Multiple Severe Thunderstorm Warnings Issued Across Kansas City Metro Area
Severe thunderstorms with 60 mph winds and quarter-size hail swept across the Kansas City metro area Tuesday evening, prompting multiple warnings.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI — The National Weather Service issued multiple severe thunderstorm warnings across the Kansas City metropolitan area on April 15, with storms producing 60 mph winds and quarter-size hail as they moved northeast through the region.
At 5:38 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Leawood, moving northeast at 30 mph, according to the National Weather Service Kansas City/Pleasant Hill office. Another storm was located west of Stanley and also moving northeast at 30 mph.
The storms threatened to produce 60 mph wind gusts and quarter-size hail, with radar indicating the potential for hail damage to vehicles and wind damage to roofs, siding, and trees.
Metro Area Communities Impacted
Warnings covered Kansas City, Overland Park, Olathe, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Leawood, Raytown, Grandview, Prairie Village, Fairway, Mission Hills, Sugar Creek, Mission Woods, Unity Village, and Stanley. The storms prompted warnings affecting several major highways in the region.
Interstate 70 in Missouri between mile markers 5 and 14, Interstate 470 between mile markers 0 and 14, Interstate 435 between mile markers 58 and 81, and Interstate 49 between mile markers 179 and 183 were all included in the warning areas.
Statewide Storm Activity
The severe weather extended beyond the Kansas City metro, with warnings issued across multiple Missouri counties. In northern Missouri, a severe thunderstorm near Trenton moved northeast at 55 mph, with emergency management reporting golf ball-size hail and 60 mph wind gusts.
Quarter-size hail was reported at Crowder State Park, according to emergency management officials. The storms in that area impacted Trenton, Milan, Spickard, Galt, Laredo, Newtown, Humphreys, Tindall, Brimson, Harris, Osgood, and Reger.
In western Missouri, severe thunderstorms near Princeton and Mercer produced two-inch hail and 60 mph winds, with emergency management confirming the storms had a history of producing large hail and wind damage. These storms moved northeast at 45 mph.
Eastern Metro Areas Affected
Eastern Jackson County communities also faced severe weather, with storms near Lake Lotawana moving northeast at 50 mph. The warnings included Independence, Lee’s Summit, Blue Springs, Raytown, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, Richmond, Odessa, Lexington, Buckner, Lake Lotawana, Orrick, Wellington, Lake Tapawingo, Henrietta, Sibley, Levasy, Napoleon, Bates City, and Camden.
Interstate 70 in Missouri between mile markers 16 and 37 and Interstate 470 between mile markers 7 and 16 were included in these warning areas.
Several warnings expired by 6:00 PM CDT as storms moved out of the immediate area, though a tornado watch remained in effect until 9:00 PM CDT for north central Missouri, according to the National Weather Service.
