Tornado watch for eastern Kansas and western Missouri, including KC, for Friday night

Update: A tornado warning has been called at the northwestern point of Missouri until 9:45 p.m., encompassing Fairfax, Corning and Skidmore.

The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for the Kansas City area for Friday, potentially covering around three million people.

The tornado watch will last until 11 p.m. and covers parts of both Kansas and Missouri.

Storms could be seen in Kansas as far west as Salina and as far south as Newton, and as east and north as the Kansas-Missouri state line, the National Weather Service reported on Friday afternoon.

In Missouri, the tornado watch will affect residents as far east as Kirksville, as far south as Clinton and as far north as Maryville, according to the NWS.

Moderate to heavy rainfall is expected to start around 7 p.m. in eastern Kansas and western Missouri, with storms moving east overnight. Flash floods are also possible, the NWS said, along with flooding adjacent to some parts of the Missouri River throughout the weekend.

The National Weather Service reported Friday that 1293 schools and 95 hospitals are included in the area impacted by tonight’s tornado watch. Along with the possibility of tornadoes, residents are advised to look out for wind gusts up to 75 mph, along with scattered hail the size of tennis balls.

Tonight’s storms are expected to create a break in the searing heat that the Kansas City metro has faced all week. By Tuesday, high temperatures and humidity will return, according to the NWS.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.