Highs will be warm today as we reach the low 90s across the region. Winds will become southerly by this afternoon and skies will be sunny. Though the sun will be out, the skies will appear hazy. Smoke from the wildfires in Canada has been transported into the Plains and will linger in our atmosphere today.
The high-pressure system driving our forecast is stubborn to let us out of its grasp. We stay locked into this scalding pattern through the workweek, with highs consistently in the triple digits through the weekend.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued for southwest Kansas and our Oklahoma Panhandle counties through 10 PM Saturday. A complex of storms will track east into this region over the next few hours. Strong winds and large hail will be the primary concern with any storms that become severe.
Strong to severe storms will arrive in western Kansas this evening. A Slight Risk is in place for most of western Kansas. Our main threats will be winds gusting up to 70 MPH, golf ball-sized hail, and we cannot rule out the possibility of a tornado or two.