Heads Up Central U.S.

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UPDATE 9:30pm... Here come the damaging winds. The band of storms approaching Manhattan, KS has winds gusting to 70 mph with 80 mph winds near Tuttle Creek Res. They will move southeast toward Topeka, Lawrence, and Kansas City. This is the last update for the night.
Severe thunderstorm watch until 3am...

UPDATE 8:07PM:

An area of thunderstorms in northern Kansas has produced a couple of tornadoes, torrential rains and very large hail. The line of storms may begin moving SE during the night and produce very strong winds in northeast Kansas.

Severe thunderstorm watches, with damaging winds a possibility, are already in effect in Illinois, Missouri and far eastern Kansas.
In addition, a second round of violent thunderstorms may develop farther west in Kansas and in Nebraska later today. Here is the problem: The situation is conducive to widespread damaging winds, similar to what occurred yesterday (blue symbols denote damaging winds).

Currently, 168,000 homes and businesses are still without power in Chicago alone. Most of the contract electrical crews are already committed to repairing yesterday's damage. So, if widespread wind damage should occur with the next round of storms, it will take longer than usual to repair the damage and restore power.

What do I recommend?

  1. If you have a generator, make sure it is ready to go
  2. Make sure you have fresh batteries for flashlights, etc.
  3. Make sure critical prescriptions are filled
  4. Your car should have plenty of fuel
This is a difficult forecast situation: There is a "cap" over the atmosphere in parts of Kansas and Nebraska and there is a chance thunderstorms will not develop at all. But, if they do, they will be violent. Better to be prepared.  

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