Alert archive / Missouri / River Flood Warnings in 2026

River Flood Warning 30, NWS St. Louis, MO

April 18, 2026Cole County, Missouri

NWS St. Louis, MO issued this river flood warning at Apr 18, 2026, 10:49 AM CDT for Cole County, Missouri. It took effect at Apr 18, 2026, 4:10 PM CDT. It was in force for 58 hr.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Apr 18, 2026, 10:49 AM CDT (15:49 UTC)
In effect from
Apr 18, 2026, 4:10 PM CDT
Expired
Apr 21, 2026, 2:00 AM CDT
In force
58 hr
Issued by
NWS St. Louis, MO
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
Minor

County Cole County, MO

The radar

The St Louis radar (KLSX), 135 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 15:54 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 Moreau River (MO) near Jefferson City (JCMM7). The gauge peaked at 20.35 ft at Apr 19, 2026, 4:00 AM CDT.

actionminormoderate102004/1804/1904/2004/2104/22
Action stage
13 ft
Minor stage
17 ft
Moderate stage
25 ft
Major stage
29 ft

This gauge today: stage, forecast and historic crests

Stage from the USGS instantaneous record for site 06910750, 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.

729 
WGUS43 KLSX 181549
FLWLSX

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Flood Warning
National Weather Service St Louis MO
1049 AM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026

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

  Moreau River near Jefferson City.

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.

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

&&

MOC051-200400-
/O.NEW.KLSX.FL.W.0030.260418T2110Z-260421T0700Z/
/JCMM7.1.ER.260418T2110Z.260419T1200Z.260420T0032Z.NO/
1049 AM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026

...FLOOD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM THIS AFTERNOON TO LATE MONDAY
NIGHT...

* WHAT...Minor flooding is forecast.

* WHERE...Moreau River near Jefferson City.

* WHEN...From this afternoon to late Monday night.

* IMPACTS...At 23.5 feet, Near this height, Walnut Acres Road near
  North Moreau Creek will likely need to be closed.  This road is
  18.3 river miles upstream of the gage.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
  - At 10:30 AM CDT Saturday the stage was 14.2 feet.
  - Forecast...The river is expected to rise above flood stage late
    this afternoon to a crest of 24.1 feet tomorrow morning. It will
    then fall below flood stage tomorrow evening.
  - Flood stage is 17.0 feet.



&&


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

Moreau River
 Jefferson Cit 17.0    14.2    24.1  5.9   2.9   2.3   2.2



&&

LAT...LON 3855 9214 3854 9207 3850 9210 3847 9224
      3850 9235 3856 9236 3857 9233 3854 9226


$$

Jaja
2 follow-up statements
962 
WGUS83 KLSX 190055
FLSLSX

Flood Statement
National Weather Service St Louis MO
755 PM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026

...The Flood Warning continues for the following river in Missouri...

  Moreau River near Jefferson City.

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.

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

&&

MOC051-201300-
/O.EXT.KLSX.FL.W.0030.000000T0000Z-260421T0632Z/
/JCMM7.1.ER.260418T1847Z.260419T1200Z.260420T0032Z.NO/
755 PM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026

...FLOOD WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL LATE MONDAY NIGHT...

* WHAT...Minor flooding is occurring and minor flooding is forecast.

* WHERE...Moreau River near Jefferson City.

* WHEN...Until late Monday night.

* IMPACTS...At 23.5 feet, Near this height, Walnut Acres Road near
  North Moreau Creek will likely need to be closed.  This road is
  18.3 river miles upstream of the gage.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
  - At 7:30 PM CDT Saturday the stage was 19.2 feet.
  - Recent Activity...The maximum river stage in the 24 hours ending
    at 7:30 PM CDT Saturday was 19.2 feet.
  - Forecast...The river is expected to rise to a crest of 24.1 feet
    tomorrow morning. It will then fall below flood stage tomorrow
    evening.
  - Flood stage is 17.0 feet.



&&


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

Moreau River
 Jefferson Cit 17.0    19.2    5.9   2.9   2.3   2.2   MSG



&&

LAT...LON 3855 9214 3854 9207 3850 9210 3847 9224
      3850 9235 3856 9236 3857 9233 3854 9226


$$

Delia
979 
WGUS83 KLSX 191622
FLSLSX

Flood Statement
National Weather Service St Louis MO
1122 AM CDT Sun Apr 19 2026

...The Flood Warning continues for the following rivers in
Illinois...

