Tracking strong Friday evening storms

Good morning and happy Friday. As you head out the door, expect breezy conditions and warm temperatures, with morning lows in the upper 60s.

A cold front will move into the region just after lunchtime, helping to spark strong to severe thunderstorms across northwest Missouri and the St. Joseph area.

Today is a KQ2 Storm Tracker Action Alert Day.

The Storm Prediction Center has placed far northwest Missouri under a Level 2 (Slight Risk) for severe weather, with the risk extending farther south across the region. The main timeframe for storms will be 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Storms are expected to develop as isolated cells early in the afternoon before quickly organizing into clusters and a line along and behind the cold front.

All severe hazards will be possible, including:

• Large hail, especially early in storm development
• Damaging wind gusts as storms organize
• A brief, isolated tornado cannot be ruled out

A Flood Watch will go into effect late this afternoon through tonight for Platte County, Mo

Storms will gradually move out of the area late tonight, with the severe threat ending around midnight.

Behind the front, much cooler air settles in for the weekend. Highs on Saturday will only reach the 50s to low 60s, and temperatures will drop into the 30s Saturday night, bringing the potential for areas of frost, especially north and east of the Missouri River.

We return to a dry and warming pattern through midweek, with more seasonable conditions expected.

The Storm Tracker Team will be providing continuous updates throughout the day. Be sure to download the KQ2 Storm Tracker app to stay informed and receive alerts.