Smoke from Oklahoma and southern Kansas moves into the Kansas City area

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Smoke from Oklahoma and southern Kansas has moved into the Kansas City area Friday as the night winds down.

UPDATE, 10:25 p.m. | KSHB 41's Charlie Keegan showed the neighborhood's reaction after a tree fell on a car in Blue Springs during Friday's storm.

UPDATE, 9:35 p.m. | According to KSHB 41 Meteorologist Wes Peery, the smoke that you can smell and see in the Kansas City area is coming from Oklahoma and southern Kansas.

Peery said air quality is considered generally unhealthy, especially for those sensitive to small particulate matter.

UPDATE, 8:40 p.m. | K-10 Highway at Kill Creek Road in Johnson County is back open after a crash caused a grass fire Friday evening.

UPDATE, 8:25 p.m. | The brush fire near Clinton Lake in Douglas County is under control and residents can return to the area that was evacuated.

UPDATE, 8:20 p.m. | KSHB was given some more information on fires across Miami County Friday.

There have been five active grass fires burning Friday in Miami County.

The first fire was reported at 12:22 p.m. and the latest at 7:22 p.m.

Firefighters are battling the fires and Miami County Sheriff’s deputies are checking out smoke investigation calls.

Those calls turn out to be smoke from the other fires, authorities said.

No reports of injuries from the fires.

UPDATE, 8:15 p.m. | K-10 Highway at Kill Creek Road in Johnson County is closed in both directions due to a crash that caused a grass fire Friday evening.

UPDATE, 8:10 p.m. | A massive fire forced the evacuation of a nursing home in Yates Center earlier Friday, and firefighters from as far as Overland Park went to battle the blaze.

Yates Center is about two hours southwest of the Kansas City area and has about 1,300 residents.

UPDATE, 7:25 p.m. | A large brush fire in Douglas County, Kansas, forced the evacuation of more than a dozen homes earlier Friday near Clinton Lake.

UPDATE, 6:35 p.m. | A motorist narrowly missed being struck by a falling tree Friday afternoon in southern Kansas City, Missouri. Take a look in the video player below.

UPDATE, 6:30 p.m. | High winds and dry conditions have combined for several grass fires in the area. Teresa Fuentez sent in this video of a fire earlier this afternoon near Yates Center, Kansas.

UPDATE, 5:30 p.m. | Charlie Keegan reports from Blue Springs that the driver, identified as a male in his 70s, is in critical condition.

UPDATE, 5:25 p.m. | The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has issued an air quality alert for eastern Kansas. Here's a link to learn more.

UPDATE, 5:10 p.m. | KSHB 41 reporter Charlie Keegan just filed this report from Blue Springs.

UPDATE, 4:55 p.m. | The National Weather Service has cleared the Kansas City metro area of the severe thunderstorm watch that had been in effect through 7 p.m. A tornado watch remains in effect until 11 p.m. for parts of mid-Missouri and points east.

High winds remain possible through the evening hours.

UPDATE, 4:50 p.m. | KSHB 41 Reporter Charlie Keegan is near the intersection of Duncan Road and Deer Run Road in Blue Springs where a tree fell on an occupied car.

Blue Springs police say the driver was transported to a local hospital. The extent of their injuries wasn't immediately known.

UPDATE, 4:45 p.m. | The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports high winds blew over a tractor-trailer Friday afternoon on Missouri Highway 210 near Pendleton Road in Ray County.

UPDATE, 4:05 p.m. | A tornado watch has been issued for parts of central Missouri.

UPDATE, 3:55 p.m. | Latest thoughts from Wes Peery:

UPDATE, 3:25 p.m. | KSHB 41 Weather's Jeff Penner just checked in from Kansas City International Airport where conditions have turned stormy.

UPDATE, 3:12 p.m. | Here's the latest weather forecast video update from KSHB 41's Wes Peery:

UPDATE, 3:10 p.m. | Thunderstorm warnings have been expanded to additional parts of the area.

UPDATE, 3 p.m. | Parts of Miami County, Linn County, Cass County and Bates County are included in a severe thunderstorm warning through 3:45 p.m.

UPDATE, 2:58 p.m. | Trained weather spotters are reporting gusts as high as 60 miles per hour in southwest Johnson County, Kansas around 2:45 p.m.

UPDATE, 2:50 p.m. | Parts of Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas are under a severe thunderstorm warning through 3:30 p.m. Winds up to 70 MPH possible.

UPDATE, 2:30 p.m. | Parts of Cass County are in a severe thunderstorm warning through 3 p.m.

Storms are anticipated to develop in eastern Kansas by 3 p.m. and quickly move east into Missouri.

The most likely severe threat with Friday’s storms is high wind. The tornado threat generally increases further east into Missouri, especially east of U.S. Highway 65.

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