Tracking strong storms with wind, hail, and tornadoes through late tonight

TONIGHT: Storms moving in around sunset, with damaging winds to 70 mph the main concern. Lows in the lower 70s.

TOMORROW: Hot and humid with highs in the upper 80s. Heat index values approach the upper 80s. Severe storms are possible by late afternoon, bringing the potential of damaging winds, large hail, and a few tornadoes.

EXTENDED: A cold front draped to our north this afternoon has already been a focal point for late morning storms that dumped a few inches of rain across northern Missouri. Low level winds have ramped up again severe storms have developed within a very unstable air mass in northwest Missouri. Storms will likely move into areas along Highway 36 by around 6:00 p.m., then sink south as a line of storms later into the night. The primary concerns will be damaging winds and a few tornadoes with storms through midnight. Storms will begin weakening by the time they approach I-70, but heavy rain will be a possibility. Flash flooding will be a concern north of Highway 24 where a few inches of rain fell earlier today. Tomorrow will be hot and humid again as highs reach the upper 80s with a heat index in the upper 90s to around 100. The air will be very unstable yet again and there will be enough wind shear present for severe storms to develop by late afternoon as the cold front moves in. All hazards will be possible, but damaging winds will be the primary concern between 3:00-10:00 p.m. Friday is looking pleasant with much lower humidity and highs in the low 80s. As a warm front sets up to our west on Saturday, the air becomes unstable yet again, prompting the potential for more strong storms by evening. Rain chances begin diminishing Sunday into Monday with a cooler air mass settling in for next week as highs top out in the upper 70s.