93.3 KWTO Keeping Watch Over the Ozarks
UPDATE: Hail up to the size of large hen eggs, damaging winds of 70 plus miles per hour and several reports of tornadoes on the ground highlighted a long night of severe weather in the Ozarks late Saturday into Sunday morning.
As of 6:00 a.m., only counties east of the Springfield metro area remained under a Tornado Watch until 10:00 a.m. Sunday.
Several debris signatures were spotted on radar by the National Weather Service, with a confirmed tornado on the ground near Hartville in Wright County and near Gainesville.
A Tornado Debris Signature was seen on radar just northeast of Bradleyville in Taney County.
Additional development of storms will be possible Sunday afternoon and evening, mainly over the eastern Ozarks, with a threat of 60 to 75 mile per hour winds, quarter to golf ball size hail and tornadoes possible.
We’ll keep you up to date with the latest forecast, and any watches and warnings issued by the National Weather Service, on 93-3 and A-M 560 KWTO.
Original Story: The Ozarks braces itself for yet another round of severe weather as supercell thunderstorms are expected to form in the central and southern Plains and progress eastward late Saturday evening.
The National Weather Service says the supercells will merge into a line of thunderstorms and move through the area. The primary threat is for destructive wind gusts up to 80 mph.
The tornado risk will be highest in the west, with discrete
storms, but will still exist with the line as it moves east overnight. Hail up to the size of baseballs, localized heavy rainfall and flash flooding may occur.
Much of southwest Missouri is now under a Level 4 out of 5 “moderate risk” for severe weather, with areas along the Missouri/Arkansas border and the far eastern Ozarks now under a Level 3 out of 5 “enhanced risk.”
After storms push through overnight, we’ll be watching for potential development of more severe storms on Sunday.
The weather service says the highest potential for severe weather Sunday and Sunday night will be north and east of Springfield.
The Springfield metro area and much of southwest Missouri are under a Level 2 out of 5 “slight risk” of severe storms on Sunday.
Forecasters say what’s not known is how Saturday night’s storms will impact the severe weather potential for Sunday, including storm mode and potential hazards.
Listen to 93-3 and A-M 560 KWTO for updates on the changing weather forecast, as well as all the severe weather watches and warnings, plus damage reports as they come in from local emergency managers and the National Weather Service.
(Graphic courtesy of National Weather Service Springfield, MO)