Spotty Severe Storms in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas

By Alex Sosnowski, Expert Senior Meteorologist

Mar 30, 2012; 12:48 PM ET

There is the risk of spotty severe thunderstorms over portions of the south-central Plains late today into tonight.
While conditions for producing thunderstorms in the area from central Texas to south-central Kansas are marginal, any thunderstorms that get going could quickly become severe.
The main risk with the storms will be frequent lightning strikes, large hail and flash flooding. However, if and once the storms get to the stage of producing hail of golf-ball size or larger, they can just as easily produce localized damaging wind gusts and even an isolated tornado.
Much of the day and the night in the region will be free of storms. In addition, since this is not likely to be a broad sweeping area of severe weather, most places may escape unscathed.

Temperatures and humidity levels will reach the point of making the atmosphere unstable. As a dry push of air known as the dry line drifts eastward, it could be enough to set off a few big storms.
People will want to keep tabs on a potential severe weather outbreak for early next week over part of the same area. As a storm swings in from California, it could initiate powerful thunderstorms in portions of western and central Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, sometime during the period from Sunday night into Monday night. Details will follow over the weekend.
Meanwhile, the Ohio Valley will be targeted by a zone of severe thunderstorms into this evening.

Spotty Severe Storms in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas