Alert archive / Kansas / Tornado Warnings in 2026

Tornado Warning 86, NWS Kansas City, MO

June 17, 2026Linn County, Kansas; Bates County, Missouri

NWS Kansas City, MO issued this tornado warning at Jun 17, 2026, 5:11 PM CDT for Linn County, Kansas; Bates County, Missouri. It was in force for 49 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Jun 17, 2026, 5:11 PM CDT (22:11 UTC)
Expired
Jun 17, 2026, 6:00 PM CDT
In force
49 min
Issued by
NWS Kansas City, MO
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
1.0 in

Counties Linn County, KS, Bates County, MO

The radar

The Pleasant Hill radar (KEAX), 67 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:14 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this tornado warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Jun 17, 2:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 12:00Z, 10.2 hours before the alert went out and 125 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Topeka, KS at 12:00Z on 2026-06-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1264 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Topeka, KS at 12:00Z on 2026-06-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 688 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
1264 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-354 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1153 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
40 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
688 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
772 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
1.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

215 
WFUS53 KEAX 172211
TOREAX
KSC107-MOC013-172300-
/O.NEW.KEAX.TO.W.0086.260617T2211Z-260617T2300Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Kansas City/Pleasant Hill MO
511 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

The National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Northeastern Linn County in east central Kansas...
  Southwestern Bates County in west central Missouri...

* Until 600 PM CDT.

* At 511 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located 7 miles southeast of Linn Valley, or 7 miles southeast
  of La Cygne, moving southeast at 25 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

  IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
           shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. 
           Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree 
           damage is likely.

* Locations impacted include...
  Butler, Amsterdam, Amoret, Foster, and Worland.

This includes Interstate 49 between mile markers 126 and 134.
 
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 3828 9473 3837 9467 3827 9428 3806 9442
TIME...MOT...LOC 2211Z 302DEG 23KT 3829 9464 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN

$$

Krull
4 follow-up statements
910 
WWUS53 KEAX 172220
SVSEAX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Kansas City/Pleasant Hill MO
520 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

KSC107-172229-
/O.CAN.KEAX.TO.W.0086.000000T0000Z-260617T2300Z/
Linn KS-
520 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN LINN COUNTY IS CANCELLED...

The tornadic thunderstorm which prompted the warning has moved out 
of the warned area. Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CDT for
east central Kansas...and west central Missouri.

&&

LAT...LON 3812 9438 3825 9462 3832 9461 3835 9460
      3827 9428
TIME...MOT...LOC 2219Z 288DEG 32KT 3828 9453 

$$

MOC013-172300-
/O.CON.KEAX.TO.W.0086.000000T0000Z-260617T2300Z/
Bates MO-
520 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHWESTERN BATES COUNTY...

At 519 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located 10 miles west of Butler, moving east at 35 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
         shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage 
         to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree damage is 
         likely.

Locations impacted include...
Butler, Amsterdam, and Amoret.

This includes Interstate 49 between mile markers 126 and 134.
 
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 3812 9438 3825 9462 3832 9461 3835 9460
      3827 9428
TIME...MOT...LOC 2219Z 288DEG 32KT 3828 9453 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN

$$

Krull
273 
WWUS53 KEAX 172230
SVSEAX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Kansas City/Pleasant Hill MO
530 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

MOC013-172300-
/O.CON.KEAX.TO.W.0086.000000T0000Z-260617T2300Z/
Bates MO-
530 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHWESTERN BATES COUNTY...

At 530 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Butler, moving east at 45 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
         shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage 
         to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree damage is 
         likely.

Locations impacted include...
Butler.

This includes Interstate 49 between mile markers 125 and 134.
 
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 3813 9437 3824 9452 3832 9449 3827 9428
TIME...MOT...LOC 2230Z 289DEG 40KT 3824 9443 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN

$$

Krull
721 
WWUS53 KEAX 172246
SVSEAX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Kansas City/Pleasant Hill MO
546 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

MOC013-172300-
/O.CON.KEAX.TO.W.0086.000000T0000Z-260617T2300Z/
Bates MO-
546 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM CDT FOR CENTRAL
BATES COUNTY...

At 546 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Butler, moving southeast at 25 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
         shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage 
         to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree damage is 
         likely.

Locations impacted include...
Butler.

This includes Interstate 49 between mile markers 125 and 134.
 
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 3813 9437 3817 9442 3829 9437 3827 9428
TIME...MOT...LOC 2246Z 302DEG 23KT 3819 9432 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN

$$

Krull
354 
WWUS53 KEAX 172254
SVSEAX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Kansas City/Pleasant Hill MO
554 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

MOC013-172303-
/O.EXP.KEAX.TO.W.0086.000000T0000Z-260617T2300Z/
Bates MO-
554 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR CENTRAL BATES COUNTY WILL EXPIRE AT 600 PM
CDT...

