Alert archive / Missouri / River Flood Warnings in 2026

River Flood Warning 17, NWS St. Louis, MO

April 2, 2026Lewis County, Missouri

NWS St. Louis, MO issued this river flood warning at Apr 2, 2026, 8:14 PM CDT for Lewis County, Missouri. It took effect at Apr 3, 2026, 3:00 AM CDT. It was in force for 46 hr.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Apr 2, 2026, 8:14 PM CDT (01:14 UTC)
In effect from
Apr 3, 2026, 3:00 AM CDT
Expired
Apr 5, 2026, 1:00 AM CDT
In force
46 hr
Issued by
NWS St. Louis, MO
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
Minor

County Lewis County, MO

The radar

The St Louis radar (KLSX), 181 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:14 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 river

Written for the forecast point North Fabius River near Ewing (EWNM7). The gauge peaked at 10.87 ft at Apr 3, 2026, 12:00 AM CDT.

actionminormoderate5101504/0304/0404/0504/06
Action stage
9 ft
Minor stage
11 ft
Moderate stage
17 ft
Major stage
20 ft

This gauge today: stage, forecast and historic crests

Stage from the USGS instantaneous record for site 05497150, one reading an hour, from a day before the product to a day after it ended. Flood stages are today's.

The text

As transmitted.

497 
WGUS43 KLSX 030114
FLWLSX

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Flood Warning
National Weather Service St Louis MO
814 PM CDT Thu Apr 2 2026

...The National Weather Service in St Louis has issued a Flood
Warning for the following rivers in Missouri...

  North Fabius River near Ewing.

  Middle Fabius River near Ewing.

River forecasts are based on observed precipitation and forecast
precipitation for the next 24 hours.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.

Rainfall heavier than forecast could cause river levels to rise even
higher than predicted. The National Weather Service will monitor this
developing situation and issue follow up statements as conditions
change.

This product, along with additional weather and stream information,
is available at https://water.noaa.gov/wfo/lsx

&&

MOC111-041315-
/O.NEW.KLSX.FL.W.0017.260403T0800Z-260405T0600Z/
/EWNM7.1.ER.260403T0800Z.260403T1200Z.260404T0000Z.NO/
814 PM CDT Thu Apr 2 2026

...FLOOD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT TO LATE SATURDAY
NIGHT...

* WHAT...Minor flooding is forecast.

* WHERE...North Fabius River near Ewing.

* WHEN...From late tonight to late Saturday night.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
  - At 7:30 PM CDT Thursday the stage was 10.6 feet.
  - Forecast...The river is expected to rise above flood stage late
    tonight to a crest of 11.2 feet tomorrow morning. It will then
    fall below flood stage tomorrow evening.
  - Flood stage is 11.0 feet.



&&


All Times CDT     Fld   Observed  Forecasts (7:00 am)
Location          Stg     Stage   Sat   Sun   Mon   Tue   Wed

North Fabius River
 Ewing            11.0    10.6    9.5   6.7   4.7   4.0   3.6



&&

LAT...LON 4025 9190 4025 9185 4015 9171 3998 9156
      3996 9159 4002 9165 4004 9169 4013 9176


$$

MOC111-041315-
/O.NEW.KLSX.FL.W.0018.260403T1030Z-260405T0100Z/
/EWMM7.1.ER.260403T1030Z.260403T1200Z.260403T1912Z.NO/
814 PM CDT Thu Apr 2 2026

...FLOOD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT TO SATURDAY EVENING...

* WHAT...Minor flooding is forecast.

* WHERE...Middle Fabius River near Ewing.

* WHEN...From late tonight to Saturday evening.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
  - At 7:30 PM CDT Thursday the stage was 11.0 feet.
  - Forecast...The river is expected to rise above flood stage late
    tonight to a crest of 12.1 feet tomorrow morning. It will then
    fall below flood stage early tomorrow afternoon.
  - Flood stage is 12.0 feet.



