Cool, windy weather in today’s forecast

National Weather Service graphic

Today’s high will reach about 63 degrees, with wind gusts of as high as 28 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

While no hazardous weather is in the forecast through the next few days, thunderstorm chances will return Sunday night through early next work week, the weather service said.

Flooding concerns will continue on the Missouri River this week, according to the weather service. The Missouri River at Kansas City is well under flood stage at this time.

Today, it will be partly sunny with a high near 63 and a north northwest wind of 9 to 17 mph, gusting as high as 28 mph, the weather service said.

Tonight, it will be mostly cloudy with a low of 42 and a north wind of 10 to 16 mph, gusting as high as 25 mph, according to the weather service.

Friday, it will be sunny with a high near 64 and a north wind of 10 to 15 mph, gusting as high as 25 mph, the weather service said.

Friday night, the low will be around 42, with a north wind of 5 to 10 mph becoming light and variable after midnight, according to the weather service.

Saturday, it will be sunny with a high near 74 and a light southwest wind becoming south southwest 5 to 9 mph in the morning, the weather service said.

Saturday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 55, according to the weather service.

Sunday, it will be partly sunny with a high near 75, the weather service said.

Sunday night, there is a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 8 p.m., with a low of 55, according to the weather service.

Monday, there is a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, with a high near 70, the weather service said.

Monday night, there is a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, with a low of 53, according to the weather service.

Tuesday, there is a 50 percent chance of showers, with a high near 68, the weather service said.

Tuesday night, it will be mostly cloudy, with a low of 48, according to the weather service.

Wednesday, it will be partly sunny with a high near 69, the weather service said.

KCKCC sweeps for ninth softball win in last 10 games

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Kansas City Kansas Community College returns to the torrid Jayhawk Conference softball race Thursday after sweeping a non-conference doubleheader 4-3 and 9-1 at Southwestern Iowa Tuesday.

Locked in a four-way tie for second place, the Blue Devils square off against Labette in Parsons at 2 p.m. Thursday in the Blue Devils’ final road conference twin bill of the season. Johnson County (13-3) leads the conference with Highland, Hesston and Cowley sharing second with KCKCC, all at 11-5., with Labette another game back at 10-6.

With nine wins in their last 10 games, the Blue Devils’ improved their overall record to 32-14 with the two wins at Southwestern.

A clutch 2-run triple by Alexis Rymer in the fifth inning rallied the Blue Devils to their 4-3 win in the opener. Trailing 3-2, Devin Purcell was hit by a pitch and Kaylee Arnzen singled to set up Rymer’s game-winning three-base hit.

KCKCC took an early 1-0 lead on singles by Arnzen and Alaina Howe and Britney Smith’s RBI ground ball in the second only to have Southwestern score three times in the bottom of the inning on a double, single and an error. The Blue Devils cut their deficit to 3-2 in the fourth. Rymer was hit by a pitch, moved up on a single by Jennica Messer and scored on Brittney Beck’s infield grounder.

Mackenzie Pinkerton (14-7) got the win with four innings of two-hit relief. She walked five and struck out seven. Shay Grosstephan worked the first three innings, allowing three hits and three runs, one of which was unearned. She walked five, fanned two.

Faith Maslak (7-2) scattered five hits in the 5-inning 9-1 nightcap win, striking out two and walking one. Alaina Howe and Britney Smith both drove in three runs and Kaylee Arnzen two, each with a pair of hits as the Blue Devils did all their scoring in two innings.

The big inning was the first when the Blue Devils scored six times on six hits. Arnzen and Smith each drove in two runs in the inning. After an error, Devin Purcell and Grosstephen singled and Arnzen delivered a two-run double. A walk, singles by Jennica Mieser and Howe made it 4-0 and Smith plated the final two. The other three runs came in the fifth highlighted by Howe’s 2-run double.

National Weather Service issues thunderstorm warning

The National Weather Service has issued a thunderstorm warning for southeastern Wyandotte County.

The warning is in effect until 6:45 p.m.

At 5:47 p.m., a severe thunderstorm was located over Merriam, Kansas, moving northeast at 30 mph.

The storm has 60 mph wind gusts and quarter-sized hail. Damage to vehicles and roofs is possible.

Also under the thunderstorm warning are northeastern Johnson County, southern Clay County, southeastern Platte County and central Jackson County.