Alert archive / Missouri / Tornado Warnings in 2026
Tornado Warning 48, NWS Kansas City, MO
NWS Kansas City, MO issued this tornado warning at May 18, 2026, 7:22 PM CDT for Harrison County, Worth County, Missouri. It was in force for 53 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.
The facts
- Issued
- May 18, 2026, 7:22 PM CDT (00:22 UTC)
- Expired
- May 18, 2026, 8:15 PM CDT
- In force
- 53 min
- Issued by
- NWS Kansas City, MO
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Tornado
- Radar indicated
- Hail
- 1.75 in
Counties Harrison County, MO, Worth County, MO
The radar
The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 148 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:20 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.
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 18, 7:29 PM CDT | HAIL 1 | Grant City, MO | Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.). Time estimated from radar. |
Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.
Did it verify
Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this tornado warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 18, 3:49 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 00:00Z, 0.4 hours before the alert went out and 197 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 560 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 55 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 502 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 519 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 1.4
The text
As transmitted.
204
WFUS53 KEAX 190022
TOREAX
MOC081-227-190115-
/O.NEW.KEAX.TO.W.0048.260519T0022Z-260519T0115Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Kansas City/Pleasant Hill MO
722 PM CDT Mon May 18 2026
The National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill has issued a
* Tornado Warning for...
Worth County in northwestern Missouri...
Northwestern Harrison County in north central Missouri...
* Until 815 PM CDT.
* At 722 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Grant City, or 17 miles northwest of Albany,
moving northeast at 20 mph.
HAZARD...Tornado and golf ball size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.
IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without
shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed.
Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree
damage is likely.
* Locations impacted include...
Grant City, Irena, Worth, Allendale, and Hatfield.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.
&&
LAT...LON 4046 9414 4038 9442 4039 9450 4057 9453
4057 9414
TIME...MOT...LOC 0022Z 243DEG 19KT 4048 9447
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.75 IN
$$
CMSWhat forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Kansas City, MO wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at May 18, 6:55 PM CDT, 27 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
- * Significant threat for severe weather across NW Missouri this evening with destructive hail, damaging winds and tornadoes. This threat will transition to a damaging winds and QLCS tornadoes as scattered storms develop into a line and build southeast. * Substantial flood threat tonight across the region with rainfall rates expected to exceed 2"/hr. Flood watch in effect tonight into Tuesday morning. Additional rainfall amounts of 1.5-3+" with pockets exceeding 5". * Cooler and drier conditions develop on Tuesday and continue into Wednesday. * Rainfall chances return to the region Thursday through the end of the weeekend.
Area forecast discussion, May 18, 6:55 PM CDT, 27 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Kansas City/Pleasant Hill MO
655 PM CDT Mon May 18 2026
.KEY MESSAGES...
* Significant threat for severe weather across NW Missouri this
evening with destructive hail, damaging winds and tornadoes.
This threat will transition to a damaging winds and QLCS
tornadoes as scattered storms develop into a line and build
southeast.
* Substantial flood threat tonight across the region with
rainfall rates expected to exceed 2"/hr. Flood watch in effect
tonight into Tuesday morning. Additional rainfall amounts of
1.5-3+" with pockets exceeding 5".
* Cooler and drier conditions develop on Tuesday and continue into
Wednesday.
* Rainfall chances return to the region Thursday through the end
of the weeekend.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 253 PM CDT Mon May 18 2026
Mature trailing stratiform MCS worked through the area overnight
leading to a widespread 1-2 inches of rain across the region. Saw
MCS backbuild across central Missouri through the late morning,
keeping temperatures quite cool through mid-day. Have seen signs of
gravity waves emanating from the tail end of the the MCS, spreading
to the north-northwest.
Have started to see some partial-rapid clearing across eastern KS
into western Missouri leading to nice warming- roughly west of I-35.
