The Kansas City area is under a severe thunderstorm watch through 4 a.m. Monday, putting the region on notice for a late-night round of possible dangerous weather.

The National Weather Service in Kansas City says any storms that develop could bring very large hail and damaging winds. Some storms may also be capable of producing a tornado, making this more than a routine rainy-night forecast for people across the area.

The watch is a weather alert meant to give residents time to prepare while conditions remain favorable for severe storms. The source also points readers to radar, severe weather alerts and a weather forecast, a sign that officials expect people to keep checking for changes overnight.

What is not clear yet is whether storms had already formed when the watch was issued. That gap matters because the warning level is about the potential for severe weather, not confirmation that it is already on the ground, and the difference can shape how quickly people move from watching the skies to taking shelter.

For now, the key detail for Kansas City weather is the clock: the watch runs until 4 a.m. Monday. By then, either the threat will have passed or the region will be dealing with the fallout from storms that could have brought hail, wind damage and possibly a tornado while most people were asleep.