Alert archive / Missouri / Tornado Warnings in 2026

Tornado Warning 62, NWS St. Louis, MO

June 17, 2026Audrain County, Pike County, Ralls County, Missouri

NWS St. Louis, MO issued this tornado warning at Jun 17, 2026, 5:10 PM CDT for Audrain County, Pike County, Ralls County, Missouri. It was in force for 18 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
Jun 17, 2026, 5:10 PM CDT (22:10 UTC)
Expired
Jun 17, 2026, 5:28 PM CDT
In force
18 min
Issued by
NWS St. Louis, MO
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
1.0 in

Counties Audrain County, MO, Pike County, MO, Ralls County, MO

The radar

The St Louis radar (KLSX), 102 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:15 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

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.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Jun 17, 2:14 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC11 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Lincoln, IL (KILX), launched 12:00Z, 10.2 hours before the alert went out and 275 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, Lincoln, IL at 12:00Z on 2026-06-17Temperature 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, Lincoln, IL at 12:00Z on 2026-06-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 138 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
2139 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
41 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
138 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
239 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

324 
WFUS53 KLSX 172210
TORLSX
MOC007-163-173-172245-
/O.NEW.KLSX.TO.W.0062.260617T2210Z-260617T2245Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service St Louis MO
510 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

The National Weather Service in St Louis has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Northeastern Audrain County in central Missouri...
  Southwestern Pike County in northeastern Missouri...
  Southwestern Ralls County in northeastern Missouri...

* Until 545 PM CDT.

* At 510 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located 5 miles northwest of Laddonia, or 8 miles southeast of
  Santa Fe, moving east at 40 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado and quarter 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...
  Laddonia, Farber and Vandalia.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a well-built building
away from 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 3925 9177 3934 9175 3934 9172 3937 9172
      3934 9134 3914 9137 3914 9138
TIME...MOT...LOC 2210Z 282DEG 33KT 3930 9171

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN

$$

Elmore
2 follow-up statements
362 
WWUS53 KLSX 172221
SVSLSX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service St Louis MO
521 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

MOC007-163-173-172245-
/O.CON.KLSX.TO.W.0062.000000T0000Z-260617T2245Z/
Audrain MO-Pike MO-Ralls MO-
521 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

...TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 545 PM CDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN AUDRAIN COUNTY IN CENTRAL MISSOURI AND SOUTHWESTERN PIKE
AND SOUTH CENTRAL RALLS COUNTIES IN NORTHEASTERN MISSOURI...

At 521 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Farber, or near Vandalia, moving east at 40 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado.

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...
  Farber and Vandalia.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a well-built building
away from 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 3926 9165 3936 9162 3934 9134 3914 9137
      3914 9138
TIME...MOT...LOC 2210Z 282DEG 33KT 3930 9170

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<1.00 IN

$$

Elmore
433 
WWUS53 KLSX 172228
SVSLSX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service St Louis MO
528 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

MOC007-163-173-172238-
/O.CAN.KLSX.TO.W.0062.000000T0000Z-260617T2245Z/
Audrain MO-Pike MO-Ralls MO-
528 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

...TORNADO WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR NORTHEASTERN AUDRAIN COUNTY IN
CENTRAL MISSOURI AND SOUTHWESTERN PIKE AND SOUTH CENTRAL RALLS
COUNTIES IN NORTHEASTERN MISSOURI...

The storm which prompted the warning has weakened below severe
limits, and no longer appears capable of producing a tornado.
Therefore, the warning has been cancelled. However, small hail and
gusty winds are still possible with this thunderstorm.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CDT Wednesday for
portions of central and northeast Missouri.

&&

LAT...LON 3926 9165 3936 9162 3934 9134 3914 9137
      3914 9138
TIME...MOT...LOC 2221Z 282DEG 33KT 3928 9157

$$

Elmore

What 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 St. Louis, MO wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at Jun 17, 2:07 PM CDT, 3 hours 3 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Severe thunderstorms move southeast across the region this evening, ending during the early overnight hours.
  • Tonight's cold front brings cooler and drier conditions for the rest of the week. Rain chances return this weekend.
Area forecast discussion, Jun 17, 2:07 PM CDT, 3 hours 3 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Saint Louis MO
207 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Severe thunderstorms move southeast across the region this
  evening, ending during the early overnight hours.

- Tonight's cold front brings cooler and drier conditions for the
  rest of the week. Rain chances return this weekend.

