Severe storms moved through the Kansas City metro area Tuesday night, bringing heavy rain and strong winds with gusts of 70-90 mph in Unity Village and Lee’s Summit. Other problem areas included Liberty, where wind caused outages and damage, and overturned semi trucks were reported near Riverside on I-635.
These high winds were attributed to microbursts, where a localized strong push of rain-cooled air crashes to the ground, causing sudden spikes in wind speed. Velocity pictures near the radar showed evidence of these microbursts, with winds estimated at 60 mph or stronger in some areas.
The storm threat decreased overnight, but heavy rain continued with a risk of flash flooding. A Flash Flood Warning was issued for areas northeast of Kansas City. More storms were expected for Wednesday and Thursday, posing a continued threat of flooding due to water-logged soils.
Residents were urged to stay informed and take precautions as the weather situation evolved. Stay tuned for updates on storm developments and potential hazards in the Kansas City area.
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Photo credit fox4kc.com