Talk About The Weather — Sunday, July 26, 2026

SUNDAY PRE-DAWN · KANSAS CITY · VERIFIED 4:28 AM CT

The Night Never Reached Cool. Sunday Starts at 84°F.

At 2:54 AM, downtown Kansas City was still 84°F. Humidity was 80 percent, the dew point was 77°F and the heat index was 94°F. Sunday rises near 100°F, with heat-index values potentially near 115°F. A Heat Advisory remains in effect through 8 PM Monday.

By LaRee Durden · AVIA AREE

Opening Weather Letter

At four, the city is quiet but not cool. The pavement has gone dark; the air is still carrying Saturday.

At 2:54 AM, downtown Kansas City was 84°F with 80 percent humidity, a 77°F dew point and a heat index of 94°F. Sunday will rise near 100°F, with heat-index values potentially near 115. The advisory remains in effect through Monday evening.

Put the first errand before noon. Leave the long route for another day.

Step Outside KC — Weather Findings

NOW — Fair, 84°F at the 2:54 AM downtown observation. Humidity 80%. Dew point 77°F. Southwest wind 6 mph. Heat index 94°F.

SUNDAY — Sunny and hot, high near 100°F. Heat-index values may approach 115°F. South-southwest wind 3–9 mph. A Heat Advisory remains in effect through 8 PM Monday.

SUNDAY NIGHT — Mostly clear and very warm, low near 82°F. Overnight recovery will remain limited.

MONDAY — Dangerous heat continues near 99°F. The advisory remains active through 8 PM.

Last Night in the Metro

CROSSROADS — Crossroads Golf KC opened at 1656 Washington Street with TrackMan-powered simulator bays, a lounge, leagues and food and drink service. Sunday hours are listed as 9 AM–9 PM.

MIDTOWN — The City Plan Commission advanced Costco’s proposed Linwood Boulevard conversion to a business center. The matter heads to City Council; the plan would remove several familiar services while expanding business-oriented inventory.

KCMO CONTRACTING — Missouri’s attorney general filed a federal lawsuit challenging Kansas City’s Minority and Women Business Enterprise contracting program. The city’s response and the court process remain ahead.

STREETCAR — KC Streetcar introduced See Say, a new non-emergency safety and incident-reporting system available by app, text and web.

Roads, Ramps & Wrecks

SHAWNEE — The Midland Drive entrance ramp to southbound I-435 remains closed through December 21 for bridge work.

MISSION / MERRIAM — Northbound U.S. 69 traffic between West 61st and West 56th is shifted into southbound lanes through August 7. Metcalf access to Martway and 58th is unavailable.

GARDNER — The southbound I-35 exit to Gardner Road and Gardner Road entrance to northbound I-35 remain closed through December 15.

KANSAS CITY, KANSAS — U.S. 69 / 18th Street remains fully closed between Kansas Avenue and Ruby Avenue for bridge replacement work expected to continue into fall 2027.

From the Stands

ROYALS — Kansas City beat Detroit 3–2. Salvador Perez hit career home run No. 318, passing George Brett for the franchise record. Nick Loftin supplied the go-ahead ninth-inning homer. Sunday’s finale begins at 12:40 PM CT.

KC CURRENT — Boston Legacy defeated Kansas City 1–0. Aïssata Traoré scored in the 18th minute. The Current returns home Wednesday at 7 PM against Racing Louisville.

SPORTING KC — Los Angeles FC defeated Sporting Kansas City 4–0. Heung-Min Son scored in the fifth minute, and LAFC carried a three-goal lead into halftime.

CHIEFS — Patrick Mahomes has been cleared for full training-camp participation. The first public practices are Wednesday and Thursday in St. Joseph; reservations are required.

KC Lunch Line — Exactly Four

1. BEER KITCHEN · WESTPORT — Chicken Fried Steak Sunday is $15. Weekend brunch runs 9 AM–2 PM.

2. NORTH ITALIA · LEAWOOD — The $25 Summer Match-Up prix fixe is available from opening through 4 PM at participating locations. Sunday brunch runs 11 AM–4 PM.

3. MINSKY’S · METRO-WIDE — The Joe’s Kansas City BBQ pizza remains available for a limited time while supplies last, with dine-in, carryout, delivery and take-and-bake options.

4. KONA GRILL · COUNTRY CLUB PLAZA — Sunday brunch begins at 11:30 AM. The restaurant is open until midnight, with reverse happy hour from 9 PM to close.

KC Without a Cover — Four Plans

1. NELSON-ATKINS MUSEUM OF ART — Free weekend programming runs 11 AM–3 PM, and general admission remains free. This is the strongest midday plan during dangerous heat.

2. KNUCKLEHEADS — Levee Town hosts a free Sunday jam. Confirm the performance time before leaving.

3. JOHNSON COUNTY FAIR — Admission is free throughout the day. Outdoor time should be short and early because of the heat advisory.

4. ROTARY PARK · BLUE SPRINGS — The free Concerts in the Park series runs 6–8 PM. Bring water and check conditions before committing to an outdoor evening.

Neighborhood Pulse

CROSSROADS — Crossroads Golf KC gives Washington Street a new indoor gathering place built around simulator bays rather than weather.

BROOKSIDE — Disco Burger’s second location at 600 East 63rd Street is operating through a walk-up window while the dining room is completed.

HISTORIC NORTHEAST — Core Coffee & Eatery at 546 Olive continues under local ownership with coffee, breakfast, brunch and lunch.

DOWNTOWN — The Italian Sausage Co. is serving its large Italian sandwiches through a walk-up window, including Sunday lunch service.

Findings

Heat removes the margin from ordinary plans. A six-minute walk, a parking lot, a closed ramp, a table outside: each asks for more than it did yesterday. The useful city today is the one made of cool interiors, short distances and water already waiting.

City Signs — Western Zodiac

ARIES — Move before the heat decides the pace.

TAURUS — Choose one cool place and stay long enough to use it.

GEMINI — Confirm the hours and the route before adding another stop.

CANCER — Bring water for someone who forgot.

LEO — Protect the energy behind the visible work.

VIRGO — Keys, water, charger, detour.

LIBRA — Choose shade and a clean exit.

SCORPIO — Wait for the cooler hour; it still counts.

SAGITTARIUS — Shorten the map.

CAPRICORN — Protect the body doing the work.

AQUARIUS — Share the ride, the cooling room or the warning.

PISCES — The moon rises after seven. Let the evening be enough.

A Grain of Rice

Luck is the shaded space beside the door, the route checked twice, the stop left for Monday.

Moon Desk

The moon is waxing gibbous and nearly full. It rises around 7:04 PM, reaches the meridian near 11:32 PM and is about 94.5 percent illuminated. The Full Buck Moon arrives Wednesday, July 29, at 9:35 AM CT.

Source Desk

Verified using the National Weather Service Kansas City/Pleasant Hill office and KMKC observation, KDOT KC Metro Updates, RideKC service alerts, Kansas City Royals / MLB, Reuters, Kansas City Current, Sporting Kansas City, Kansas City Chiefs, official restaurant pages, Visit KC, Kansas City on the Cheap, KC Streetcar, Missouri Attorney General, official business pages and Timeanddate. AirNow did not return a Kansas City city forecast at verification, so no AQI number is printed.

Closing Scene

At dawn, the windows brighten before the air changes. The city begins the day from the temperature it never escaped.