Weather warning day: Heavy storms with hail and wind are possible tomorrow

The ABC 17 Stormtrack Weather Team has issued a Weather Alert Day due to the possibility of severe storms on Friday.

A warm front continues to move through Mid-Missouri tonight, bringing warmer temperatures overnight as clouds begin to spread. A complex of strong thunderstorms could form ahead of a cold front tomorrow morning, bringing strong winds and hail by late morning. If the atmosphere can clear after the morning line, a few severe storms could develop again in the afternoon. In the Southeast, the threat will pass by early evening.

According to the Storm Prediction Center, risk level 2 out of 5 applies to large parts of central Missouri.

Instability is expected to increase overnight into tomorrow morning, giving storms the power they need to maintain their strength as they move through the region. Wind shear will not be quite as strong at low elevations, so the threat of tornadoes will be low despite the higher risk of damaging winds.

Storms are likely to form to the west tomorrow morning, moving toward Columbia and Jefferson City between 10 and 11 a.m. Once those pass, a few more storms could form, likely moving southeast along I-44 between 5 and 6 p.m.

If you are planning a vacation trip, be sure to download the ABC 17 Stormtrack Weather App and set it to track your location so you can receive timely warnings about severe weather along your route.