&&


All Times CDT      Fld   Observed  Forecasts (7:00 am)
Location           Stg     Stage   Sat   Sun   Mon   Tue   Wed

Middle Fabius River
 Ewing             12.0    11.0    9.4   5.0   4.2   3.8   3.4



&&

LAT...LON 4018 9195 4021 9194 4019 9186 4012 9176
      4002 9167 4001 9164 3996 9158 3995 9162
      4005 9176 4008 9177


$$

Carney
1 follow-up statement
895 
WGUS83 KLSX 031400
FLSLSX

Flood Statement
National Weather Service St Louis MO
900 AM CDT Fri Apr 3 2026

...The Flood Warning is cancelled for the following rivers in
Missouri...

  North Fabius River near Ewing.

  Mid Fork Salt River near Holliday.

River forecasts are based on observed precipitation and forecast
precipitation for the next 24 hours.

MOC111-031500-
/O.CAN.KLSX.FL.W.0017.000000T0000Z-260403T1400Z/
/EWNM7.1.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.NO/
900 AM CDT Fri Apr 3 2026

...FLOOD WARNING IS CANCELLED...

The Flood Warning is cancelled for
  the North Fabius River near Ewing.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
  - At 8:30 AM CDT Friday the stage was 10.6 feet.
  - Forecast...The river is expected to fall to 5.0 feet Friday,
    April 10.



&&


All Times CDT     Fld   Observed  Forecasts (7:00 am)
Location          Stg     Stage   Sat   Sun   Mon   Tue   Wed

North Fabius River
 Ewing            11.0    10.6    9.3   8.2   8.5   7.6   6.3



&&

LAT...LON 4025 9190 4025 9185 4015 9171 3998 9156
      3996 9159 4002 9165 4004 9169 4013 9176


$$

MOC137-031500-
/O.CAN.KLSX.FL.W.0014.000000T0000Z-260403T1400Z/
/PMZM7.1.ER.260402T1553Z.260402T2145Z.260403T0907Z.NO/
900 AM CDT Fri Apr 3 2026

...FLOOD WARNING IS CANCELLED...

The Flood Warning is cancelled for
  the Mid Fork Salt River near Holliday.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
  - At 8:30 AM CDT Friday the stage was 16.7 feet.
  - Forecast...The river is expected to fall to 5.9 feet Monday,
    April 13.



&&


All Times CDT      Fld   Observed  Forecasts (7:00 am)
Location           Stg     Stage   Sat   Sun   Mon   Tue   Wed

Mid Fork Salt River
 Holliday          17.0    16.7    14.3  15.6  15.2  10.3  8.1



&&

LAT...LON 3958 9229 3959 9226 3955 9222 3954 9212
      3950 9201 3950 9196 3947 9196 3949 9210
      3951 9215 3951 9220 3953 9224


$$

Delia

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this river flood 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 river flood warning went out at Apr 2, 6:58 PM CDT, 1 hour 16 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Strong to severe thunderstorms are expected this afternoon and evening where all hazards are possible. The greatest threat for severe thunderstorms is across northeast Missouri and west- central Illinois where a Tornado Watch is in effect until 8pm this evening.
  • Another round of strong to severe thunderstorms are expected Friday evening into the early nighttime with damaging wind and tornadoes the greatest hazards.
  • A cold front on Saturday will bring cooler temperatures and drier weather until a warming trend starts midweek.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 2, 6:58 PM CDT, 1 hour 16 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion...Updated Aviation
National Weather Service Saint Louis MO
658 PM CDT Thu Apr 2 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Strong to severe thunderstorms are expected this afternoon and
  evening where all hazards are possible. The greatest threat for
  severe thunderstorms is across northeast Missouri and west-
  central Illinois where a Tornado Watch is in effect until 8pm
  this evening.

- Another round of strong to severe thunderstorms are expected
  Friday evening into the early nighttime with damaging wind and
  tornadoes the greatest hazards.

- A cold front on Saturday will bring cooler temperatures and
  drier weather until a warming trend starts midweek.

