93.3 KWTO Keeping Watch Over the Ozarks
Severe thunderstorms producing damaging straight line winds of 70 to 80 miles per hour and intense rainfall moved across the Ozarks starting late Thursday morning and continuing right on through the early evening.
We’ve had numerous severe thunderstorm and flash flood warnings issued by the National Weather Service since late morning.
The National Weather Service allowed the severe thunderstorm watch for areas south and east of Springfield to expire at 7 p.m., saying the immediate threat for severe storms has ended.
Severe thunderstorms producing up to 70 mile per hour winds and quarter size hail tracked through Willard, Walnut Grove and north Springfield early Thursday afternoon.
These storms have downed trees and power lines in Fair Play and other parts of Polk County.
In Bolivar, multiple power lines are down, with trees down in the southwest part of the city. There’s been one building collapse, but no injuries with everyone accounted for.
Highway 13 was blocked early in the afternoon with power lines down on the road just north of Highway 32 in the Bolivar area. A semi trailer was blown over in the area.
70 mile per winds have been reported in Laclede County early Thursday afternoon, including Lebanon, up toward Waynesville, Phillipsburg, Sleeper, and Bennett Spring State Park.
Power outages have been reported on the north side of Lebanon.
We’ve had reports of 70-80 mile per winds and intense rain in the Phillipsburg area (118 mile marker) on I-44 at 12:49 p.m. Visibility was down to zero with traffic stopped on the interstate.
The highway department has reported a semi truck blown over westbound on I-44 just past the Conway exit, with the left lane closed just after 1:00 p.m.
Flash flooding has occurred in many areas, including the Joplin, Carthage and Webb City areas.
Recovery crews pulled boats and personnel from Shoal Creek in Newton County early in the afternoon, with many water rescues around southwest Missouri through the day.
A flood warning is in effect for Greene, northwest Christian, Webster, Dallas, Polk, Laclede, Wright and southern Hickory County until 9:45 a.m. Friday. This replaces the previous flash flood warning issued for these areas Thursday afternoon. Between one and three inches of rain has fallen, flooding some roads and low water crossings.
The National Weather Service has replaced the flash flood warning for parts of Barry, Jasper, Newton and Lawrence Counties with a flood warning until Friday morning at 9:45. Between two and four inches of rain fell by Thursday evening and MoDOT reported ongoing flooding on roadways.
The National Weather Service has also issued a flash flood warning for McDonald County until 9:45 p.m., with Douglas County under a warning until 8:45 p.m.
A flash flood warning goes until 10:30 p.m. Thursday for Ozark. Stone and Taney Counties.
Barry County is under a flood warning until Friday morning, with flooding reported in many areas, including Monett.
Original Story: The Storm Prediction Center originally put all of southwest Missouri is in an “enhanced risk” area for severe weather through the evening, but that risk is now covering areas along and south of Highway 60, where forecasters believe the greatest potential for severe storms will exist.
The rest of the Ozarks is in a yellow-shaded “slight risk” area.
The National Weather Service says the greatest risk for large hail will be over extreme southwest Missouri.
There is a limited threat for a tornado or two with any eastward bowing line segments and storms interacting with boundaries, but the overall risk is low.
We’ll keep you up to date with the latest watches and warnings and local storm reports on 93-3 FM and AM 560 KWTO.