KQ2 Storm Tracker Weather Alert Days

The KQ2 Storm Tracker weather team is dedicated to keeping Northwest Missouri and Northeast Kansas weather aware. Because lead time is critical when it comes to preparing for severe or impactful weather, we have a plan in place to alert the public as early as possible when a considerable threat arises in the forecast.

Extreme heat, flooding, damaging winds and tornadoes are among the most deadly weather-related killers nationwide. In 2025, the state of Missouri tallied over 600 damaging wind reports and 120 tornado reports. These threats are most common regionally during the spring severe weather season from March through early June, although they can strike any time of year given the right conditions.

First Alerts are issued by the Storm Tracker weather team when a reasonable threat for severe or highly impactful weather is apparent, based on criteria dealing with the most dangerous hazards that affect Northwest Missouri and Northeast Kansas every year.

During the warm season, these are often thunderstorm-related threats such as sizable hail, tornadoes, flash flooding and damaging winds over 60 mph or heat indices above 105 degrees.

Common cold season hazards include widespread snowfall of 1-3 + inches, a glaze or more of ice, temperatures below 10 degrees or wind chills below zero.

In addition to analyzing real-time observations and model data to prepare our forecasts, our meteorologists also lean on the Storm Prediction Center's severe weather outlooks.

The risk levels start at marginal, meaning isolated severe storms are possible but limited in coverage or intensity, all the way up to a rare high risk for the threat of widespread, life-threatening storms. You will often see these risk maps in our weather forecasts on TV and online. They're a good tool for showing the overall likelihood of severe weather over a specific area.

When a First Alert is issued, you'll find a complete breakdown of what to expect on kq2.com and on the KQ2 Weather App. On air, you'll see a red outline around each day on the seven-day forecast that the First Alert is in effect. On the day of potential severe weather, we go into Weather Action Alert mode to keep you updated every step of the way.