93.3 KWTO Keeping Watch Over the Ozarks
Severe thunderstorms moved through southwest Missouri Sunday night, although previous forecasts of strong tornadoes did not materialize. In fact, only three tornado warnings were issued for the Ozarks through the evening, including one for central Laclede County in the 6 p.m. hour, as well as parts of Pulaski, Camden and Miller Counties, and another one in the 8 p.m. hour for south central Wright and Douglas Counties. We did have numerous severe thunderstorm warnings, including a cell that tracked from Strafford through Northview just after 7 p.m., along with nickel size hail in the Northview area.
We had reports of a tree down on Highway KK southwest of Marshfield from that storm. The only report of a tornado on the ground came just after 5 p.m. when a National Weather Service employee reported a twister around Smithton, Missouri, prompting the weather service to issue a tornado warning for northwestern Morgan County.
Here’s a timeline of the severe weather that hit the Ozarks on Sunday:
9:25 p.m. Sunday Update: The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Eastern Ozark and Howell Counties until 10:15 p.m. 60 mile per hour wind gusts are possible as the storm moves into the West Plains and Willow Springs areas.
8:51 p.m. Sunday Update: The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for southern Ozark County and southeastern Taney County until 9:45 p.m. 60 mile per hour winds and half dollar size hail are possible in Gainesville, Theodosia, Protem, Bakersfield, Tecumseh and Pontiac.
8:45 p.m. Sunday Update: The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for northern Ozark and southeastern Douglas Counties until 9:30 p.m. 60 mile per hour winds are possible with storms as they move through Thornfield, Dora, Squires, Wasola, Brixey, and Gentryville.
8:31 p.m. Sunday Update: The Tornado Warning for south central Wright and north central Douglas Counties is cancelled. The sotrm what prompted the warning has weakened below severe limits. Gusty winds are still possible with the thunderstorm.
8:28 p.m. Sunday Update: The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for southern Taney County until 9:15 p.m. 60 mile per hour winds and quarter size hail are possible as the storm moves across Bull Shoals Lake and into the communities of Protem and Ridgedale.
8:20 p.m.Sunday Update: The Tornado Watch has been cancelled for all but Douglas, Wright, Ozark and Taney Counties.
8:14 p.m. Sunday Update: The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Warning for south central Wright County and northwestern Douglas County until 8:45 p.m. Forecasters say a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located near Ava, moving east at 40 miles per hour. Folks in the Ava and Mansfield areas need to take cover now!
8:01 p.m. Sunday Update: We’ve had reports from a trained weather spotter of a tree down on KK Highway southwest of Marshfield. This was reported around 7:20 p.m.
7:57 p.m. Sunday Update: As these storms continue to track east across the Ozarks, the National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for northern Wright County until 8:30 p.m. This storm has fairly strong mid level rotation, but has not tightened up enough yet for a tornado warning.
7:43 p.m. Sunday Update: The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for southeastern Webster, and northeastern Christian, northwestern Douglas until 8:30 p.m. 60 mile per hour winds and quarter size hail expected as the storms move through Ava, Sparta, Oldfield, Bruner, Dogwood and Elkhead.
The National Weather Service has also issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for southern Stone County and southeastern Barry Counties until 8:15 p.m. with damaging winds of 60 miles per hour possible. These storms are tracking through Golden, Lampe, Blue Eye and the Table Rock Lake areas.
7:25 p.m. Sunday Update: The Severe Thunderstorm Warning for east central Greene County and southenr Laclede County has been cancelled as the storm that prompted the warning has moved out of the area. Warning still in effecd until 8:00 p.m. for central Webster and northwestern Wright Counties. Nickel sized hail was reported in the Northview area at 7:18 p.m.
7:15 p.m. Sunday Update: The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for east central Greene County, Webster County, northwestern Wright County and southern Laclede County until 8:00 p.m. A severe thunderstorm near Strafford is moving east at 45 miles per hour and may produce 60 mile per hour wind gusts and quarter size hail as it tracks through Marshfield, Hartville, Northview, Niangua, Diggins, and Grovespring.
