Alert archive / Missouri / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2025

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 91, NWS St. Louis, MO

April 20, 2025Cole County, Missouri

NWS St. Louis, MO issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 20, 2025, 5:13 PM CDT for Cole County, Missouri. It was in force for 17 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: Apr 20, 2025, 5:13 PM CDT (22:13 UTC)
Expired: Apr 20, 2025, 5:30 PM CDT
In force: 17 min
Issued by: NWS St. Louis, MO
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Possible
Hail: 1.0 in
Wind: 60.0 mph

County Cole County, MO

The radar

The St Louis radar (KLSX), 130 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:12 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.

Did it verify

Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched one storm report to this severe thunderstorm warning; the first came 4 minutes after it went out.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Apr 20, 12:03 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	9 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 12:00Z, 10.2 hours before the alert went out and 308 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 1 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 469 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 52 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 262 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: -40 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

480 
WUUS53 KLSX 202213
SVRLSX
MOC051-202230-
/O.NEW.KLSX.SV.W.0091.250420T2213Z-250420T2230Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service St Louis MO
513 PM CDT Sun Apr 20 2025

The National Weather Service in St Louis has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
  Central Cole County in central Missouri...

* Until 530 PM CDT.

* At 513 PM CDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line from 
  near Jefferson City to 9 miles south of St. Thomas, or along a 
  line from near Jefferson City to 22 miles south of Jefferson City, 
  moving east at 40 mph.

  HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated.

  IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind
           damage to roofs, siding, and trees.

* This severe thunderstorm will be near...
  Jefferson City, Wardsville, St. Thomas and Brazito around 515 PM 
  CDT.
  Taos around 520 PM CDT.

Other locations impacted by the severe thunderstorm include Osage 
Bend, Osage City and Schubert.

This includes the following State Parks...
Clarks Hill/Norton Historic Site and Jefferson Landing Historic Site.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Seek shelter inside a well-built structure and stay away from 
windows. These storms are capable of producing damaging winds and 
large hail.

Tornadoes can develop quickly from severe thunderstorms. Seek 
shelter immediately in an interior room on the lowest floor of a 
well-built structure.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 700 PM CDT for a portion of 
central Missouri.

&&

LAT...LON 3867 9233 3864 9222 3860 9220 3857 9213
      3856 9206 3857 9201 3856 9200 3854 9203
      3849 9201 3847 9204 3846 9210 3847 9216
      3844 9216 3841 9212 3839 9212 3837 9219
      3834 9219 3832 9225 3834 9229 3845 9229
TIME...MOT...LOC 2213Z 262DEG 36KT 3863 9220 3845 9217 3825 9217

TORNADO...POSSIBLE
HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$

19

What forecasters said that day

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

NWS St. Louis, MO wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Apr 20, 3:04 PM CDT, 2 hours 9 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

The threat for severe thunderstorms will continue as storms move eastward. All hazards remain possible through this evening.
Near to above normal temperatures stretch through the upcoming week with dry conditions Monday and Tuesday. The pattern becomes active once again beginning midweek.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 20, 3:04 PM CDT, 2 hours 9 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Saint Louis MO
304 PM CDT Sun Apr 20 2025

.KEY MESSAGES...

- The threat for severe thunderstorms will continue as storms move
  eastward. All hazards remain possible through this evening.

- Near to above normal temperatures stretch through the upcoming
  week with dry conditions Monday and Tuesday. The pattern becomes
  active once again beginning midweek.

&&

.SHORT TERM... (Through Tonight)
Issued at 238 PM CDT Sun Apr 20 2025

Complicated surface pattern exists currently as of 1900 UTC, with
what looks like to be the effective warm front now near
KMYJ>>KUIN. This boundary should continue to lift northward over
the next 2-3 hours, effectively putting basically the entire CWA
in the warm sector. Far northwestern counties may be the
exception, where in/around Knox county may not high enough time to
warm/destabilize given the progress of the front and the copious
clouds on visible satellite imagery in place and upstream. Low-
topped/mini supercells that rode the warm front have
weakened/dissipated over the past hour. The main concern is then
turning to points upstream. Ongoing thunderstorms in southeast
Kansas and southwest Missouri are expected to grow upscale, with
both some embedded supercells and bowing segments expected through
the afternoon hours.

Tornadoes are the main concern through early this evening,
followed by damaging winds of 70+ mph given the mostly linear
storm mode and lack of deeper instability. Cannot rule out some
marginally severe hail, but earlier supercells that moved through
parts of central Missouri only managed very small hail. Storms in
southwest Missouri are expected to reach parts of central Missouri
by about 2200 UTC, spreading east/northeast with time. By around
0100 UTC, they should reach the Mississippi River. There is still
the expectation for a weakening trend near or not too long after
storms cross the river due to weakening diurnal instability and
abating low-level convergence along the boundary. Around midnight,
the dryline should be moving out of the CWA, ending any lingering
threat for strong to severe convection.

