93.3 KWTO Keeping Watch Over the Ozarks
Several tornadoes touched down in the Springfield-Greene County area Monday night, downing trees and power lines, with severe storms also pounding the area with golf ball to egg size to tennis ball size hail.
A Tornado Watch remains in effect for much of the Ozarks through 3:00 a.m. Tuesday.
At 10:27 p.m. Monday, the National Weather Service reported a confirmed tornado was located near Ash Grove, moving east at 50 miles per hour. Weather spotters confirmed a tornado on the ground and tornado sirens began sounding in the Springfield area.
At 10:56 p.m., a confirmed large and dangerous tornado was located near Fair Grove, moving east at 55 miles per hour.
That tornado was then located near Marshfield at 11:06 p.m.
Tornado warnings continued right up I-44 late Monday night to Lebanon, Waynesville and Rolla.
We have had no confirmed reports of injuries, but in the Fair Grove area, numerous large trees and road signs were reported down by fire and rescue, with major tree damage along Highway AF and Farm Road 2. Some of those trees were 6 to 8 inches in diameter.
Also, the public reported sizable pieces of sheet metal partially wrapped around trees along north Farm Road 185 northwest of Fair Grove, and significant tree damage along north Farm Road 177.
In Elkland, law enforcement reported trees down as well as some debris in the roadway near Highway 38/Old Hillcrest Road.
Just north of Buffalo, trees were uprooted or snapped and a roof blown off. A 12-inch tree was down over power lines.
We had reports of damage to the Carthage square, with broken windows, power poles and lines down as storms moved through Jasper County before 10:00 p.m.
In Joplin, we had separate reports of 67 and 72 mile per hour wind gusts around Airport Drive.
Golf ball size hail was reported near Pumpkin Center in Dallas County, with golf ball, egg size hail (2.00 inches) and ping pong ball size hail reported in the Bolivar area. The largest hail was reported on the north side of Bolivar around CMH Hospital.
Damage assessment teams from the National Weather Service will be out Tuesday confirming tornado touchdowns across the area.