The storm which prompted the warning has moved out of the polygon of 
the tornado warning. Therefore, the warning will be allowed to 
expire.

Remember, a Tornado Warning still remains in effect for Bates County 
for areas east and southeast of Butler. Please see tornado warning 
87 for more information. 

&&

LAT...LON 3813 9437 3817 9442 3829 9437 3827 9428
TIME...MOT...LOC 2253Z 302DEG 23KT 3817 9428 

$$

Krull

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Kansas City, MO wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at Jun 17, 1:18 PM CDT, 3 hours 53 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Severe thunderstorms are expected to develop this afternoon along a cold front moving southeastward through the region. The best chances for storms are south of a line from Kansas City to Kirksville. Large hail, damaging winds, tornadoes, and heavy rainfall are all potential hazards from these storms.
  • Heat indices approaching/exceeding 100 degrees are forecast this afternoon, especially south of I-70.
  • Showers and a few thunderstorms are forecast again across west- central and central Missouri on Thursday. Severe weather is not expected.
  • A strong storm system will move through the region this weekend, bringing another round of severe weather and heavy rainfall.
Area forecast discussion, Jun 17, 1:18 PM CDT, 3 hours 53 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Kansas City/Pleasant Hill MO
118 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Severe thunderstorms are expected to develop this afternoon
  along a cold front moving southeastward through the region.
  The best chances for storms are south of a line from Kansas
  City to Kirksville. Large hail, damaging winds, tornadoes, and
  heavy rainfall are all potential hazards from these storms.

- Heat indices approaching/exceeding 100 degrees are forecast  this
  afternoon, especially south of I-70.

- Showers and a few thunderstorms are forecast again across
  west- central and central Missouri on Thursday. Severe
  weather is not expected.

- A strong storm system will move through the region this
  weekend, bringing another round of severe weather and heavy
  rainfall.

&&

.SHORT TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
Issued at 110 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

Current:

A strong low level jet is transitioning east this afternoon
with our gusty winds slowly decreasing. That being said, we are
still seeing wind gusts of 30-40 mph. This jet has also supplied the
region with ample amount of heat and moisture. Across the area we
have temperatures in the 90s with dew points in the 70s. This has
led to some areas seeing heat indicies in the triple digits.

This afternoon:

The focus of the afternoon will be our severe weather threat. With
the latest update from SPC we have an enhanced risk (level 3/5) for
our central and eastern counties with the metro and northwest MO
lowering to slight (2/5) and marginal (1/5). Convection is expected
to initiate off of a cold front moving across the region. As of
1 PM the current surface observations would indicated that the
boundary is draped through Holt and up through Worth. Areas
northwest of this boundary are not expected to receive showers
and storms. Ahead of this boundary we can expect a few
supercells to develop initially as mean wind flow runs
orthogonal to the boundary. As mentioned previously we have a
very warm and moist air mass out ahead of this boundary that can
be characterized as high instability (MLCAPE over 3000 J/kg)
and strongly sheared (bulk shear greater than 45 kts. Within
this environment supercells will be capable of producing large
hail (>2") and damaging winds (>75 mph). Veering winds ahead of
the boundary may also produce some streamwise vorticity for a
few tornadoes to develop. Later into the evening the cold pools
are expected to congeal with storm mode switching to more
linear. Threats will shift to damaging winds and a few
tornadoes. Best timing for severe storms still looks to be this
afternoon with CAMs showing a consistent signal for around
3-4PM. The cold front will then sag south through the evening
exiting the region after 8PM.

&&

.LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
Issued at 110 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

Thursday/Friday:

The cold front will stall out over the Ozarks leading to a largely
quiet and pleasant day across most the region. Lingering mid
level moisture may interact with a weak impulse aloft to produce
some light rain and sprinkles through the day. The additional
cloud cover paired with the passage of the front the previous
day will keep the area cooler with highs in the upper 70s and
low 80s.

Surface high pressure will be shifting east through the day allowing
for southerly return flow. Temperatures will warm back into the mid
80s. Rain and a few storm chances (40-50%) will return overnight,
but the better chances for more widespread impacts arrive this
weekend.

Weekend:

Cross barrier flow sets up over the Central Rockies leading to lee
cyclogenesis on Saturday. This low deepens over eastern CO through
the day with surface high pressure being shunted off to the east.
This set up will allow for a strong gulf connection to develop
surging moisture back into the Midwest. Our PWATs increase to
2" which would put us over the 99th percentile of climatology.
The bountiful moisture will lead to heavy rain and flooding
concerns through the weekend and into Monday morning. NBM is
carrying PoPs of 20-40% through Saturday with chances increasing
to 50-80% overnight as the surface low encroaches from the
west. The systems warm front is expected to pivot in from the
west in the afternoon and evening hours increasing instability.
Pending placement of a shortwave crossing the midwest we would
see a boost in our bulk shear values sending increasing severe
potential.

