Alert archive / Missouri / Flash Flood Warnings in 1994

Flash Flood Warning 18, NWS St. Louis, MO

April 28, 1994Franklin County, Missouri

NWS St. Louis, MO issued this flash flood warning at Apr 28, 1994, 1:58 AM CDT for Franklin County, Missouri. It was in force for 4 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Apr 28, 1994, 1:58 AM CDT (06:58 UTC)
Expired
Apr 28, 1994, 6:00 AM CDT
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS St. Louis, MO
Area
Whole counties

County Franklin County, MO

The radar

The St Louis radar (KLSX), 47 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 06:59 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Springfield, MO (KUMN), launched 00:00Z, 7.0 hours before the alert went out and 293 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Springfield, MO at 00:00Z on 1994-04-28Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Springfield, MO at 00:00Z on 1994-04-28The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 493 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
852 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
65 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
493 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
792 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
5.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KSTL 280659
FFWSTL
MOC071-281100-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
158 AM CDT THU APR 28 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ST LOUIS HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  600 AM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN EAST CENTRAL MISSOURI
 
   ...NORTHERN FRANKLIN COUNTY
 
AT 155 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATED ONE TO
TWO INCHES OF RAIN WAS FALLING PER HOUR ACROSS NORTHERN FRANKLIN COUNTY.
MORE THUNDERSTORMS...WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL...CONTINUED TO DEVELOP 
ECENTRAL MISSOURI. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 35
MPH...AND WILL CONTINUE TO DROP LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL OVER THIS AREA.
 
BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE
THE DANGERS OF FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS.  IF FLASH FLOODING IS
OBSERVED...ACT QUICKLY.  MOVE UP TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS.  DO
NOT STAY IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.
 
DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY.  THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO
CROSS SAFELY.  VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE
ABANDONED QUICKLY.  MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.
 
PMETZE

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 27, 10:21 PM CDT, 3 hours 37 minutes before
MOZ049-051-058-059-280420-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA MISSOURI
1019 PM CDT WED APR 27 1994

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING ACROSS CENTRAL MISSOURI...

AT 1015PM CDT WEATHER RADAR SHOWED AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING
VERY HEAVY RAIN OVER PART OF CENTRAL MISSOURI. THE AREA WAS 15 MILES
WIDE AND EXTENDED FROM 15 MILES SOUTHEAST OF JEFFERSON CITY TO 30 MILES
EAST OF JEFFERSON CITY.

THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF VERY HEAVY RAIN AND SMALL HAIL AS THEY MOVE
TO THE EAST AND NORTHEAST AT 35MPH.

RESIDENTS IN OSAGE...GASCONADE..AND MONTGOMERY COUNTIES SHOULD BE
PREPARED FOR THESE STORMS TO MOVE THROUGH THEIR AREA OVER THE NEXT HOUR.

IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS...LMOVE TO A PLACE OF SHELTER IMMEDIATELY IF A
STORM APPROACHES.  MOTORISTS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR REDUCED
VISIBILITIES DURING DOWNPOURS OF RAIN.  STREETS MAY FLOOD QUICKLY.

REAUGH
Special weather statement, Apr 27, 10:54 PM CDT, 3 hours 4 minutes before
MOZ052-060>065-ILZ098>102-280450-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
1052 PM CDT WED APR 27 1994

...THUNDERSTORMS REDEVELOPING OVER THE ST LOUIS AREA...

SINCE 1015 PM...THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN REDEVELOPING
OVER EAST CENTRAL MISSOURI.  AT 1050 PM...THE STORMS EXTENDED FROM
NEAR DOWNTOWN ST LOUIS...TO ABOUT 20 MILES WEST OF WASHINGTON...NEAR THE
FRANKLIN...GASCONADE COUNTY LINE.

THESE STORMS WILL BE MOVING EAST-NORTHEAST AT AROUND 30 MILES AN HOUR.
WHILE NO SEVERE WEATHER IS CURRENTLY EXPECTED...THE STRONGER STORMS
WILL BE PRODUCING ISOLATED AREAS OF VERY HEAVY RAIN...ALONG
WITH SOME SMALL HAIL...ACROSS THE ST LOUIS METRO AREA BETWEEN
1050 PM AND MIDNIGHT.

TRUETT
Special weather statement, Apr 27, 11:42 PM CDT, 2 hours 16 minutes before
ILZ095>102-280545-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
1140 PM CDT WED APR 27 1994

...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE BI-STATE AREA...

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO REDEVELOP ACROSS THE BI-STATE
AREA LATE THIS EVENING.   AT 1140 PM...THE STRONGEST STORMS
EXTENDED FROM NEAR DOWNTOWN ST LOUIS...TO ABOUT 15 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
WASHINGTON...IN FRANKIN COUNTY.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST-NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR...AND WILL
BRING BRIEF HEAVY RAINS...AND PERHAPS SOME SMALL HAIL...TO THE CITY OF
ST LOUIS...AS WELL AS TO SECTIONS OF ST LOUIS...FRANKLIN...AND
JEFFERSON COUNTIES IN MISSOURI...AND MONROE...ST CLAIR...AND MADISON
COUNTIES IN ILLINOIS...BETWEEN 1140 PM AND 1230 PM.