Pseudo warm front/outflow boundary is poised just south of the
forecast area across central Missouri. This boundary may try to lift
north through the late afternoon hours. If that occurs, could see
an isolated storms develop south of a line from Butler through
Clinton leading to large hail/gusty winds. Expect surface
temperatures to continue to warm through the afternoon hours into
the upper 70s to 80s, leading to rapidly increasing instability. By
late this afternoon, expect moderate to extreme instability with SB
CAPE values of 4000-5000 J/kg roughly along and west of the I-35
corridor.
Surface low pressure centered near Salina KS is expected to lift
northeast this afternoon to southwest Iowa into the evening.
Discreet supercells have already begun developing across central
into northern KS, building east in time in what is a very volatile
environment. 0-6 km shear is in the 40-50 knot range across eastern
KS should easily support supercells, with the potential for very
large hail and tornadoes. Expect supercells to remain discreet
building into Northwest Missouri in the early evening hours, capable
of producing very large hail, damaging winds and the potential for
strong tornadoes. As the severe weather event evolves, expect the
supercells to evolve into a squalline and build southeast in time.
Expect severe threat to transition towards damaging winds, but could
still see QLCS tornadoes with embedded supercells along the line.
Training storms, along with precipitable water values of nearly two
inches and deep warm cloud depths will lead to efficient rainfall.
CAMs have been fairly consistent with another 1.5-3+" of rainfall
across the region tonight, with pockets of 5+". HREF and REFs
probabilities for 2"/hr rainfall rates are approaching 50%. Flash
flood guidance across the area is low with the recent rains,
generally running from 1-2.5"/6 hour period. Collaborated with WPC
and surrounding offices to raise excessive rainfall outlook to
moderate across most of the area. Cams suggest storms may linger
Tuesday morning as the surface boundary moves slowly through the
area. Have extended the flood watch through 18Z south of the
Missouri River.
Much cooler conditions are expected midweek behind the front with
high in the 60s and lows in the 40s. A developing trough late week
across the Northern Plains could bring additional instability
showers and storms to the region as early as Thursday.
&&
.AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z WEDNESDAY/...
Issued at 650 PM CDT Mon May 18 2026
SE winds will continue with gusts up to 30 mph through the early
evening hours, then winds shift SW between 01z-03z and remaining
gusty. A line of severe thunderstorms will impact STJ between
01z-03z tonight, moving through the KC metro terminals likely
between 02z-05z tonight. Severe wind gusts will be possible
along the leading edge of the severe thunderstorm line, with
periods of moderate to heavy rain reducing visibility
significantly. Stratiform rain with isolated lightning strikes
will linger behind the main convective line into early tomorrow
morning. There is a potential (30-50%) terminals will see
reduced visibility around 4SM and BR between 10z-14z.
&&
.EAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MO...Flood Watch through Tuesday afternoon for MOZ020>022-028>033-
037>040-043>046-053-054.
Flood Watch through Tuesday morning for MOZ001>007-011>016-023-
024.
KS...Flood Watch through Tuesday afternoon for KSZ025-057-060-
102>105.
&&
DISCUSSION...BT
AVIATION...WFO EAXHazardous weather outlook, May 18, 5:09 AM CDT, 14 hours 13 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Kansas City/Pleasant Hill MO 0509 AM CDT Mon May 18 2026 KSZ025-057-060-102>105-MOZ001>008-011>017-020>025-028>033-037>040- 043>046-053-054-191009- Atchison KS-Miami-Linn KS-Doniphan-Leavenworth-Wyandotte-Johnson KS- Atchison MO-Nodaway-Worth-Gentry-Harrison-Mercer-Putnam-Schuyler- Holt-Andrew-De Kalb-Daviess-Grundy-Sullivan-Adair-Buchanan-Clinton- Caldwell-Livingston-Linn MO-Macon-Platte-Clay-Ray-Carroll-Chariton- Randolph-Jackson-Lafayette-Saline-Howard-Cass-Johnson MO-Pettis- Cooper-Bates-Henry- 0509 AM CDT Mon May 18 2026 This hazardous weather outlook is for northwest...north central and west central Missouri...as well as extreme eastern Kansas. .DAY ONE...Through tonight. Please go to https://weather.gov/media/eax/DssPacket.pdf for more information on potential weather hazards. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .KEY MESSAGES... - Showers and thunderstorms continue across the region this morning, with locally moderate to heavy rainfall possible. - Severe thunderstorms are likely late afternoon into late tonight. - Far NW Missouri and NE Kansas will be under the greatest threat for all severe hazards by late afternoon and early evening. - Storms should congeal into a line of thunderstorms by this evening, and move east southeast through the region late tonight. Once this occurs, damaging wind gusts should become the primary hazard, but a few brief tornadoes may be possible. - Moderate to heavy rain will be possible again with the storms tonight. A flood watch is in effect through almost the entire CWA through 7 AM Tuesday. - Cooler temperatures arrive for Tuesday through Thursday before heating up once more by this weekend.
