As of 2:30pm, a nearly east-to-west warm front was located about 10 miles south of Lawrence This front separates temperatures in the 70s and 80s south of K-10 from temperatures in the 50s and 60s along and north of I-70. I expected the front to move just north of Lawrence in the next couple of hours and provide a focus for thunderstorm development this evening.

A tornado watch has been issued for much of central and eastern Kansas, which includes Douglas county, until 10pm tonight. Though showers and storms are currently developing along the I-35 and I-335 corridor between Emporia and Saint Joseph (MO), they are not likely to become severe in the next couple of hours. Additional development will likely take place in and near the watch box after 5pm.