Gosselin

&&

.LONG TERM... (Monday through Next Sunday)
Issued at 238 PM CDT Sun Apr 20 2025

(Monday - Monday Night)

A cool, dry day is in store for Monday as a weak ridge of surface
high pressure moves across the mid-Mississippi Valley. Highs in
the mid 60s to low 70s are forecast from north to south. After a
cloudy start to the day, the stratus should decrease from west to
east due to advection leaving at least some sunshine for the
afternoon areawide.

A seasonably cool night is on tap Monday night due to a mostly
clear sky and light winds. Lows in the 40s are forecast, with the
coolest locations in favored valley terrain in east central and
southeast Missouri.

(Tuesday - Next Sunday)

A warmup will begin on Tuesday as winds turn out of the south
behind the departing surface ridge. Highs in the mid 70s to near
80 degrees are forecast along with dry conditions once again.

A more active pattern remains likely for mid/late work week. Lots
of uncertainty remains however on specifics as timing individual
disturbances within the zonal flow aloft is extremely difficult
this far out. It still looks like the best chance (60-70+%) is
centered on Friday as a cold front comes down. Before then, there
is a lot of spread with where/when any rain would be favored with
the ECMWF/EPS on the drier side of guidance through
Thursday/Thursday night while the GFS/GEFS would suggest a wetter
period of time.

For next weekend, dry weather is favored at this time along with
temperatures closer to normal behind Friday's cold front.

Gosselin

&&

.AVIATION...  (For the 18z TAFs through 18z Monday Afternoon)
Issued at 1214 PM CDT Sun Apr 20 2025

Low ceilings will gradually lift and scatter from south to north
as a warm front moves through. Winds will also slowly veer from
the east/southeast to the south ahead of a cold front. This front
will bring the best chances of showers and thunderstorms to the
area as it moves from west to east. The storms are most likely to
impact central Missouri sites late this afternoon, followed by
KUIN and metro St. Louis early this evening. Added IFR
visibilities and strong winds (40 knots) for these storms at
KCOU/KJEF/KUIN. Storms may tend to weaken by the time they reach
metro St. Louis so wind with a bit more conservative wind speeds
and visbys for now. Behind the front, look for a wind shift to the
southwest and then west followed by a return to low MVFR ceilings
in stratus.

Gosselin

&&

.LSX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MO...Flood Watch until 1 AM CDT Monday for Audrain MO-Boone MO-
     Callaway MO-Cole MO-Crawford MO-Franklin MO-Gasconade MO-
     Iron MO-Jefferson MO-Lincoln MO-Madison MO-Moniteau MO-
     Montgomery MO-Osage MO-Pike MO-Reynolds MO-Saint Charles MO-
     Saint Francois MO-Saint Louis City MO-Saint Louis MO-Sainte
     Genevieve MO-Warren MO-Washington MO.

IL...Flood Watch until 1 AM CDT Monday for Bond IL-Calhoun IL-Clinton
     IL-Fayette IL-Greene IL-Jersey IL-Macoupin IL-Madison IL-
     Marion IL-Monroe IL-Montgomery IL-Randolph IL-Saint Clair
     IL-Washington IL.

&&

WFO LSX

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 20, 3:10 PM CDT, 2 hours 3 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service St Louis MO
310 PM CDT Sun Apr 20 2025

ILZ058>060-064-065-069-070-074-079-095>102-MOZ018-019-026-027-
034>036-041-042-047>052-059>065-072>075-084-085-099-212015-
Greene IL-Macoupin IL-Montgomery IL-Bond IL-Fayette IL-Clinton IL-
Marion IL-Washington IL-Randolph IL-Adams IL-Brown IL-Pike IL-
Calhoun IL-Jersey IL-Madison IL-Saint Clair IL-Monroe IL-Knox MO-
Lewis MO-Shelby MO-Marion MO-Monroe MO-Ralls MO-Pike MO-Boone MO-
Audrain MO-Moniteau MO-Cole MO-Osage MO-Callaway MO-Montgomery MO-
Lincoln MO-Gasconade MO-Warren MO-Saint Charles MO-Franklin MO-
Saint Louis MO-Saint Louis City MO-Jefferson MO-Crawford MO-
Washington MO-Saint Francois MO-Sainte Genevieve MO-Iron MO-
Madison MO-Reynolds MO-
310 PM CDT Sun Apr 20 2025

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of eastern and
central Missouri as well as west central and southwest Illinois.

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

Showers and thunderstorms are expected through late this evening. The
strongest thunderstorms will be capable of large hail, damaging
winds, and tornadoes.

