Storm Prediction Center Issues Severe Thunderstorm Watches for Central Plains

Forecasters warn strong instability, steep midlevel lapse rates plus 35–50+ kt shear favor organized storms capable of producing very large hail, damaging winds, isolated tornadoes and serious aviation hazards.

Overview

The Storm Prediction Center issued Severe Thunderstorm Watch 682 and Watch 683 on Tuesday to cover parts of southern and eastern Kansas, west-central and northwest Missouri, western Oklahoma and the eastern Texas Panhandle.
Watches run into late evening with WW682 effective 4:00–11:00 PM CDT and WW683 effective 4:50 PM–midnight CDT to reflect rapidly growing storm coverage.
Forecasters highlighted a mixed threat of damaging straight-line winds often 65–80 mph, very large hail up to 2.5 inches in diameter, and a low but nonzero chance of isolated tornadoes.
SPC mesoscale discussions pointed to key drivers — mixed-layer CAPE often 1,500–2,500+ J/kg, steep midlevel lapse rates near 7.5 C/km, and effective bulk shear around 35–50+ kt — that favor multicell and supercell development.
Local National Weather Service offices and aviation operators were urged to monitor warnings closely because storms could bring flash flooding from training cells, extreme turbulence, and surface gusts up to roughly 65–70 knots that threaten aircraft and ground travel.