Tornadoes and Hail in Missouri, May 17, 1995

Name: Tornadoes and Hail in Missouri, May 17, 1995
Start: 1995-05-17T00:10
End: 1995-05-17T23:50
Location: Missouri

May 17, 1995 · 31 events in 16 counties and zones

18 thunderstorm wind, 10 hail, 3 tornado, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 28 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 9
Property damage: $7.3 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 31

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

The radar

The Pleasant Hill radar (KEAX), 50 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 06:11 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

18 thunderstorm wind, 10 hail, 3 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Tornado, Bates

When: May 17, 12:10 AM CST to 12:18 AM CST
Where: Bates County, Merwin to to Adrian
Rating: F1
Path length: 5 mi
Path width: 75 yd
Property damage: $25,000
Coordinates: 38.400, -94.500

A brief tornado touched down in the northwest part of the county, about 5 miles east of Merwin. It moved east for about 5 miles along state Route 18 before lifting about 4 miles west of Adrian near the junction with route FF. Numerous large trees were knocked down, as well as several utility poles and signs.

Thunderstorm Wind, Bates

When: May 17, 12:17 AM CST
Where: Bates County, Adrian
Coordinates: 38.257, -94.340 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A severe thunderstorm, which was earlier responsible for a tornado west of Adrian, produced damaging winds, downing trees along state Route 18 in Adrian.

Hail, Washington

When: May 17, 3:35 AM CST
Where: Washington County, Potosi
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 37.962, -90.877 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The county sheriff reported quarter-size hail.

Hail, St. Francois

When: May 17, 3:46 AM CST
Where: St. Francois County, Bonne Terre
Measured: 2.75 in hail
Property damage: $8,000
Coordinates: 37.810, -90.472 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The county sheriff reported baseball-size hail right on the Washington-St. Francois County line. A few cars in the area had minor damage.

Hail, St. Francois

When: May 17, 3:49 AM CST
Where: St. Francois County, Bonne Terre
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 37.810, -90.472 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Golf ball-size hail fell in Bonne Terre with numerous large trees down over central parts of the county. Several windows were broken in the Park Hills area due to large hail and the strong wind gusts. A commercial building in Park Hills also sustained roof damage when a section of the roof peeled back. The county sheriff's department also reported hail the size of quarters before the storm moved out of the county.

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Francois

When: May 17, 3:50 AM CST
Where: St. Francois County, Park Hills
Property damage: $20,000
Coordinates: 37.810, -90.472 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, St. Francois

When: May 17, 3:55 AM CST
Where: St. Francois County, Farmington
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 37.810, -90.472 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Ste. Genevieve

When: May 17, 4:23 AM CST
Where: Ste. Genevieve County, Weingarten
Property damage: $900
Coordinates: 37.894, -90.194 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The county sheriff reported downed power lines with power outages.

Thunderstorm Wind, Madison

When: May 17, 4:32 AM CST
Where: Madison County, Fredericktown
Property damage: $200
Coordinates: 37.478, -90.345 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Missouri Highway Patrol reported several large trees down.

Hail, Perry

When: May 17, 4:38 AM CST
Where: Perry County, Perryville
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 37.707, -89.824 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The county sheriff reported large hail and strong wind gusts.

Hail, Cape Girardeau

When: May 17, 4:54 AM CST
Where: Cape Girardeau County, Jackson
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 37.384, -89.684 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Bollinger

When: May 17, 5:12 AM CST
Where: Bollinger County, Marble Hill
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 37.322, -90.026 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Cape Girardeau

When: May 17, 5:12 AM CST
Where: Cape Girardeau County, Fruitland
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 37.384, -89.684 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Cape Girardeau

When: May 17, 5:34 AM CST
Where: Cape Girardeau County, Cape Girardeau
Property damage: $100,000
Coordinates: 37.384, -89.684 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The siding was blown off a house. Numerous large trees were blown down, some onto houses.

Thunderstorm Wind, Bollinger

When: May 17, 5:50 AM CST
Where: Bollinger County, Charleston
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 37.322, -90.026 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A house was destroyed by thunderstorm winds in excess of 100 MPH. Only a few interior walls were left standing.

