Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Missouri, May 26 to 27, 2000

A tornado touched down 1.5 smiles south of Maryville and traveled north for approximately one mile, damaging or destroying three farm outbuildings 1 mile south of Maryville. The homeowner witnessed the brief tornadic spin-up, and observed rotation in the debris as the tornado moved through the area.

Emergency management estimated wind gusts of 60 mph.

Several large trees were downed between Wallace and the south side of St. Joseph.

Citizens reported dime size hail and 6-inch diameter tree limbs down.

Storm spotters estimated wind gusts up to 70 mph.

An off-duty NWS employee reported large tree limbs down in Blue Springs.

Law enforcement officials reported limbs up to 6 inches in diameter were downed by thunderstorm winds.

Nickel size hail was reported at the intersection of US 71 and SR 58.

Wind gusts were estimated at 70 mph by on-duty NWS employees at the Pleasant Hill WFO.

Flat hail up to 2.5 inches in diameter fell at the NWS office in Pleasant Hill.

Power lines were downed near Dover.

Power lines were downed near Alma.

A hayshed was lifted off its foundation and a combine was lifted and thrown by thunderstorm winds. Tree limbs up to 12 inches in diameter were broken and thrown about.

Carroll County Emergency Management reported a tornado in open fields 4 miles south of Norborne. The tornado moved northeast for 2.5 miles, and trees and power lines were downed along its path.

Thunderstorm winds damaged the roof of a home east of Carrollton.

Thunderstorm winds tore the roof off a residence and toppled several trees nearby.

Law enforcement officials reported trees and power lines down along Old Highway 36.

Power lines were downed in Kirksville.

Emergency managers reported large trees uprooted between Milan and Humphries.

A storm spotter with the Holden Fire Department observed a tornado 7 miles south of Holden that remained on the ground for two minutes, moving northeast. Several trees and power lines were downed by the storm.

Large trees were downed in Pilot Grove.

Thunderstorm wind gusts of 80 mph damaged property and trees in rural Pettis County. One homeowner reported that the glass had been blown out of a storm door, and outbuildings sustained minor damage. A second homeowner reported extensive shingle damage to his roof, and many uprooted or damaged trees on his property. Also, a hay feeder ring was found hundreds of yards from its original position, apparently carried by the thunderstorm winds.

Two separate episodes of heavy rain affected central Missouri on May 26 and the morning of May 27. The first event, on the morning of May 26, produced 3.80 inches of rain at Otterville. Another complex of thunderstorms arrived shortly after 9 pm, bringing more heavy rain. At 11 pm, roads were becoming flooded near New Lebanon and just south of Pilot Grove. By 11:50 pm, emergency managers reported that all roads south of Pilot Grove had become impassable due to high water. Otterville recorded another 3.27 inches of rain between 9 pm and 5 am, bringing the total to 7.07 inches in just over 24 hours.

Two separate complexes of thunderstorms moved across central Missouri on May 26 and the morning of May 27, producing at least 4 to 5 inches of rain in the Sedalia area in just over 24 hours. The NWS cooperative observer at the Sedalia Water Treatment Plant reported a total of 4.55 inches of rain. Sedalia Memorial Airport recorded over 5 inches of rain. Widespread flooding closed numerous roads in and around Sedalia, including US Highways 50 and 65. Roads were under as much as 2 to 3 feet of water, and emergency crews had to assist several motorists who were trapped by quickly rising waters.