The National Weather Service has issued a slight risk for severe weather for Lawrence and surrounding areas of northeast Kansas on Thursday, June 9, 2011. The risk includes a five percent risk for tornadoes, a 15 percent risk for damaging winds and a 30 percent risk of hail.

10:05 p.m. update

The National Weather Service has allowed the tornado watch to expire, as of 10 a.m.

Though storms are still possible tonight, they’re not expected to be severe. The strongest storms are north and south of Lawrence.

3:10 p.m. update

The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center has issued a tornado watch for much of northeast Kansas, including Douglas, Jefferson, Leavenworth, Franklin and Johnson counties.

The watch is valid until 10 p.m. Storms are predicted to initiate in the hour.

According to the watch statement, there is a moderate risk of tornados, though only a slight risk of large tornadoes, a moderate risk of damaging winds, up to 80 mph, and a high risk of large hail, up to three inches in diameter, throughout the watch area.

A watch means conditions are favorable for severe weather development in the watch area, but there is no cause for immediate concern.

Check back to LJWorld.com for updates.

Our 8:30 a.m. post

Is it summer yet?

As the last days of meteorological spring fly by, the National Weather Service has given us another slight risk for severe weather in Lawrence and across Northeast Kansas.

According to the weather service’s Storm Prediction Center, “severe thunderstorms should erupt by mid afternoon beginning in northeastern Kansas.”

The weather service says very large hail is a possibility as well as brief tornadoes. The SPC has put Lawrence in a five percent risk for tornadoes, a 15 percent risk for damaging winds and a 30 percent risk for 1-inch or larger hail.

You may have already noticed some rumbles of thunder this morning; the main event is still to come.

10 p.m. post

The National Weather Service allowed the tornado watch for much of northeast Kansas to expire as scheduled at 10 p.m.