  Illinois River at Hardin.

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

  Moreau River near Jefferson City.

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.

Motorists should not attempt to drive around barricades or drive cars
through flooded areas.

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

&&

MOC051-191730-
/O.CAN.KLSX.FL.W.0030.000000T0000Z-260419T1622Z/
/JCMM7.1.ER.260418T1847Z.260419T0945Z.260419T1525Z.NO/
1122 AM CDT Sun Apr 19 2026

...FLOOD WARNING IS CANCELLED...

The Flood Warning is cancelled for
  the Moreau River near Jefferson City.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
  - At 10:30 AM CDT Sunday the stage was 16.9 feet.
  - Forecast...The river is expected to fall to 2.1 feet Friday
    morning.



&&


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

Moreau River
 Jefferson Cit 17.0    16.9    4.8   2.6   2.2   2.2   2.1



&&

LAT...LON 3855 9214 3854 9207 3850 9210 3847 9224
      3850 9235 3856 9236 3857 9233 3854 9226


$$

ILC013-061-083-210430-
/O.CON.KLSX.FL.W.0025.000000T0000Z-000000T0000Z/
/HARI2.1.ER.260418T2200Z.260422T0600Z.000000T0000Z.NO/
1122 AM CDT Sun Apr 19 2026

...FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE...

* WHAT...Minor flooding is occurring and minor flooding is forecast.

* WHERE...Illinois River at Hardin.

* WHEN...Until further notice.

* IMPACTS...At 25.0 feet, Flood Stage.  Lowland flooding of
  unprotected agricultural land begins.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
  - At 11:00 AM CDT Sunday the stage was 25.5 feet.
  - Recent Activity...The maximum river stage in the 24 hours ending
    at 11:00 AM CDT Sunday was 25.5 feet.
  - Forecast...The river is expected to rise to a crest of 26.9 feet
    early Wednesday morning.
  - Flood stage is 25.0 feet.



&&


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

Illinois River
 Hardin       25.0    25.5    25.9  26.6  26.9  26.8  26.7



&&

LAT...LON 3952 9064 3952 9052 3942 9054 3935 9051
      3931 9053 3898 9052 3897 9049 3890 9054
      3898 9062 3923 9065


$$

Jaja

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 18, 6:09 AM CDT, 4 hours 40 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Dry conditions are expected through the remainder of the weekend with cooler (50s) air moderating back to the 60s Sunday.
  • Many locations will cool into the 30s tonight with a low potential (<50%) for patchy frost Sunday morning. Any frost should be confined to vegetation and objects elevated off the surface.
  • Warming continues through the remainder of week with another active period expected by late week into next weekend.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 18, 6:09 AM CDT, 4 hours 40 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion...Updated Aviation
National Weather Service Saint Louis MO
609 AM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Dry conditions are expected through the remainder of the weekend
  with cooler (50s) air moderating back to the 60s Sunday.

- Many locations will cool into the 30s tonight with a low
  potential (<50%) for patchy frost Sunday morning. Any frost
  should be confined to vegetation and objects elevated off the
  surface.

- Warming continues through the remainder of week with another
  active period expected by late week into next weekend.

&&

.SHORT TERM...  (Through Late Sunday Afternoon)
Issued at 257 AM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026

A strong cold front continues to make its way southeastward this
morning with remnants of last night's thunderstorms. Lightning has
become far less common through early this morning as cooler air has
undercut the precipitation, bringing an end to the severe threat.

Pockets of steady/moderate rainfall are embedded within the broader
field of stratiform rainfall behind the front. This all shifts
southeast of the CWA around 16z this morning with improvement expect
going forward. The airmass behind the front include dewpoints in the
teens and 20s over the northern Plains. While air will not be that
dry at all locations, it does make it into the northern reaches of
the forecast area with dewpoints in the 30s over southwest MO and
southwest IL. Cloud cover gradually clears from west to east with
increasing sunshine over central/NE MO through 12 p.m. Clearing
continues southeastward, but clouds linger through at least mid-
afternoon southeast of the metro area.

