Severe Weather Update - April 4

Just a brief update tonight on the severe weather threat for the remainder of the overnight. If you were unaware thus far, the threat in the Central Plains was limited by sufficient capping due to an elevated mixed layer and by the lack of upper level forcing to aid in storm development. As we neared sunset the combination of boundary layer decoupling and an increase in the low level jet likely contributed to thunderstorm development in extreme northeast Kansas. These thunderstorms have continued to develop spread both east/west along the warm/stationary front. These thunderstorms will likely continue and expand in coverage during the early overnight hours with the main severe weather threat being large hail. If a storm within the next hour or two can become surface based then a tornado threat would be enhanced (thus the basis on the tornado watch issuance), but the likelihood of this seems rather low. Storms will expand northeast as both the front and associated low pressure system slide northeast as well, with a continued threat for large hail and perhaps a few wind gusts across mainly southern Iowa and extreme northern Missouri, entering into areas of Illinois early tomorrow morning.

Additional development may be possible along the dryline as the low level jet increases even more during the early overnight. An attendant severe hail threat would include an elevated supercell in central Kansas/Oklahoma.

The next update will come with a look at the potential for severe weather on Tuesday for areas of Iowa, Missouri, Kansas and other areas of the Plains.