Locally heavy rain is possible in and around thunderstorms, posing
an isolated threat for flash flooding. A flash flood watch remains
in effect through 1 AM tonight.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday.

Showers and thunderstorms are possible Tuesday night through
Friday night.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotters are encouraged to report any wind damage or hail to the
National Weather Service.

Gosselin

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 20, 2:39 PM CDT, 2 hours 34 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service St Louis MO
239 PM CDT Sun Apr 20 2025

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0131 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     1 SW Guthrie            38.74N 92.11W
04/20/2025                   Callaway           MO   Public

            Roof partially peeled off home. 18 to 20
            inch diameter tree branches snapped from
            multiple trees about 3 to 4 feet from the
            ground.

&&

LSJ

Local storm report, Apr 20, 2:41 PM CDT, 2 hours 32 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service St Louis MO
241 PM CDT Sun Apr 20 2025

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0134 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     1 W Guthrie             38.76N 92.11W
04/20/2025                   Callaway           MO   Public

            Report of multiple trees sustaining damage
            of unknown extent.

&&

LSJ

Local storm report, Apr 20, 2:42 PM CDT, 2 hours 31 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service St Louis MO
242 PM CDT Sun Apr 20 2025

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0134 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     1 SW Guthrie            38.74N 92.11W
04/20/2025                   Callaway           MO   Public

            Corrects previous tstm wnd dmg report from 1
            SW Guthrie. Roof partially peeled off home.
            18 to 20 inch diameter tree branches snapped
            from multiple trees about 3 to 4 feet from
            the ground.

&&

LSJ

Local storm report, Apr 20, 3:35 PM CDT, 1 hour 38 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service St Louis MO
335 PM CDT Sun Apr 20 2025

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0134 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     Guthrie                 38.76N 92.10W
04/20/2025                   Callaway           MO   Law Enforcement

            Roof of house damaged.

&&

MRB

Local storm report, Apr 20, 5:10 PM CDT, 3 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service St Louis MO
510 PM CDT Sun Apr 20 2025

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0450 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     California              38.64N 92.57W
04/20/2025  M61 MPH          Moniteau           MO   Mesonet

&&

Carney

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 19, 8:23 PM CDT	River Flood Warning	LSX	Reynolds	60 hr
Apr 19, 8:28 PM CDT	River Flood Warning	LSX	Crawford, Washington	61 hr
Apr 19, 8:28 PM CDT	River Flood Warning	LSX	Crawford	20 hr
Apr 20, 6:13 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LSX	Boone, Callaway, Cole, Osage	31 min
Apr 20, 6:53 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	LSX	Jefferson	61 hr
Apr 20, 7:57 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	LSX	Osage	57 hr
Apr 20, 7:57 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	LSX	Cole	49 hr
Apr 20, 8:28 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	LSX	Boone	23 hr
Apr 20, 10:37 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	LSX	Franklin	47 hr
Apr 20, 12:38 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LSX	Cole, Moniteau	43 min
Apr 20, 1:31 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LSX	Callaway	44 min
Apr 20, 4:18 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LSX	Cole, Moniteau	57 min
Apr 20, 4:32 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LSX	Moniteau	37 min
Apr 20, 4:51 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LSX	Boone, Callaway	54 min
Apr 20, 4:54 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LSX	Osage	66 min
Apr 20, 5:01 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LSX	Boone, Moniteau	35 min
Apr 20, 5:25 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LSX	Audrain, Boone, Callaway	39 min
Apr 20, 5:30 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	LSX	Audrain, Boone, Callaway, Monroe, Montgomery, Ralls	45 min
Apr 20, 5:34 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LSX	Audrain, Monroe, Shelby	41 min
Apr 20, 5:44 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LSX	Callaway, Montgomery	46 min
Apr 20, 5:46 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	LSX	Franklin, Gasconade, Warren	44 min
Apr 20, 6:03 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	LSX	Pike, Ralls	42 min
Apr 20, 6:07 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	LSX	Crawford, Franklin, Gasconade, Iron, Reynolds, Washington	53 min
Apr 20, 6:07 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LSX	Lincoln, Pike	38 min
Apr 20, 6:11 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LSX	Pike, Ralls	49 min
Apr 20, 6:15 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LSX	Lewis, Marion	60 min
Apr 20, 6:20 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	LSX	Franklin, Lincoln, Montgomery, Saint Charles, Saint Louis, Warren	40 min
Apr 20, 6:40 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	LSX	Pike	20 min
Apr 20, 6:56 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LSX	Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, Saint Charles, Saint Louis, Warren and 1 more	64 min
Apr 20, 6:58 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LSX	Crawford, Franklin, Iron, Jefferson, Madison, Reynolds and 4 more	62 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Missouri, 2025 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2025

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.