Today's weather

Last night wasn't as severe as anticipated; the system moved in later than meteorologists were thinking, which reduced the instability factor with the storms.

There is, however, chances of severe weather once again today. Current thinking is that the storms could impact Springfield after 4 p.m. today, says the NWS:

WEATHER HAZARDS EXPECTED:

DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.

HAIL TO THE SIZE OF QUARTERS.

AN ISOLATED TORNADO.

AREAS AFFECTED AND TIMING:

THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP AFTER 200 PM ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM JOPLIN TO TO BOLIVAR TO THE LAKE OF THE OZARKS. AREAS ALONG AND EAST OF THE INTERSTATE 44 CORRIDOR WILL BE AFFECTED BY THESE STORMS DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

DISCUSSION:

A COLD FRONT THAT EXTENDS FROM NORTHWEST MISSOURI THROUGH WESTERN OKLAHOMA WILL BEGIN TO SURGE EASTWARD THIS AFTERNOON. A WARM AND MOIST AIRMASS IS ALREADY IN PLACE AHEAD OF THIS FRONT. STRONG WIND SHEAR AND MODERATE INSTABILITY WILL RESULT IN A SQUALL LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING ALONG THE COLD FRONT THIS AFTERNOON. DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WIND GUSTS AND HAIL TO THE SIZE OF QUARTERS WILL BE THE PRIMARY SEVERE WEATHER HAZARDS. AN ISOLATED TORNADO CANNOT BE RULED OUT...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE EASTERN OZARKS.