Hail, Vernon

When: May 17, 7:30 AM CST
Where: Vernon County, Oskaloosa
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Coordinates: 37.851, -94.342 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Barton

When: May 17, 7:35 AM CST
Where: Barton County, Lamar
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 37.502, -94.347 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Morgan

When: May 17, 8:00 AM CST
Where: Morgan County, Versailles
Coordinates: 38.424, -92.886 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A strong wind gust knocked down three large trees.

Tornado, Vernon

When: May 17, 8:34 AM CST to 8:48 AM CST
Where: Vernon County, Nevada to To 3 Nw Dederick
Rating: F3
Path length: 14 mi
Path width: 400 yd
Injuries: 9 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $7.0 million
Coordinates: 37.830, -94.470

A tornado destroyed homes and buildings to the west of Nevada, then heavily damaged brick buildings within the city. The tornado weakened as it tracked east northeast towards Dederick, but was still strong enough to uproot trees and destroy outbuildings. Witnesses reported extremely heavy rain with the tornadoes passage. The 3M industrial plant on the east side of Nevada recorded an 107 mph wind with the event.

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Clair

When: May 17, 9:05 AM CST
Where: St. Clair County, Osceola
Property damage: $2,000
Coordinates: 38.037, -93.776 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Severe thunderstorms produced damaging winds in and north of Osceola, with several trees downed. Gusts to 60 mph were reported north of town.

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Clair

When: May 17, 9:07 AM CST
Where: St. Clair County, Osceola
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 38.037, -93.776 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Severe thunderstorms produced damaging winds in and north of Osceola, with several trees downed. Gusts to 60 mph were reported north of town.

Tornado, Benton

When: May 17, 9:45 AM CST
Where: Benton County, Fristoe
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.5 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Coordinates: 38.120, -93.270

County sheriff reported that a tornado touched down just east of Fristoe. No damage to property was reported. Specifics of the length and width of path were not available.

Thunderstorm Wind, Barton

When: May 17, 6:30 PM CST
Where: Barton County, Mindenmines
Property damage: $25,000
Coordinates: 37.502, -94.347 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

,,, Thunderstorm winds destroyed a house trailer and several outbuildings in Mindenmines, as well as penny-size hail and an estimated 80 mph wind at Iantha.

Hail, Barton

When: May 17, 6:41 PM CST
Where: Barton County, Iantha
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 37.502, -94.347 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

,,, Thunderstorm winds destroyed a house trailer and several outbuildings in Mindenmines, as well as penny-size hail and an estimated 80 mph wind at Iantha.

Thunderstorm Wind, Barton

When: May 17, 6:41 PM CST
Where: Barton County, Iantha
Measured: 69 kt (79 mph)
Coordinates: 37.502, -94.347 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

,,, Thunderstorm winds destroyed a house trailer and several outbuildings in Mindenmines, as well as penny-size hail and an estimated 80 mph wind at Iantha.

Hail, Cedar

When: May 17, 7:06 PM CST
Where: Cedar County, Ashbury
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 37.724, -93.857 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm winds downed limbs.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cedar

When: May 17, 7:20 PM CST
Where: Cedar County, Bearcreek
Coordinates: 37.724, -93.857 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm winds downed limbs.

Thunderstorm Wind, Polk

When: May 17, 8:10 PM CST
Where: Polk County, Polk
Coordinates: 37.617, -93.400 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm winds downed several limbs.

Thunderstorm Wind, Camden

When: May 17, 8:30 PM CST to 8:45 PM CST
Where: Camden County, Lake of the Ozarks
Coordinates: 38.027, -92.766 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sheriff's office received reports of large trees down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Bollinger

When: May 17, 11:35 PM CST
Where: Bollinger County, Arab
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph)
Property damage: $75,000
Coordinates: 37.322, -90.026 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A house was destroyed by thunderstorm winds in excess of 100 MPH. Only a few interior walls were left standing.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cape Girardeau

When: May 17, 11:50 PM CST
Where: Cape Girardeau County, Cape Girardeau
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 37.384, -89.684 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Missouri in 1995 Every state in 1995 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Missouri, 1995 Warnings in Missouri, May 1995

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 10333027, 10333028, 10335019, 10334820, 10334821, 10334884, 10334885, 10335189, 10331988, 10331825, 10333277, 10333264, 10333278, 10333279, 10333265, 10334834, 10332895, 10331763, 10334835, 10334810, 10334811, 10333091, 10332896, 10332897, 10332959, 10332434, 10332435, 10334867, 10333173, 10333266, 10333280.