Kansas City starts Monday mostly clear and relatively mild, but temperatures will rise quickly. The high is forecast near 92 degrees, with the heat index reaching 101, before showers and thunderstorms become a larger concern later in the week.
Heat Builds Monday
A few showers or thunderstorms could develop before 10 a.m., followed by mostly sunny skies. Southeast winds of 9 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph, will add to the unsettled feel as the afternoon heat builds.
Monday night should remain mostly clear but warm, with a low near 77. No watches, warnings or advisories are currently listed for the Kansas City forecast area, but the combination of heat and humidity could make prolonged outdoor activity uncomfortable.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services says people working or exercising outdoors, along with those who have conditions such as heart disease, lung disease or diabetes, should take extra care in hot weather. The agency advises seeking medical attention if heat-exhaustion symptoms include vomiting, worsen or last longer than an hour, and calling 911 immediately for suspected heat stroke, according to its heat-safety guidance.
Storm Risk Increases Tuesday Night
Tuesday is expected to begin mostly sunny, with a high near 89, before shower and thunderstorm chances increase during the afternoon. Showers are likely Tuesday night.
Repeated rounds of storms are expected through the middle and latter parts of the week, with the greatest flooding concern described north of the Missouri River. The exact placement and severity of any flooding remain uncertain. Drivers should be prepared for rapidly changing conditions and should never drive through water covering a roadway.
The Missouri Department of Transportation warns that state routes in the Kansas City region can flood and that conditions may change rapidly during rain, according to its Kansas City District flood information.
What Kansas City’s Stormwater System Can—and Cannot—Do
Kansas City’s drainage network is extensive, but its size does not eliminate the possibility of localized flooding during intense or repeated rainfall. KC Water says the city manages 630 miles of sewers, more than 53,000 stormwater inlets, 15 flood pump stations and six stormwater detention basins, according to its stormwater overview.
KC Water Services also says it maintains about 15 acres of green infrastructure intended to help reduce sewer overflows and mitigate flooding, as described in its account of rain gardens and related projects. Those measures can reduce risk, but they do not guarantee that streets will remain passable during a heavy storm.
A Past Flooding Example Is Context, Not a Forecast
Kansas City has experienced flooding from multiple rounds of rain before. The National Weather Service documented a separate event on Aug. 21-22, 2017, when repeated heavy rainfall affected the southwestern Kansas City metro and areas south of the city, according to its event summary.
That earlier event illustrates how successive storms can produce flooding, but it does not establish that this week’s forecast will produce the same impacts or affect the same locations.
Cooler Weekend Ahead
Showers and thunderstorms remain possible Wednesday morning before conditions become mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Rain chances are expected to ease Thursday and Friday while highs remain in the upper 80s. The weekend trends cooler, with Saturday near 83 and Sunday near 78, although both days may still bring showers or thunderstorms.
For Monday, residents planning strenuous outdoor activity should take breaks, drink water and move indoors immediately if thunder develops. From Tuesday night into Wednesday, monitor updated forecasts, allow extra travel time and turn around whenever floodwater blocks a road.
