Heat in Missouri, August 1 to 5, 2001

Name: Heat in Missouri, August 1 to 5, 2001
Start: 2001-08-01T00:00
End: 2001-08-05T20:00
Location: Missouri

August 1 to 5, 2001 · NWS EAX · 37 events in 37 counties and zones

Excessive heat and humidity covered northwest Missouri between August 1st and August 5th. Afternoon heat indices ranged from 105 to 113 degrees.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 37 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: 4
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 37

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.

Excessive heat and humidity covered northwest Missouri between August 1st and August 5th. Afternoon heat indices ranged from 105 to 113 degrees. Three males and one female died in the Kansas City Metropolitan area.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Kansas City, MO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 31, 12:45 PM CST, 11 hours 15 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 31, 12:45 PM CST, 11 hours 15 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
145 PM CDT TUE JUL 31 2001

PRIMARY CONCERNS ARE HEAT AND POPS LATE WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY.

HIGH DEW POINTS...75 TO 80...WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE MID 90S
ACROSS THE CWA THROUGH AT LEAST WEDNESDAY WILL NECESSITATE HEAT
WARNINGS DUE TO THE LENGTH OF TIME...3 DAYS OF HAVING HEAT INDICES
ABOVE 105. INDICATIONS ARE FOR THE RIDGE TO BACK UP TO THE WEST AND
BE CENTERED OVER CWA WEDNESDAY WHICH WILL MAKE FOR WARMER
CONDITIONS.

MODELS AGREE ON BRINGING VERY WEAK FRONT INTO NORTHERN MISSOURI
WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY....THEY ONLY DIFFER IN DEPTH OF
PENETRATION INTO THE CWA. IN ANY CASE THE MAIN PUSH FOR BOUNDARY
WILL BE TO THE EAST AND BOUNDARY WILL ONLY SAG INTO NRN ZONES BEFORE
DISSIPATING. WILL BRING POPS TO FAR NORTH CWA WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND
LINGER INTO THURSDAY.  FORECAST SOUNDING SHOW CAP ERODING...AND WITH
MOD INSTABILITY...WEAK CONVERGENCE ALONG FRONT TO TRIGGER A FEW
RW/TRW. WITH WEAK CAP AND LIGHT NWLY FLO ALOFT DEVELOPING THUR...ANY
RW/TRW WHICH DEVELOPS ACR NRN ZONES THURS AFTN TO DRIFT INTO SRN
ZONES THURS NGT. FNT TO LIFT NORTH ON FRIDAY...ENDING THREAT OF
PRECIP.

PARTIAL CLOUD CVR AND FNT WL PROVIDE ONLY SLIGHT RELIEF FM THE HEAT
AT BEST. AS A RESULT...WL EXTEND EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING INTO THURS.

IN THE EXTENDED...LATEST AVN SIMILIAR TO MRF IN BUILDING UPR RDG
INTO NRN PLAINS. BY LATE THIS WEEKEND...A DEEP EASTERLY FETCH WL
PREVAIL WHICH WL SUPPORT LTL COOLER TEMPS. LATEST AVN SUGGEST H8
TEMPS COOLING TO AROUND 20 CELSIUS. THIS APPEARS REASONABLE...BUT
MAY BE A LTL TOO COOL.

.EAX...
KS...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNINGk ALL ZONES THROUGH THUR.
MO...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING ALL ZONES THROUGH THUR.

JACQUES/DB

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

37 heat. Local standard time, as filed.

Heat, Adair

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Adair forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 40.191, -92.601 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Andrew

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Andrew forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 39.984, -94.802 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Atchison

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Atchison forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 40.431, -95.428 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Bates

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Bates forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 38.257, -94.340 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Buchanan

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Buchanan forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 39.660, -94.806 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Caldwell

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Caldwell forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 39.656, -93.983 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Carroll

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Carroll forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 39.427, -93.505 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Cass

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Cass forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 38.647, -94.355 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Chariton

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Chariton forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 39.515, -92.963 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Clay

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Clay forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 39.311, -94.421 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Clinton

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Clinton forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 39.602, -94.405 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Cooper

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Cooper forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 38.844, -92.810 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Daviess

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Daviess forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 39.961, -93.985 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, De Kalb

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: De Kalb forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 39.893, -94.405 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Gentry

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Gentry forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 40.212, -94.410 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Grundy

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Grundy forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 40.114, -93.565 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Harrison

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Harrison forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 40.355, -93.992 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Henry

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Henry forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 38.385, -93.793 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Holt

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Holt forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 40.094, -95.215 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Howard

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Howard forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 39.143, -92.696 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Jackson

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Jackson forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 39.009, -94.346 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Johnson

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Johnson forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 38.744, -93.806 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Lafayette

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Lafayette forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 39.066, -93.785 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Linn

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Linn forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 39.870, -93.107 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Livingston

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Livingston forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 39.782, -93.548 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Macon

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Macon forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 39.831, -92.565 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Mercer

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Mercer forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 40.422, -93.569 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Nodaway

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Nodaway forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 40.361, -94.883 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Pettis

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Pettis forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 38.728, -93.285 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Platte

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Platte forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 39.381, -94.774 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Putnam

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Putnam forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 40.479, -93.016 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Randolph

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Randolph forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 39.440, -92.497 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Ray

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Ray forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 39.352, -93.990 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Saline

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Saline forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 39.137, -93.202 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Schuyler

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Schuyler forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 40.470, -92.521 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Sullivan

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Sullivan forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 40.211, -93.111 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Worth

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Worth forecast zone
Deaths: 4 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 40.479, -94.422 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

Event	Date	Age	Sex	Where	Kind
Heat, Worth	2001-08-02	61	Male	Permanent Home	Direct
Heat, Worth	2001-08-03	85	Female	Permanent Home	Direct
Heat, Worth	2001-08-03	77	Male	Permanent Home	Direct
Heat, Worth	2001-08-06	37	Male	Outside/Open Areas	Direct

What these are

Heat: Heat below excessive heat criteria that still caused deaths, injuries or significant impacts.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Missouri in 2001 Every state in 2001 This day in weather history Warnings in Missouri, August 2001

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: 5265293, 5265294, 5265295, 5265296, 5265297, 5265375, 5265376, 5265377, 5265378, 5265379, 5265380, 5265381, 5265382, 5265383, 5265384, 5265385, 5265386, 5265387, 5265388, 5265389, 5265390, 5265391, 5265392, 5265393, 5265394, 5265395, 5265396, 5265397, 5265398, 5265399, 5265400, 5265401, 5265402, 5265403, 5265404, 5265405, 5265406.