An upper level trough over Canada extends southward into the
Mississippi Valley today. The trough is below the 5th percentile of
climatological means with heights in the 10th-25th extending into
the local area. Cold air advection behind the front draws the 0C H8
isotherm into the region with mid-level temperatures ranging from
the low single digits below OC to the single digits above 0C on
northwesterly flow. Temperatures were in the 50s/60s with 40s not
far to the northwest as of 07z (2 a.m.) this morning. CAA will keep
temperatures fairly steady and where cloud cover lingers, it'll feel
quite cool relative to recent warmth. Highs will range from the mid-
50s to near 60 degrees. Mixing deepens late this morning through the
afternoon with diurnally driven gusts of 20-25 mph.

Gusts subside this evening as mid-level ridging begins to shift from
near the TX Panhandle into the northern Gulf Region. Meanwhile, a
surface high begins to build southeast out of Canada into the Upper
Midwest. Clear skies and light winds will allow temperatures to drop
into the 30s/40s tonight. The coldest locations (mid-30s) may be
cool enough to support patchy frost. However, the strongest argument
against this potential is the warm surface with regional soil
temperatures showing 2 inch depths in the low-60s to near 70
degrees. Considering the recent rainfall, moisture content will keep
ground temperatures from cooling much and highly likely to stave off
frost at near-ground levels. Elevated, exposed objects may be the
most susceptible and even then 30s only lasts 3-4 hours (max) around
the coolest locations.

The tandem of ridges begin to slide east Sunday with modest warming
being driven in from the Plains. It'll be the pick day of the
weekend with low dewpoints (30s) and rebounding temperatures. We
will tack on about 10 degrees to daytime highs under mostly clear
skies. Temperatures return to the 60s for most locations and
flirting with 70 degrees to the north/east of the Ozarks.

Maples

&&

.LONG TERM...  (Sunday Night through Friday)
Issued at 257 AM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026

Ridging that shifts east eventually consolidates into a broader
ridge over the eastern CONUS Sunday night into Monday. A weak cold
front extends well south of a low pressure system over Canada and
attempts to drop southward into the area in the later half of the
day Sunday. Guidance shows the front stalling or yielding to return
flow at the back side of the eastern ridge. The pattern carries over
into early next week with slightly warming over Sunday's
temperautres. Highs range from the low/mid-60s (IL) to the low-70s
from the Ozarks through central and southeast MO.

NBM IQRs remain rather tightly clustered through Thursday with
increasing confidence in dry conditions and a more significant warm-
up Tuesday. This warm-up is driven by an increasing pressure
gradient between an upper low over the Hudson Bay and strong
mid-level ridging over the northern Gulf. 20-25C mid-level air is
sources from the lee side of the Colorado Rockies into the mid-
Mississippi Valley with mid-level air ranging from 10-15C locally.
This pattern persists through Thursday, where IQRs then begin to
spread late Thursday into Friday. Another period of above normal
warmth with highs in the mid-70s to low-80 Tuesday and Wednesday.
The warmest conditions arrive Thursday with low/mid-80s for highs.

The pattern that brought this weekend's showers and thunderstorms
seems to repeat again next weekend. Global guidance varies on an
exact solution, but broader themes can be pulled from the synoptic
setup. The eastern ridge moves into the mid-Atlantic Region as an
upper trough leads to surface cyclogensis over the Plains. This is
where guidance deviates from one another with the timing, position,
and track of the surface low. A cold front trails the system and
supports convection over the central sections of the CONUS, but the
extent and placement of convective trends will depend on what plays
out between the more northern solution of the ECM and southern
solution of the GFS. Both show a version of showers and
thunderstorms along the cold front to our west Thursday night,
progressing eastward into the area by Friday. Timing will be key,
but as of now, this initial round comes during diurnal minimums and
may signal another round of weakening covection and widespread
showers/occasional thunderstorms.

Maples

&&

.AVIATION...  (For the 12z TAFs through 12z Sunday Morning)
Issued at 605 AM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026

A strong cold front has moved southeast of all terminals this
morning with the back edge of rainfall pulling through the metro
terminals as of 11z. Rain is expected to linger through 12z and
taper off quickly thereafter.

Aside from a narrow ribbon of MVFR cigs immediately following the
front, conditions continue to improve to VFR further behind the
boundary. VFR conditions are expected to persist through the
period with occassional gusts of 20-25 knots today. Gusts subside
this evening with light and variable winds after 00z tonight.

