Missouri, 2000

Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Missouri, June 20, 2000

June 20, 2000 · NWS EAX · 12 events in 7 counties and zones

Thunderstorms developed rapidly ahead of a cold front in northeast Kansas on the afternoon of June 20. As the storms moved eastward into Missouri, they produced scattered large hail and wind damage in west central Missouri, and dumped very heavy rains on the Kansas City metro area.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$35,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
12

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS EAX wrote it up.

Thunderstorms developed rapidly ahead of a cold front in northeast Kansas on the afternoon of June 20. As the storms moved eastward into Missouri, they produced scattered large hail and wind damage in west central Missouri, and dumped very heavy rains on the Kansas City metro area. Kansas City Downtown Airport received 5.25 inches of rain, most of which fell in a 4 hour period in mid-afternoon. Widespread urban and flash flooding was reported in the Kansas City metro area. One storm that tracked along the Missouri River from near Lexington to east of Waverly had strong rotation, and produced two brief tornadoes.

The radar

The Pleasant Hill radar (KEAX), 52 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:06 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 hail, 3 thunderstorm wind, 2 flash flood, 2 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lafayette

When
June 20, 3:05 PM CST
Where
Lafayette County, 1 mi W of Lexington
Measured
60 kt (69 mph)
Property damage
$25,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
39.183, -93.900

Trees and power lines were downed along Highway 224 just west of Lexington. An empty boxcar was knocked off a nearby railroad track.

Flash Flood, Clay

When
June 20, 3:15 PM CST
Where
Clay County, Mosby
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
39.311, -94.421 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Northbound US 69 near Mosby was closed due to approximately 1 foot of flowing water over the road.

Tornado, Lafayette

When
June 20, 3:22 PM CST to 3:25 PM CST
Where
Lafayette County, 1 mi SE of Lexington
Rating
F0
Path length
1 mi
Path width
50 yd
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
39.167, -93.867

A law enforcement officer reported that the tornado touched down just southeast of Lexington and moved east for 1 mile. Trees and power lines were downed.

Tornado, Carroll

When
June 20, 3:40 PM CST to 3:42 PM CST
Where
Carroll County, 6 mi S of Carrollton
Rating
F0
Path length
1 mi
Path width
40 yd
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
39.283, -93.500

Two citizens reported that a tornado touched down briefly in open bottomland, and moved east 1 mile. The tornado lifted after approximately two minutes on the ground, without doing any damage.

Hail, Carroll

When
June 20, 4:00 PM CST
Where
Carroll County, 4 mi SW of Wakenda
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
39.283, -93.433

Flash Flood, Jackson

When
June 20, 4:12 PM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where
Jackson County, Kansas City
Reported by
FIRE DEPT/RESCUE SQUAD
Coordinates
39.009, -94.346 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Numerous roads in Kansas City were closed due to high water.

Hail, Cass

When
June 20, 4:50 PM CST
Where
Cass County, 4 mi N of Garden City
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
FIRE DEPT/RESCUE SQUAD
Coordinates
38.617, -94.200

Thunderstorm Wind, Cass

When
June 20, 4:50 PM CST
Where
Cass County, 3 mi W of Garden City
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
38.567, -94.250

Four large trees were blown down.

Hail, Cass

When
June 20, 4:50 PM CST
Where
Cass County, 3 mi W of Garden City
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
38.567, -94.250

Hail, Saline

When
June 20, 5:00 PM CST
Where
Saline County, Sweet Spgs
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
38.967, -93.417

Hail, Randolph

When
June 20, 5:22 PM CST
Where
Randolph County, Moberly
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
39.417, -92.433

Thunderstorm Wind, Randolph

When
June 20, 5:22 PM CST
Where
Randolph County, Renick
Measured
57 kt (66 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
39.350, -92.417

Trees and power lines were downed.

What these are

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.
Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
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.
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

More

Every storm in Missouri in 2000Every state in 2000This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Missouri, 2000Warnings in Missouri, June 2000

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: 5153547, 5153546, 5153985, 5153984, 5153982, 5153545, 5153550, 5153905, 5153906, 5153983, 5153548, 5153549.