Organized Storm System Threatens Damaging Winds and Large Hail in Southern Kansas and Northern Oklahoma

Forecasters say the system could produce damaging straight-line winds, very large hail or isolated tornadoes, possibly prompting additional watch issuances as it moves east-southeast.

Overview

An organized mesoscale convective system is moving into southern Kansas and northern Oklahoma under Severe Thunderstorm Watch #268 and is expected to continue producing damaging wind gusts and large hail, SPC said early Tuesday.
Spotter and automated observations in western Kansas have confirmed severe impacts, including measured wind gusts near 80 mph and hail reports up to about 1.75 inches.
The Storm Prediction Center issued multiple mesoscale discussions and consecutive severe‑thunderstorm watches across the Plains to track evolving threats where instability, shear and surface boundaries could spark new storms.
A separate, earlier corridor of elevated tornado potential developed from far southeast South Dakota into parts of Nebraska and Iowa where near‑storm low‑level shear reached about 200 m2/s2 and forecasters warned a strong tornado was possible.
Forecast uncertainty remains high because outcomes depend on whether storms stay discrete or grow into linear MCSs, so SPC and local NWS offices are monitoring western Kansas, northeast Colorado and Nebraska for possible additional watches and warnings that would affect communities and travel.