&&

.SHORT TERM...  (Through Late Friday Night)
Issued at 252 PM CDT Thu Apr 2 2026

Latest surface analysis reveals a strong surface cyclone centered
near southern Iowa as it lifts to the northeast. The result for us
today has been a tightened surface pressure gradient that has aided
in strong southerly winds with gusts near 40mph at times. However,
cloud cover has limited our ability to mix out well, which has
restricted our surface winds as the 40-45kt winds at 925mb have not
been able to mix efficiently down to the surface. The quasi-
stationary front that lingered over the area yesterday has continued
lifting north as a warm front, thanks to the approaching cyclone,
and is now stretched across southern Iowa and northern Illinois.
This has placed our entire area within the warm sector and allowed
for efficient moisture return with surface dewpoints now in the
low/mid 60s. The good surface moisture in place will help set the
stage for the potential of strong to severe storms this afternoon
and evening.

As mentioned on the previous forecast shift, the greatest
uncertainty with the afternoon/early evening severe weather threat
is the destabilization of the environment today before the cold
front. This uncertainty still remains, as cloud cover has been
persistent, which has limited destabilization across the area.
Currently, a partial clearing line is punching northeast into
central Missouri within the cyclone's dry slot with the cold front
across western Missouri. The latest HREF and REFS both resolve this
dry slot and clearing moving northeast, and with it, mean SBCAPE
values approaching 1,500 J/kg where clearing occurs. The mid-level
trough is nearing the area, with the greatest height falls and
forcing occurring between now and early this evening from west to
east, which should help lead to convective initiation this
afternoon. A majority of HREF members still do resolve convective
initiation happening momentarily out ahead of the cold front, across
central Missouri. Something that is more certain is that wind shear
is plenty strong, as the HREF and REFS both have 0-3km SRH of >300
m^2/s^2 collocated with the expected convection. As the surface low
continues to lift northeast and enters eastern Iowa later this
evening, a weak cold front moves into the area from west to east.
Some members of the HREF re-fire convection along this southwest-
northeast oriented cold front early this evening in central and
eastern Missouri with convection moving eastward into Illinois by
the late evening. As a result, all severe weather hazards (large
hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes) are possible with thunderstorms
this afternoon and evening. A Tornado Watch is in effect for
northern Missouri and west-central Illinois until 8pm this evening.

With the surface low quickly lifting northeast into the Great Lakes
region, the southern trailing end of the cold front struggles to
progress southeastward and should pivot clockwise, eventually
stalling near the I-70 corridor overnight. A secondary, more robust,
mid-level trough ejects into the Plains tomorrow leading to lee-side
surface cyclogenesis that will help to lift the quasi-stationary
front back to the north as warm front. While this front lifts back
to the north late tomorrow morning into the afternoon, scattered
showers and thunderstorms are possible (30-40%). The latest REFS has
joint probabilities of MUCAPE >1,000 J/kg and 0-6km shear up to 70%
along and just behind the warm front, which means the potential for
a scattered severe storm can't be ruled out in the afternoon,
generally along and north of the I-70 corridor.

A more widespread threat for severe weather will occur later on
Friday evening into early Friday night as a QLCS is expected to form
along a cold front in western Missouri and push east into the area.
Guidance has good consensus in the timing of the QLCS with arrival
in mid-missouri around 00-03Z and eastern Missouri/western Illinois
a few hours later. Confidence is higher in the severe threat across
northern and central Missouri, as the line is forecasted to move
through those areas when diurnally driven instability is still high.
As the QLCS and cold front push east later into the evening,
instability should be waning, which may limit the overall severe
threat across eastern Missouri and western Illinois. Therefore,
forecast uncertainty still exists with the eastward extent of the
severe threat for late on Friday. Given the linear nature of the
QLCS, the main hazards will be damaging winds and tornadoes, with a
lesser threat for hail.

Peine/Maples

&&

.LONG TERM...  (Saturday through Next Thursday)
Issued at 252 PM CDT Thu Apr 2 2026

A cold front is currently projected to be moving through the
southeast quadrant of the CWA Saturday morning. Ongoing showers and
thunderstorms are expected to accompany the front with cooler, drier
air following closely behind. Before that occurs, anomalously high
PWATs (~1.5") precede the boundary, which may carry the potential
for locally heavy rainfall in/around ongoing convection. The upside
is that this will be during the period of diurnal minimums with
collapsing lapse rates and CAPE, signaling weakening trends are
favored. LREF spreads also show a narrow (50-60 miles) corridor of
roughly 5-10 degrees, providing pretty decent confidence in boundary
timing. While some shower potential hangs on to the southeast
fringes of the forecast area through early afternoon, the trend will
be toward gradual clearing and cooler/drier conditions through most
of Saturday. High temperatures are expected to be in the 50s/60s.

