Tornado season runs April–June in Kansas City

Threat level: The National Weather Service (NWS) puts KC in the path of an enhanced risk for severe weather starting Friday afternoon and lasting through the evening.

• Large hail, damaging winds, flash flooding and tornadoes are all possible.

State of play: Tornadoes in Kansas, southwest of the metro, caught the NWS off guard after changes to staffing and weather balloon releases may have delayed alerts, NBC reported.

• An EF-2 tornado struck Hillsdale, Kansas, on Monday, less than an hour away from KC.

Zoom in: Kansas and Missouri's tornado seasons run April-June.

• There are lots of ways to get local alerts — from county and city apps to weather radios, TV stations and the NWS's local X account.
• Best practices: be proactive, make a plan, and don't be caught off guard.

Zoom out: KC is near the eastern edge of what's typically considered Tornado Alley, a high-risk region of the plains with a high rate of twisters.

• But that region appears to be moving east, with more cities in the Midwest and Southeast facing cyclones.

💭 My thought bubble: I put together a severe weather guide during my time at FOX4 for tornadoes, thunderstorms, and flooding, which I like to refer back to.