Kansas City Faces Sweltering Heat but Hopes for Rain Relief Soon

Kansas City Braces for Unseasonably Hot Weather with a Chance of Relief

Well folks, it looks like Kansas City is in for quite a weather rollercoaster over the next few days! If you’ve stepped outside recently, you’ve probably felt that uncomfortable heat and humidity. According to the National Weather Service, we’re facing temperatures that are a whopping 10 to 15 degrees above average for this time of year. Instead of the typical 78 degrees, expect the thermometer to creep up near 90 degrees on Wednesday and into the low to mid-90s for Thursday and Friday. Whew!

The Heat is On!

This warm-up is coming hand in hand with a surge in moisture, making the air feel even more oppressive. The dew points are projected to soar into the mid- to upper-60s. When the dew points reach above 65 degrees, the air starts to feel really sticky – not exactly ideal weather for outdoor activities! With all that moisture swirling around, the atmosphere might just bubble over, leading to some thunderstorms by Thursday evening.

Storms on the Horizon

So what should you prepare for if you’re in the area? The forecast has a few chances for strong to severe thunderstorms as that cold front sweeps in. The weather service warns that there could be hail the size of quarters, wind gusts reaching up to 60 mph, and there’s even a slight chance of an isolated tornado! Yikes! Areas like Overland Park and even Wichita are under a marginal risk for severe weather, so keep an eye out!

Could it Rain Finally?

Here’s the silver lining: Kansas City has been enduring one of its driest Septembers on record. To date, we’ve only seen a trace of precipitation this month! In fact, the only year with a drier first 17 days of September was back in 1893, when we got absolutely nothing. Therefore, we really could use some rain! The forecast indicates that when that cold front pushes through, it may stall near our area, potentially bringing much-needed rainfall.

A Much-Needed Soak

If the forecasts hold true, we could be looking at over an inch of rain for much of the Kansas City area, and regions in far northwestern Missouri and northeastern Kansas could see 2 to 3 inches! There’s even a slight chance that parts of northwestern Missouri could get more than 3 inches. So, if you’ve been worrying about the drought conditions worsening in the area, this might just be the break we’ve been waiting for!

Cooler Days Ahead

And here’s some good news for anyone who’s been feeling overwhelmed by the heat: after this warm spell, cooler temperatures are expected to grace us over the weekend. We can anticipate highs in the mid-80s on Saturday, dropping to the mid-70s on Sunday. That means it might be the perfect opportunity to get cozy, maybe catch up on some reading, and enjoy some hot cocoa while the rain falls.

Get Your Umbrellas Ready!

As we move into the weekend, showers and possibly more thunderstorms are likely, which means you might want to keep your umbrella handy! If those rain totals hit as predicted, it might help alleviate some of the drought conditions that have been creeping up on us.

In summary, Kansas City, prepare for a sweltering few days ahead, but hang in there as relief may just be on the way. Stay safe, keep hydrated, and remember that a little rain can be a good thing!