Perhaps the bigger concern for the weekend will be the heavy
rainfall potential. WPC has the region highlighted in a slight risk
for excessive rainfall (2/3). Taking a stroll through the ensemble
plumes of both the GEFS and the Euro shows a high amount of spread
with the heaviest rainfall period targeted to be Sunday. The
Euro still favors heavier rain across IA and northern MO. The
deterministic GFS seems to be the outlier amongst even the GEFS
family showing upwards of 4". The rest of the members have
better clustering around the 1" mark. Given our antecedent
conditions we could see many of our rivers reach Minor to
Moderate flood stage by Monday morning.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY/...
Issued at 1227 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

Windy conditions to start the forecast period with southwest
winds gusts over 25 kts. A cold front will be dropping south
through this afternoon and evening with storms expected to fire
off this boundary. The latest high res guidance suggests that
the boundary will be on top of MKC or just south of the region
and progress south of the terminals after 22Z. Afterwards, VFR
conditions will persist through the remainder of the forecast
period with winds turning to out of the north and and northwest.

&&

.EAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MO...Wind Advisory until 3 PM CDT this afternoon for MOZ007-008-016-
     017-022>025-030>033-037>040-043>046-053-054.
KS...Wind Advisory until 3 PM CDT this afternoon for KSZ057-060-105.

&&

SHORT TERM...Britt
LONG TERM...Britt
AVIATION...Britt
Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 17, 5:04 AM CDT, 12 hours 7 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Kansas City/Pleasant Hill MO
0504 AM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

KSZ025-057-060-102>105-MOZ001>008-011>017-020>025-028>033-037>040-
043>046-053-054-181004-
Atchison KS-Miami-Linn KS-Doniphan-Leavenworth-Wyandotte-Johnson KS-
Atchison MO-Nodaway-Worth-Gentry-Harrison-Mercer-Putnam-Schuyler-
Holt-Andrew-De Kalb-Daviess-Grundy-Sullivan-Adair-Buchanan-Clinton-
Caldwell-Livingston-Linn MO-Macon-Platte-Clay-Ray-Carroll-Chariton-
Randolph-Jackson-Lafayette-Saline-Howard-Cass-Johnson MO-Pettis-
Cooper-Bates-Henry-
0504 AM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

This hazardous weather outlook is for northwest...north central and
west central Missouri...as well as extreme eastern Kansas.

.DAY ONE...Through tonight.

Please go to https://weather.gov/media/eax/DssPacket.pdf for more information on
potential weather hazards.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday.

Please go to https://weather.gov/media/eax/DssPacket.pdf for more information on
potential weather hazards.

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Severe thunderstorms are expected to develop this afternoon
  along a cold front moving southeastward through the region.
  The best chances for storms are south of a line from Kansas
  City to Kirksville. Large hail, damaging winds, tornadoes, and
  heavy rainfall are all potential hazards from these storms.

- Southwest winds of 15 to 30 mph with occasional gusts
  exceeding 45 mph are expected this morning across the area.

- Heat indices approaching/exceeding 100 degrees are forecast
  this afternoon, especially south of I-70.

- Showers and a few thunderstorms are forecast again across
  west-central and central Missouri on Thursday. Severe weather
  is not expected.

- A strong storm system will move through the region this
  weekend, bringing another round of severe weather and heavy
  rainfall.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Kansas City, MO issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 17, 5:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEAXLinn, Miami45 min
Jun 17, 6:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEAXLinn51 min
Jun 17, 9:31 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementEAXSchuyler14 min
Jun 17, 3:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEAXRandolph28 min
Jun 17, 4:02 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEAXCass, Henry, Johnson43 min
Jun 17, 4:33 PM CDTTornado WarningEAXCass, Henry, Johnson42 min
Jun 17, 4:35 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEAXCooper, Johnson, Lafayette, Pettis, Saline55 min
Jun 17, 4:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEAXJohnson, Pettis19 min
Jun 17, 4:58 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEAXBates, Cass, Henry20 min
Jun 17, 5:04 PM CDTTornado WarningEAXBates, Cass, Henry41 min
Jun 17, 5:10 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEAXHenry, Johnson, Pettis33 min
Jun 17, 5:11 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEAXCooper49 min
Jun 17, 5:37 PM CDTTornado WarningEAXBates, Henry38 min
Jun 17, 5:40 PM CDTTornado WarningEAXHenry37 min
Jun 17, 5:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEAXCass, Henry, Johnson35 min
Jun 17, 6:48 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementEAXBates27 min
Jun 17, 6:54 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEAXBates51 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Kansas, 2026Tornado Warnings in Missouri, 2026Every tornado warning in 2026Tornadoes in 2026

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.