In the hours before
Local storm report, May 18, 2:43 PM CDT, 4 hours 39 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Kansas City/Pleasant HIll MO
243 PM CDT Mon May 18 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1019 AM Hail Linneus 39.88N 93.19W
05/16/2026 E1.00 Inch Linn MO Public
Delayed social media report. Time confirmed
from radar.
0517 PM Hail 2 N Trenton 40.11N 93.62W
05/16/2026 E1.75 Inch Grundy MO Public
Delayed social media report. Time confirmed
from radar.
0739 PM Hail Gilman City 40.14N 93.87W
05/16/2026 M1.00 Inch Harrison MO Public
Delayed social media report. Time confirmed
from radar.
0757 PM Hail Eagleville 40.47N 93.99W
05/16/2026 E1.75 Inch Harrison MO Public
Delayed social media report. Time estimated
from radar.
0759 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Albany 40.25N 94.33W
05/16/2026 Gentry MO Public
Delayed social media report. Home video if a
tree downed at a residence in Albany. Time
based on video and confirmed from radar.
0833 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 6 E Bethany 40.27N 93.91W
05/16/2026 Harrison MO Public
Downed tree at a residence east of Bethany.
Time estimated from radar.
1000 PM Flash Flood 1 NE Pattonsburg 40.06N 94.13W
05/16/2026 Daviess MO Public
Several social media reports of flooding in
rural areas surrounding Pattonsburg. Time
based on radar.
1000 PM Flash Flood 5 WSW Galt 40.11N 93.48W
05/16/2026 Grundy MO Public
Route N closed from flash flooding. Time
based on social media report.
1143 PM Hail 4 N Green City 40.32N 92.95W
05/16/2026 E1.00 Inch Sullivan MO Public
Delayed social media report. Time estimated
from radar.
&&
CMSLocal storm report, May 18, 5:12 PM CDT, 2 hours 10 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Kansas City/Pleasant HIll MO
512 PM CDT Mon May 18 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0505 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 7 NNE Rockport 40.51N 95.49W
05/18/2026 M75 MPH Atchison MO Mesonet
PWS measured multiple wind gusts over 60
mph, including peak 75 mph.
&&Local storm report, May 18, 6:08 PM CDT, 1 hour 14 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Kansas City/Pleasant HIll MO
608 PM CDT Mon May 18 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0558 PM Hail 2 SW Quitman 40.35N 95.10W
05/18/2026 E1.75 Inch Nodaway MO Trained Spotter
EM relayed spotter reported golf ball sized
hail.
&&Local storm report, May 18, 6:37 PM CDT, 45 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Kansas City/Pleasant HIll MO
637 PM CDT Mon May 18 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0618 PM Hail 4 NW Maryville 40.39N 94.93W
05/18/2026 E1.50 Inch Nodaway MO Emergency Mngr
MO SEMA employee reported ping pong ball
size hail.
&&Local storm report, May 18, 6:45 PM CDT, 37 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Kansas City/Pleasant HIll MO
645 PM CDT Mon May 18 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0505 PM Tstm Wnd Gst Tarkio 40.44N 95.38W
05/18/2026 M60 MPH Atchison MO Public
Public relayed 60 mph winds with initial
storms moving through. Time estimated from
radar.