The National Weather Service has also issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for southern Barry County until 8:00 p.m. 60 mile per hour winds and quarter size hail possible as the storms move through Seligman, Shell Knob, Washburn, Golden, Eagle Rock and Roaring River State Park.
7:00 p.m. Sunday Update: The Tornado Warning for north central Laclede County has been cancelled because the storm that prompted the warning has moved out of the area. The warning remains in effect until 7:15 p.m. for parts of Pulaski, Camden, and Miller Counties. Heavy rain is falling in Springfield as the front is moving through. A cell over eastern Greene County has shown some strengthening trends, so a Severe Thunderstorm Warning may be necessary.
6:42 p.m. Sunday Update: The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Warning for north central Laclede County, northwestern Pulaski County, southeastern Camden County and south central Miller County until 7:15 p.m. Circulation has strengthened between Decaturville and Richland, and folks in those areas, along with Crocker, Swedeborg, Eldridge and Montreal should be taking cover.
6:30 p.m. Sunday Update: The front is approaching the Springfield metro area, but we have still not had any severe weather in the Ozarks. The National Weather Service did issue a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for parts of south central Missouri, including northern Shannon, southeastern Dent, and southeastern Texas County until 7:00 p.m. Weak rotatation and an updraft were reported in Monett around 6:10 p.m., but the rotation has weakened and currently there are no concerns with that storm. More counties have been removed from the Tornado Watch as the front has pushed through those areas: Barton, St.Clair, Vernon, Cedar, Jasper, Dade, Hickory and Newton Counties are all in the clear for the evening.
5:20 p.m. Sunday Update: Still no severe thunderstorm or tornado warnings for the KWTO listening area. We did have a brief tornado warning for northwestern Morgan County in central Missouri after a weather service employee reported a tornado around Smithton Missouri at 5:05 p.m. The warning was cancelled at 5:20 p.m. after the storm moved out of Morgan County. Areas along and northwest of a line from Joplin to Nevada are now in the clear as the front has passed through those areas with no severe weather. The storms should be moving into the Springfield metro area by 6:30 p.m. We will watch for strengthening.
3:30 p.m. Sunday Update: The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Watch until 10:00 p.m. for all of southwest Missouri. Storm initiation has already begun in eastern Kansas. Tornadoes, some strong, still expected as these storms move quickly through southwest Missouri through 10 p.m.
Severe thunderstorms are expected to develop Sunday afternoon and race through the Ozarks through the evening, bringing all modes of severe weather to southwest Missouri.
The National Weather Service says storms will begin forming ahead and along a cold front near the I-49 corridor as early as 3 p.m. and further develop as they sweep east through the Ozarks.
The storms may begin to impact the Springfield metro area as early as 5 p.m.,with the biggest threats expected during the 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. hours. (see timeline graphic at the bottom of this story).
Forecasters say confidence is high in this severe weather potential.
The potential exists for tornadoes of EF-2 or greater east of a Neosho to Osceloa line, covering much of the KWTO listening area.
Tornadoes will be possible in both supercells and in storms that form a line, although damaging wind gusts are the biggest threat in linear storms.
The potenial exists for damaging winds of 75 miles per hour or greater for areas along and east of a line from Cassville to Springfield to Osage Beach.
Stsorms that congeal into a squall line or bow will have the highest potential for significant wind damage.
Large hail up to the size of golf balls are likely in the most intense storms, with isolated (supercell) storms having the highest potential of producing large hail.
Seek shelter immediately when warnings are issued for your locations. These storms will be fast moving and should exit the listening area by 10 or 11 p.m.
When alerted to a tornado, quickly get to a storm shelter or basement. If underground shelter is not available, get to an interior hall away from windows.
The KWTO News Team will keep you up to date on all the watches and warnings, storm and damage reports throughout the evening on 93-3 A-M 560 KWTO.