TRUETT
Special weather statement, Apr 28, 12:03 AM CDT, 1 hour 55 minutes before
MOZ053>057-066>069-077>081-088>096-101>105-280705-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
1201 AM CDT THU APR 28 1994

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHWEST MISSOURI
UNTIL 5 AM...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WATCH FOR SOUTHWEST MISSOURI UNTIL 5 AM THIS MORNING.  SOME OF THE
CITIES INCLUDED IN THE WATCH ARE CASSVILLE..CLINTON..JOPLIN...
NEVADA...AND STOCKTON.

THE LATEST SATELLITE AND UPPER LEVEL WIND DATA SUGGESTS THAT THE
THUNDERSTORMS NOW OCCURRING OVER WESTERN MISSOURI...AS WELL AS OVER
SOUTHEAST KANSAS AND NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA...WILL BE INCREASING IN
INTENSITY DURING THE NEXT FEW HOURS.

IN ADDITION TO THE THREAT OF LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS...REMEMBER
THAT SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OFTEN PRODUCE HEAVY RAIN THAT CAN LEAD TO
FLASH FLOODING.  BECAUSE OF THIS THREAT...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH
REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHWEST MISSOURI FOR THE REMAINDER OF
TONIG^HT...AND INTO THURSDAY MORNING.

PEOPLE THROUGHOUT SOUTHWEST MISSOURI ARE URGED TO FOLLOW
WEATHER DEVELOPMENTS THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT BY MONITORING NOAA
WEATHER RADIO....OR LOCAL RADIO AND TV STATIONS.

TRUETT
Special weather statement, Apr 28, 12:49 AM CDT, 1 hour 9 minutes before
MOZ024-025-032-033-039>042-045>051-055>059-068>070-280645

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA MO
1245 AM CDT THU APR 28 1994

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING THROUGH THE SOUTH HALF OF CENTRAL
MISSOURI...

AT 1240 AM STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED FROM THE NORTH END
OF THE LAKE OF THE OZARKS TO JEFFERSON CITY AND THEN EAST TO
HERMANN IN GASCONADE COUNTY AND BELLE IN MARIES COUNTY.  THE STRONGEST
STORMS WERE LOCATED 35 MILES EAST AND 25 MILES SOUTHEAST OF JEFFERSON
CITY.  THESE STRONGEST STORMS MAY PRODUCE SMALL HAIL AND STRONG GUSTY
WINDS.  ALL OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE BRIEF HEAVY RAIN WHICH
MAY CAUSE FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS IN TOWNS AND ON COUNTY ROADS.
THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.

IF YOU LIVE IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS BE ALERT TO POSSIBLE FLOODING.  IF
YOU ARE DRIVING...SLOW DOWN WHEN CROSSING LOW BRIDGES OR LOW SPOTS
IN TOWNS.                          KENNEDY
Special weather statement, Apr 28, 1:00 AM CDT, 58 minutes before
MOZ060>065-ILZ100>102-280800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
1258 AM CDT THU APR 28 1994

...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO FORM OVER THE BI-STATE AREA...

AT 1255 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED ANOTHER
ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS EAST CENTRAL MISSOURI. THE
STORMS EXTEND FROM 20 MILES WEST OF ST. CHARLES TO 15 MILES WEST OF
WASHINGTON.

STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST TO NORTHEAST AT 35 TO 40 MPH.  THESE
STORMS WILL BRING SMALL HAIL AND ISOLATED AREAS OF HEAVY RAIN ACROSS
THE MISSOURI COUNTIES OF WARREN...FRANKLIN...JEFFERSON...ST.
CHARLES...ST. LOUIS AND ST. LOUIS CITY...AND THE ILLINOIS COUNTIES OF
MADISON...ST. CLAIR...AND MONROE. THIS ACTIVITY WILL OCCUR BETWEEN ONE
AND THREE THIS MORNING.

REMEMBER...LIGHTNING MAY STRIKE SOME MILES AWAY FROM THE PARENT
CLOUD.  PRECAUTIONS SHOULD BE TAKEN EVEN THOUGH THE THUNDERSTORM IS
NOT DIRECTLY OVERHEAD.

ST/DM

The office that day

Everything else NWS St. Louis, MO issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 27, 7:19 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXIron, Madison56 min
Apr 28, 1:23 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXFranklin, Saint Charles, Saint Louis47 min
Apr 28, 2:21 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLSXSaint Charles, Saint Louis4 hr
Apr 28, 2:21 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLSXCity of Saint Louis4 hr
Apr 28, 3:30 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLSXFranklin5 hr
Apr 28, 5:12 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLSXCrawford, Phelps4 hr
Apr 28, 5:55 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLSXSaint Charles, Saint Louis, City of Saint Louis4 hr
Apr 28, 5:55 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLSXFranklin4 hr
Apr 28, 6:35 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLSXJefferson4 hr
Apr 28, 8:39 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXJefferson, Saint Francois, Washington35 min
Apr 28, 11:25 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXReynolds47 min
Apr 28, 12:17 PM CDTTornado WarningLSXSainte Genevieve43 min
Apr 28, 12:17 PM CDTTornado WarningLSXSaint Francois32 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Missouri, 1994Every flash flood warning in 1994

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.