&&Local storm report, May 18, 7:06 PM CDT, 16 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Kansas City/Pleasant HIll MO
706 PM CDT Mon May 18 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0701 PM Hail 1 ENE Sheridan 40.52N 94.59W
05/18/2026 M1.50 Inch Worth MO Emergency Mngr
Hail up to ping pong in size.
&&The office that day
Everything else NWS Kansas City, MO issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 18, 7:09 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | EAX | Gentry, Worth | 51 min |
| May 18, 7:15 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EAX | Holt | 60 min |
| May 18, 7:29 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | EAX | Holt | 31 min |
| May 18, 7:39 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | EAX | Nodaway, Worth | 51 min |
| May 18, 7:41 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EAX | Andrew, Holt | 49 min |
| May 18, 7:55 PM CDT | Areal Flood Advisory | EAX | Nodaway, Worth | 14 min |
| May 18, 8:01 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EAX | Andrew, Atchison, Holt, Nodaway | 44 min |
| May 18, 8:04 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EAX | Andrew, Buchanan, Clinton, DeKalb | 41 min |
| May 18, 8:09 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | EAX | Nodaway, Worth | 5 hr |
| May 18, 8:14 PM CDT | River Flood Warning | EAX | Bates | 72 hr |
| May 18, 8:15 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EAX | Buchanan, Platte | 45 min |
| May 18, 8:26 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EAX | Gentry, Harrison, Nodaway, Worth | 49 min |
| May 18, 8:35 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EAX | Andrew, Buchanan, Daviess, DeKalb, Gentry, Harrison and 1 more | 40 min |
| May 18, 8:36 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | EAX | Andrew, Daviess, DeKalb, Gentry, Harrison | 24 min |
| May 18, 8:42 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EAX | Andrew, Buchanan, Clay, Clinton, DeKalb, Platte | 63 min |
| May 18, 8:47 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EAX | Platte | 58 min |
| May 18, 8:57 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | EAX | Daviess, Grundy, Harrison | 33 min |
| May 18, 9:06 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EAX | Daviess, Gentry, Grundy, Harrison, Mercer, Sullivan and 1 more | 39 min |
| May 18, 9:13 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EAX | Buchanan, Caldwell, Cass, Clay, Clinton, Jackson and 2 more | 62 min |
| May 18, 9:37 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EAX | Caldwell, Carroll, Daviess, Grundy, Lafayette, Livingston and 1 more | 53 min |
| May 18, 9:42 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EAX | Cass, Jackson, Johnson | 63 min |
| May 18, 9:43 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EAX | Grundy, Mercer, Putnam, Sullivan | 33 min |
| May 18, 9:45 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | EAX | Cass, Johnson | 30 min |
| May 18, 9:50 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | EAX | Carroll, Clay, Jackson, Ray | 40 min |
| May 18, 10:03 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EAX | Bates, Cass | 42 min |
| May 18, 10:07 PM CDT | River Flood Warning | EAX | Andrew, Holt, Nodaway | 3 hr |
| May 18, 10:08 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | EAX | Caldwell, Carroll, Livingston, Ray | 37 min |
| May 18, 10:21 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EAX | Carroll, Chariton, Grundy, Johnson, Lafayette, Linn and 4 more | 39 min |
| May 18, 10:28 PM CDT | Areal Flood Warning | EAX | Atchison, Holt, Nodaway | 11 hr |
| May 18, 11:31 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EAX | Bates | 44 min |
| May 19, 1:30 AM CDT | Areal Flood Warning | EAX | Nodaway, Worth | 8 hr |
| May 19, 5:55 AM CDT | River Flood Warning | EAX | Andrew, Buchanan | 23 hr |
| May 19, 9:30 AM CDT | Areal Flood Warning | EAX | Andrew, Atchison, Gentry, Harrison, Holt, Nodaway and 1 more | 36 hr |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Missouri, 2026Every tornado warning in 2026Tornadoes in 2026
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.