Surprise tornadoes in Kansas prompt concerns about changes at National Weather Service

Five tornadoes hit the Kansas City area Monday night. Did a change in National Weather Service balloon launches leave forecasters in the dark about the threat for much of the day?

A tornado outbreak near Kansas City, Kansas, on Monday night came as a surprise.

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At least three injuries were reported after at least five tornadoes developed in areas southwest of the city. Several homes were damaged, trees were downed, and RVs were overturned.

But in its Monday afternoon outlook, the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center, which forecasts severe thunderstorms and tornadoes, did not anticipate a tornado threat for the Kansas City area. The disconnect has prompted concerns among some outside meteorologists that ongoing changes to staffing and weather balloon releases at the NWS might be leaving forecasters in the dark about threats.