Weather warning day: Heavy storms with wind and hail are possible on Thursday evening

The ABC 17 Stormtrack Weather Team has issued a weather advisory for areas north of I-70 for tomorrow evening, which could cause severe storms.

The day will start hot and humid, with highs reaching 95 degrees and a heat index between 100 and 102 degrees. The environment will have plenty of energy for storms to take advantage of, but the timing of a cold front will keep severe weather potential at its highest north of the I-70 corridor.

A cold front moving in from the north will produce storms near the Iowa-Missouri border through the early evening. The highest risk of severe weather will be along and north of Highway 24 until about 10 p.m.

The Storm Prediction Center is classifying areas between I-70 and Highway 24 as being at slight risk, or Level 2/5 for severe storms, and further north as Level 3. Communities in the orange or Level 3 zone have a higher risk for hail up to the size of golf balls and winds of 60-70 mph. The farther south you go, the less severe the storms are likely to be, with isolated strong storms possible late tonight as far north as Columbia and Jefferson City.

The storms are expected to move into the Highway 36 corridor around 6:00-7:00 p.m. and the Highway 24 corridor between 8:00-9:00 p.m. As the sun sets, the energy will subside and the cold front will stabilize the entire region by Friday morning.

The risk of tornadoes is low with this system, but strong winds could cause tree damage and power outages.

Make sure you can receive those severe weather alerts at night. The ABC 17 Stormtrack Weather app is free and sends severe weather warnings and alerts, as well as lightning detections, to your current and preferred location.