Severe storm threat Wednesday evening
After a quiet afternoon, storm chances increase as we head into the evening hours as a cold front approaches from the west. The storms will be spotty by 5 PM and increase through 8 PM, forming a line just north of I-44 by 9 PM. This line will be out of our area by midnight. (See Related Content)
The atmosphere became more stable this afternoon due to morning rain and storms. However, as the cold front gets closer, it will provide enough lift to get storms going. Dew points have risen to the mid to upper 60s and the air is becoming increasingly unstable due to daytime heating. Highest wind shear is north of I-70 as of 3PM along with a pocket of higher shear east of HWY 63 and south of I-70. In these areas, storms are expected to develop and could strengthen quickly.
The primary severe threats are damaging winds of 58 mph or greater and hail 1 inch in diameter or greater. There is a low chance of a tornado. The Storm Prediction Center puts Mid-Missouri in a 2% chance of a tornado within 25 miles of a point.
We will have updates on ABC17 News at 5 and 6 PM. You can also view the latest storm tracks here.