&&

.SHORT TERM...  (Through Late Thursday Night)
Issued at 206 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

Strong southwest flow has brought in a warm, humid air mass just
ahead of an advancing cold front. This is leading to a rapidly
destabilizing environment this afternoon with thunderstorms expected
ahead of the front. Unusually strong wind shear will lead to strong
potential for storms to organize into supercells capable of large
hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes. Very high precipitable water
values near 2 inches suggest very heavy rainfall rates are likely,
though quick storm motions should minimize the duration in any one
location. Low level wind flow out of the southwest ahead of the
front minimizes the effective convergence along it, so storm
coverage may be initially isolated. In addition, shear vectors
oriented across the boundary suggest storms should remain more
discreet with less potential for a more organized cold pool driven
MCS. A locally greater tornado threat may exist in the vicinity of
the remnant outflow boundary laid down by this morning's storms
across Illinois. Near this boundary convergence will be stronger
along with the potential for locally greater low level wind shear.
Storm coverage is expected to decrease after sunset with the front
bringing in a drier and cooler air mass behind it.

Guidance consensus is that the front settles just south of our area
on Thursday, with lingering showers or thunderstorms similarly
staying just to our south. However, some of these could drift into
the southern periphery of our forecast area. Otherwise, additional
very light, low topped showers may develop behind the cold front as
low level lapse rates maximize tomorrow afternoon. However, an
inversion aloft will limit the depth of these showers, so the impact
will be quite minor from just a few sprinkles. Otherwise maximum
temperatures will be about 10F cooler on Thursday compared to today,
with dewpoints similarly lower by about 10F.

Kimble

&&

.LONG TERM...  (Friday through Next Wednesday)
Issued at 206 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

The trough driving today's action digs out a rather broad low
amplitude trough over the eastern US for the rest of the week, with
similarly low amplitude ridging over the western US. This puts us in
northwesterly flow which favors subsidence aloft and surface high
pressure, although a few weak cold fronts can also occur. So our
forecast for the next several days favors cooler and drier
conditions.

As ridging gradually pushes east toward the Rocky Mountains,
moisture return begins across the Plains later this week. By
Saturday a shortwave trough rounding the top of the ridge triggers a
round of showers and storms in Nebraska and Kansas, the remnants of
which push ESE toward our area Saturday night. This represents our
next best chance of rain. Models vary on how the shortwave trough
and associated features progress, in part due to the convection
associated with it. If this shortwave is a bit slower and the
moisture return makes it northward into our area then we could
develop a local severe weather threat on Sunday. However, confidence
remains low on this due to variance in the guidance on the track and
timing of this wave. Either way, this Saturday night into Sunday
period represents our best chance of rain locally within this 7-day
forecast. Among the long range ensemble guidance, up to 40 percent
of members bring precipitable water values up above 2 inches, so a
locally heavy rain threat will exist. A flash flood threat could
materialize if mesoscale features can align to produce training or
prolonged thunderstorm activity. After Sunday's wave trends favor
drier and mild conditions again under renewed northwest flow.

Kimble

&&

.AVIATION...  (For the 18z TAFs through 18z Thursday Afternoon)
Issued at 1218 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

Strong southwest winds are expected today with gusts occasionally
near 40KT in spots. Thunderstorms are expected to initiate early
this afternoon in northern Missouri, tracking southeast ahead of a
cold front. These storms could be locally severe. Winds shift to
the WNW and slacken behind the front this evening.

Kimble

&&

.LSX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MO...Wind Advisory until 8 PM CDT this evening for Franklin MO-
     Gasconade MO-Jefferson MO-Lincoln MO-Madison MO-Saint
     Charles MO-Saint Francois MO-Saint Louis City MO-Saint
     Louis MO-Sainte Genevieve MO-Warren MO.

     Wind Advisory until 6 PM CDT this evening for Audrain MO-Boone
     MO-Callaway MO-Cole MO-Knox MO-Lewis MO-Marion MO-Moniteau
     MO-Monroe MO-Montgomery MO-Osage MO-Pike MO-Ralls MO-Shelby
     MO.

IL...Wind Advisory until 8 PM CDT this evening 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.

     Wind Advisory until 6 PM CDT this evening for Adams IL-Brown IL-
     Pike IL.

&&

WFO LSX

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 17, 4:07 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXAudrain, Monroe38 min
Jun 17, 4:31 PM CDTTornado WarningLSXAudrain, Monroe44 min
Jun 17, 5:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXPike, Ralls21 min

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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.