Heavy Rain in Missouri, December 16 to 17, 2001

Name: Heavy Rain in Missouri, December 16 to 17, 2001
Start: 2001-12-16T00:00
End: 2001-12-17T12:00
Location: Missouri

December 16 to 17, 2001 · NWS LSX · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

A steady rain started on the 16th and continued until about midday the 17th. 00 inches were common across the area.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 5

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 LSX wrote it up.

A steady rain started on the 16th and continued until about midday the 17th. Rainfall amounts around 2.00 inches were common across the area. The result was numerous areas of ponding water causing some roads to be closed. Many area residents discovered leaky basements due to the rainfall.

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 St. Louis, MO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 15, 10:40 PM CST, 1 hour 20 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 15, 10:40 PM CST, 1 hour 20 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
1040 PM CST SAT DEC 15 2001

UPDATED ZONES TO INCLUDE FLOOD WATCH FOR SUN AND SUN NGT. LTST GUID
INDCTG HIER QPF OVR SRN ZNS AND XTNDD DURATION OF PCPN WARRANT
WATCH.  PCPN OVRSPRD RGN A LTL QUICKER THAN ERYLR XPCTD AND WHILE
ONLY LGT ATTIM...INTENSITY SHUD INCRS DURG DAY SUN AS LLJ
STRENGTHENS. NRN XTENT MAY HAVE TO BE EXPANDED BUT WL LV FOR LTR
SHIFTS AND NEWER GUID.

.STL...FLOOD WATCH FOR SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT FOR REYNOLDS...IRON...
MADISON...ST FRANCOIS...STE GENEVIEVE...AND RANDOLPH IL.

WDB

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, St. Charles

When: December 16, 12:00 AM CST to December 17, 12:00 PM CST
Where: St. Charles County, Countywide
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 38.782, -90.675 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Jefferson

When: December 16, 12:00 AM CST to December 17, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Jefferson County, Countywide
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 38.261, -90.538 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, St. Louis

When: December 16, 12:00 AM CST to December 17, 12:00 PM CST
Where: St. Louis County, Countywide
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 38.641, -90.443 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, St. Louis (C)

When: December 16, 12:00 AM CST to December 17, 12:00 PM CST
Where: St. Louis (C) County, Countywide
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 38.627, -90.198 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Warren

When: December 16, 12:00 AM CST to December 17, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Warren County, Countywide
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 38.765, -91.161 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Rain: Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.

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, December 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: 5274184, 5274185, 5274186, 5274187, 5274188.