Maples

&&

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

WFO LSX
Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 18, 3:03 AM CDT, 7 hours 46 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service St Louis MO
303 AM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026

ILZ058>060-064-065-069-070-074-079-095>102-MOZ018-019-026-027-
034>036-041-042-047>052-059>065-072>075-084-085-099-190815-
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-
303 AM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026

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

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

There is a slight chance of thunderstorms over southeast Missouri
and southwest Illinois early this morning.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday.

There is a chance of thunderstorms late Thursday through Friday.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

Maples

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 18, 9:11 AM CDT, 1 hour 38 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service St Louis MO
911 AM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026

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

0834 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     2 WSW Fulton            38.84N 91.98W
04/17/2026                   Callaway           MO   Public

            Via Facebook: A tree fell on a home. Timing
            and location based on radar and post.

&&

LSJ
Local storm report, Apr 18, 9:19 AM CDT, 1 hour 30 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service St Louis MO
919 AM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026

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

0839 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     Fulton                  38.85N 91.95W
04/17/2026                   Callaway           MO   Public

            Via Facebook: small, healthy, fully leafed
            tree trunk at least 5-6 inches in diameter
            snapped a foot or so above trunk base.
            numbers estimated from damage photo.

&&

LSJ
Local storm report, Apr 18, 10:31 AM CDT, 18 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service St Louis MO
1031 AM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026

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

0840 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     1 N Fulton              38.86N 91.95W
04/17/2026                   Callaway           MO   Public

            Via Facebook: video of damage on William
            Woods University campus. Large, healthy
            trees uprooted, large branches snapped,
            metal bleachers blown, debris in trees.

&&

LSJ
Local storm report, Apr 18, 10:39 AM CDT, 10 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service St Louis MO
1039 AM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026

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

0951 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     3 WNW New Melle         38.73N 90.93W
04/17/2026                   St. Charles        MO   Public

            Caller reported large trees twisted off and
            lying in different directions. Wrought iron
            outdoor table and chairs blown into yard,
            few shingles missing from new roof.

&&

LSJ
Local storm report, Apr 18, 10:40 AM CDT, 9 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service St Louis MO
1040 AM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026

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

0310 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     3 WNW New Melle         38.73N 90.93W
04/17/2026                   St. Charles        MO   Public

            Corrects previous tstm wnd dmg report from 3
            WNW New Melle. Caller reported large trees
            twisted off and lying in different
            directions. Wrought iron outdoor table and
            chairs blown into yard, few shingles missing
            from new roof.

&&

LSJ

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 17, 7:21 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatLSXMarion, Monroe, Pike, Ralls54 min
Apr 17, 7:42 PM CDTTornado WarningLSXBoone, Callaway, Cole, Moniteau48 min
Apr 17, 7:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatLSXBoone, Callaway, Cole, Moniteau, Osage63 min
Apr 17, 8:17 PM CDTTornado WarningLSXBoone, Callaway, Cole, Moniteau43 min
Apr 17, 8:30 PM CDTTornado WarningLSXCallaway, Cole, Osage45 min
Apr 17, 8:45 PM CDTTornado WarningLSXAudrain, Callaway, Montgomery45 min
Apr 17, 8:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXCallaway, Franklin, Gasconade, Montgomery, Osage, Warren48 min
Apr 17, 9:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXLincoln, Montgomery, Pike52 min
Apr 17, 9:29 PM CDTTornado WarningLSXLincoln, Montgomery, Warren31 min
Apr 17, 9:36 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedLSXWarren20 min
Apr 17, 9:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXLincoln, Saint Charles, Warren48 min
Apr 17, 9:50 PM CDTTornado WarningLSXLincoln25 min
Apr 17, 10:02 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningLSXLewis12 days
Apr 17, 10:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXSaint Charles31 min
Apr 18, 12:52 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningLSXLewis11 hr
Apr 18, 6:04 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningLSXOsage15 hr
Apr 18, 9:59 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningLSXMarion10 hr
Apr 18, 12:05 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningLSXMarion21 days
Apr 18, 12:05 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningLSXMarion9 hr
Apr 18, 5:05 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningLSXReynolds16 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.