said.
The weather service said that hot and humid conditions will continue as the summer solstice approaches next week.
