Heavy wet snow fell across the Northern third of Missouri throughout the day on the 10th followed by a second band of snow during the early morning hours of the 11th. Since temperatures were near or slightly over freezing during the snowfall, some of the snow melted quickly but 6 to 12 inches of snow accumulated with well over a foot in many locations.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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 episode as NWS EAX wrote it up.
Heavy wet snow fell across the Northern third of Missouri throughout the day on the 10th followed by a second band of snow during the early morning hours of the 11th. Since temperatures were near or slightly over freezing during the snowfall, some of the snow melted quickly but 6 to 12 inches of snow accumulated with well over a foot in many locations. The heaviest snow fell along and to the north of Highway 136 from Albany in Gentry County to Prineton in Mercer County to Lancaster in Schuyler County. The greatest totals were recorded in Schuyler and Mercer Counties where 20-24 inches of snow was reported. Schuyler County Emergency Management reported 24 inches of snow at Lancaster and a Mercer County Cooperative Observer measured 20 inches of snow in Lake Pahoe. Mercer County Emergency Management officials reported 18 inches of snowfall in Mercer and 14 inches in Priceton. Elsewhere in Northern Missouri, Cooperative Observers reported 17 inches of snow in Grant City, 14 inches in Bethany and 13 to 18 inches in Unionville. Observers in Albany reported 15 to 20 inches of heavy wet snow. In Schuyler County, just over 2 million dollars of damage was reported as a result of the heavy snow. Most of the damage was to farms and farm equiptment due to collapsed buildings and grain bins. Up to 20 cattle were reported lost during the storm. Schuyler County Commision signed a proclamation declaring the county a disaster area. Livestock loss and farm damage was also reported in other areas of Northern Missouri. In Mount Moriah in Harrison County heavy snow caused a barn roof to collapse injuring 17 horses, one of which was seriously injured as a result of a stab wound. In Albany, a large portion of the roof of a 200 foot bulding of a lumber company collapsed. Fork lifts, plywood, lumber and insulation were all damaged as a result of the roof collapse. There were many other reports of roofs calapsing throughout Northern Missouri to private residences.The roof of a bowling alley caved in in Trenton as a result of heavy snow build up , injuring two people. Numerous school closures and non-injury auto accidents were reported as a result of the snowstorm.
The Pleasant Hill radar (KEAX), 134 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 02:13 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Severe thunderstorm winds gusted to 70 MPH and knocked down 4 large trees in Boonville near the intersection of 87 Highway and Interstate 70.
Dime-size hail was reported during a severe thunderstorm along Route 5 10 miles north of New Franklin.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Missouri in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Missouri, April 1997
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: 5587695, 5587696.