GEFS shows a tandem of upper ridges moving across the country
through next week. The first of the two moves over the mid-
Mississippi Valley Sunday into Monday. GFS/ECMWF ensembles show H8
temperatures (0-5C) tightly clustered (<5C degrees of spread)
between the 25th/75th IQR through 18z Monday. This gives higher than
normal confidence in a cooler, drier pattern through the weekend
into early next week. Mid-level temperatures land in the 30-35th
percentile of climatological means, leaning toward a seasonably cool
(slightly below normal) pattern through at least early Monday.

At the surface, ridging becomes less pronounced as a stronger
surface high builds over the northern Plains. Mid-level temperature
spreads increase Monday afternoon in response to the reinforcement
of the cooler airmass from the north. The depth and southward extent
of this reinforcement is responsible for the spread at this point in
the long range period. The main concern is how cold it gets with
deterministic guidance hugging the freezing mark Tuesday morning.
This will be something to keep an eye on for agricultural interests
with near/slightly below freezing temperatures for morning lows.
Potential is greatest north of I-70, where LREF shows probabilities
for 32F or lower around 15% along I-70 climbing to near 40% around
Quincy, IL.

Spreads increases (10-15F degrees) Wednesday onward as high pressure
moves east and return flow draws warmer air northward around the
more persistent synoptic ridging over the southeast CONUS.
Considering this setup, most convective behavior is steered through
the central Plains with the main question stemming from temperature
trends. While there is decent confidence in a warming trend, the
magnitude of warming ranges between near normal (60s) to above
normal (80s) Wednesday for highs. While similar spreads persist into
Thursday, the IQR collectively warms with above normal temperatures
favored. There is less dispersion in overnight lows (50s) with
little concern at all for freezing temperatures.

Maples

&&

.AVIATION...  (For the 00z TAFs through 00z Friday Evening)
Issued at 655 PM CDT Thu Apr 2 2026

Current coverage of showers and thunderstorms is limited to only a
few small rain showers across eastern Missouri. Scattered pockets of
agitated cumulus continue to filter northeast into eastern Missouri
with CAMs still showing scattered thunderstorm development along the
cold front later this evening. Therefore, left the PROB30 for
thunderstorms at the St. Louis metro terminals. Widespread MVFR
stratus is across northwestern Missouri with some model guidance
moving it easterly and clipping KUIN later this evening. Expectation
is that this MVFR status field stays to the north of KUIN, so no
mention was included in the TAF, but this will be monitored closely.

Southerly winds will veer westerly as the cold front passes from
west to east this evening with the front stalling near the I-70
corridor overnight, leading to calm and variable winds. The front
lifts back to the north around sunrise, bringing a brief period of
MVFR ceilings from the south before VFR conditions return along with
strengthening southerly winds.

Peine/Maples

&&

.LSX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MO...None.
IL...None.
&&

WFO LSX
Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 2, 3:23 PM CDT, 4 hours 51 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service St Louis MO
323 PM CDT Thu Apr 2 2026

ILZ058>060-064-065-069-070-074-079-095>102-MOZ018-019-026-027-
034>036-041-042-047>052-059>065-072>075-084-085-099-032030-
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-
323 PM CDT Thu Apr 2 2026

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

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

There is the potential for severe weather in northeast Missouri and
west central Illinois this afternoon through early evening. All
hazards are possible.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday.

There is a chance of severe thunderstorms Friday evening. Damaging
winds and tornadoes will be possible.

There is a chance of showers and thunderstorms early on Saturday.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

Peine

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 2, 8:14 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningLSXLewis27 hr

Nearby

River Flood Warnings in Missouri, 2026Every river flood warning 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive; the gauge from the NWS water service and the USGS.