You should have multiple ways to receive weather warnings this afternoon and through the overnight hours.
The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center has expanded an area of moderate severe weather risk to include much of southwest Missouri.
Meteorologist Gene Hatch with the National Weather Service in Springfield said late Monday morning there’s the potential for strong to severe thunderstorms to develop Monday afternoon. Those could last through the early morning hours on Tuesday.
He said all modes of severe weather are possible.
"That would include large hail, potentially to the size of tennis balls, damaging straight line winds, which seems, at this point, to be one of the primary threats with winds — straight line winds — potentially between 70 or 80 miles an hour," he said. "And also, tornadoes will be a possibility."
If some storms gain enough strength, they could produce some strong tornadoes, Hatch said.
He explains what the ingredients are that they’re looking at as they predict the severe weather.
"We are seeing some unusual warm and moist air move into the area," he said. "This will set the stage and provide the fuel as we get some upper level energy, an area of low pressure moving across the Plains, that'll provide that lift across our area."
Some of the severe weather could impact the area as early as 1 p.m., but Hatch says it’s most likely to occur between 3 and 5 this afternoon.
He urged everyone to have more than one way to receive storm warnings.
If a tornado warning is issued, you should move to the lowest level of a building, in an interior room if possible and stay away from windows.
Hatch said localized flooding will be possible, too, with some areas seeing more than 2 to 4 inches of rainfall. A flood watch is in effect from 1 p.m. Monday through Tuesday morning.
