Severe weather season usually lasts for two to three months in Eastern Kansas. However, there have been some years with much less activity. This season so far has seen much of the strongest activity focused to our south. That is somewhat expected through mid-May.

However, as we approach the end of the May and first few weeks of June, things typically change. The northward surging of warm, humid air typically weakens the overall jetstream flow. As this happens, we see a change from “dynamic” storm systems–where the jetstream’s wind energy can produce widespread severe weather even without much heating at the surface–to “thermodynamic” systems which are less dependent on the winds and more dependent on the heat and humidity return at the surface.

During the transitional time of late May into early June, Northeast Kansas can experience a mix of both explosive thermodynamic storms and jetstream-driven dynamic storms. This puts us at the beginning stages of the peak of severe weather season. However, some peaks are pretty uneventful. Historically, some of the most violent weather occurs during these few weeks of the year. Let’s hope that 2010 can see the season pass without much damage to the area.

Keep a close eye on the weather for the next few weeks, you’ll start to feel that return to heat and humidity by this upcoming weekend.