Missouri, 2001

Flash Flooding in Missouri, October 10, 2001

October 10, 2001 · NWS SGF · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

During the morning of October 10, a band of very heavy rainfall fell over portions of southwest Missouri. It produced a swath of four to eight inches of rainfall in a narrow band from Northwestern Newton County, northeast across Southern Jasper, Northern Lawrence, Southeast Dade, Northwest Greene, and Southern Polk County.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 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
$18,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

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 SGF wrote it up.

During the morning of October 10, a band of very heavy rainfall fell over portions of southwest Missouri. It produced a swath of four to eight inches of rainfall in a narrow band from Northwestern Newton County, northeast across Southern Jasper, Northern Lawrence, Southeast Dade, Northwest Greene, and Southern Polk County. It caused several roads to close around Neosho, Red Oak, Reeds, Pennsboro, Everton, Walnut Grove, Stotts City, and Morrisville. Numerous creeks and rivers also rose significantly, especially the Sac and Little Sac River, as well as the Spring River. The Spring River actually rose above flood stage for a few hours during the height of the storm. A bridge was damaged along Highway 51 and 28 near Walnut Grove. The torrential downpours caused nearly 4,000 dollars in damage to a local greenhouse near Sarcoxie, and water damage to a barn near Pierce City. Additional heavy rainfall during the morning kept numerous roads and low water bridges flooded through the early afternoon.

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 Springfield, MO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Oct 10, 1:00 AM CST, 1 hour earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 10, 1:00 AM CST, 1 hour before
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In the hours before

Local storm report, Oct 9, 9:34 PM CST, 4 hours 26 minutes before
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The radar

The Springfield radar (KSGF), 83 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 08:01 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Jasper

When
October 10, 2:00 AM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where
Jasper County, South Portion
Property damage
$4,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
37.204, -94.341 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Newton

When
October 10, 2:00 AM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where
Newton County, North Portion
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
36.906, -94.339 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Lawrence

When
October 10, 2:15 AM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where
Lawrence County, North Portion
Property damage
$4,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
37.106, -93.833 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Dade

When
October 10, 2:55 AM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where
Dade County, South Portion
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
37.432, -93.850 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Greene

When
October 10, 5:30 AM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where
Greene County, Northwest Portion
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
37.258, -93.342 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Polk

When
October 10, 5:45 AM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where
Polk County, South Portion
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
37.617, -93.400 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

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.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Missouri in 2001Every state in 2001This day in weather historyWarnings in Missouri, October 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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5271122, 5271124, 5271123, 5271120, 5271121, 5271125.