Flash Flooding and Damaging Wind in Missouri, May 7, 2002

Name: Flash Flooding and Damaging Wind in Missouri, May 7, 2002
Start: 2002-05-07T00:07
End: 2002-05-07T04:12
Location: Missouri

May 7, 2002 · NWS EAX · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

2 flash flood, 1 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 3

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 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 May 6, 2:45 PM CST, 9 hours 22 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 6, 2:45 PM CST, 9 hours 22 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
345 PM CDT MON MAY 6 2002

MAIN CONCERN IS THREAT OF CONVECTION NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS ALONG WITH
THE THREAT OF HEAVY RAIN. MODELS UNABLE TO HANDLE SHALLOW OUTFLOW
BOUNDARY FROM THIS MORNING...ALTHOUGH AGREE WITH SURFACE DEPICTION
OF MODELS BY 12Z TUESDAY WITH FRONT STRETCHING A LITTLE SOUTH OF
I-70 BY DAYBREAK.

CURRENTLY...OUTFLO BOUNDARY STRETCHES FROM NEAR EMPORIA TO JOPLIN
WITH SATELLITE INDICATING SLOW NORTH DRIFT. AIR MASS VERY UNSTABLE
TO THE SOUTH AND WEST OF THE BOUNDARY WITH LAPS DATA SUGGESTING
LIFTED INDICES AROUND -10. DUE TO POOR MODEL DEPICTION LOW LEVEL
MASS FIELDS...HAVE LITTLE CONFIDENCE ON MODEL PLACEMENT OF HEAVY
PRECIPITATION. AGREE WITH SPC SCENARIOS OF DEVELOPMENT WEST OF
OUTFLOW BOUNDARY WITH ACTIVITY MOVING EAST OVERNIGHT. CONVECTION
WILL LIKELY DEVELOP INTO MCS AS IT MOVES EAST WITH INCREASING LLJ
PERPENDICULAR TO SLOW MOVING BOUNDARY. INSTABILITY AND SHEAR
PARAMETERS SUGGEST POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING
WINDS THE PRIMARY THREAT. HEAVY RAIN ALSO LIKELY AS STRONG CELLS
COULD EASILY TRACK ACROSS THE SAME AREA OVERNIGHT. DUE TO RECENT
HEAVY RAINFALL...HAVE ISSUED A FLOOD WATCH FOR ALL ZONES BUT THE
EXTREME NORTH. MANY AREAS NORTH OF INTERSTATE 70 RECEIVED 1 TO 2.5
INCHES WITH SEVERAL RIVERS ALREADY IN FLOOD.

CONVECTION TO SHIFT EAST OR SOUTHEAST BY AFTERNOON ON TUESDAY WITH
FUTURE DEVELOPMENT DEPENDENT UPON FUTURE OUTLOW BOUNDARIES. LITTLE
CONFIDENCE IN PLACEMENT OF MODELS...BUT WOULD EXPECT BOUNDARIES TO
BE GRADUALLY DISPLACE FURTHER NORTH WITH THE APPROACH OF THE STRONG
UPPER TROF. THEREFORE WILL KEEP POPS HIGHEST IN NORTHERN ZONES IN
VICINITY OF THE FRONT TUESDAY NIGHT. HEAVY RAIN EPISODE POSSIBLE AGAIN
TUESDAY NIGHT IF BOUNDARY STILL IN CWA.

UPPER TROF AND COLD FRONT TO PROGRESS THROUGH CWA ON WEDNESDAY WITH
THREAT OF SEVERE.

TEMPERATURES A TOUGH CALL NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS...BUT PREFER TO GO
WITH THE SLIGHTLY WARMER FWC GUIDANCE.

IN THE EXTENDED...NEXT UPPER TROF TO APPROACH THIS WEEKEND. MODELS
HAVING A LITTLE TROUBLE IN THE EASTERN PACIFIC AGAIN...BUT PREFER
LASTEST 12Z AVN WHICH WAS CONSISTENT WITH SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY
MORNING MODELS.

.EAX
MO...FLOOD WATCH TONIGHT AND TUESDAY MORNING...ZNS011>015-020>025-
028>033-037>040-043>046-053-054
KS...FLOOD WATCH TONIGHT AND TUESDAY MORNING...ZNS025-057-060-102>105

DB

645 AM...

HAVE UPDATED GRIDS/ZONES...AS SQUALL LINE CONTINUES TO TREK
SOUTHEAST INTO EASTERN KANSAS AND NORTH CENTRAL MISSOURI...FARTHER
SOUTH THAN PREVIOUSLY EXPECTED. DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL WILL LIKELY
CONTINUE TO BE THE MAIN THREATS THROUGH THE NEXT FEW HOURS...AS THE
LINE MOVES EAST/SOUTHEAST AT ABOUT 50 MPH.

SCHMIT

525 AM...
FORECAST CONCERNS CONTINUE TO BE WITH CONVECTIVE POTENTIAL FOR
TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. BOW ECHO CONTINUING TO WEAKEN AS IT MOVES
INTO AREA OF WEAKER INSTABILITY IN CENTRAL MO...WHILE ACTIVITY ALONG
NE/IA/MO BORDER STRENGTHENING ON NOSE OF LLJ. EXPECT ACTIVITY TO
GRADUALLY WEAKEN BY MID MORNING...WITH REDEVELOPMENT OCCURRING THIS
AFTERNOON. UPR LVL JET WILL MOVE OVER AREA NEXT COUPLE DAYS...AS
SEVERAL IMPULSES ROTATE THROUGH UPR FLOW. ALSO...SFC LOW TO REMAIN
SITUATED JUST TO THE WEST...SO WAA WILL PROVIDE ANOTHER COUPLE OF
WARM DAYS. EXPECT CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT THIS AFTERNOON...WITH ETA
PROGGED LIFTED INDICES AROUND -10...CAPES IN EXCESS OF 3500
J/KG...LITTLE TO NO CAP...AND MODERATE THETA E ADVECTION. BOUNDARIES
FROM THIS MORNINGS CONVECTION MAY ALSO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FOCI FOR
TS DVLPMT. HOWEVER...SFC CONVERGENCE APPEARS RELATIVE WEAK...SO
TRIGGERING MAY BE DIFFICULT. ACTIVITY MORE LIKELY THIS
EVENING/TONIGHT...AS LLJ STRENGTHENS. HELICITY APPEARS RELATIVELY
WEAK...SO SUPERCELL THREAT MAY BE SOMEWHAT LIMITED. MID LEVEL LAPSE
RATES APPEAR BEST OVERNIGHT...IN EXCESS OF 8 DEG C/KM. ALSO A FLOOD
RISK TODAY AND TOMORROW...AS WET GROUND ENDURES ADDITIONAL
RAINFALL...SO THAT WILL NEED TO BE MONITORED AS WELL. OTHERWISE...NO
CHANGES TO THE EXTENDED PORTION OF THE FORECAST.

SCHMIT

.EAX...
KS...NONE
MO...NONE

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 6, 11:13 PM CST, 54 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
1213 AM CDT TUE MAY 07 2002

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

1206 AM    4 ESE FONTANA             KS   75 MPH TSTM GUST
05/07/02   MIAMI                          REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.

Local storm report, May 6, 11:14 PM CST, 53 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
1213 PM CDT TUE MAY 07 2002

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

1206 PM    4 ESE FONTANA             KS   75 MPH TSTM GUST
05/07/02   MIAMI                          REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.

Local storm report, May 6, 11:23 PM CST, 44 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
1223 AM CDT TUE MAY 07 2002

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

1215 AM    HARRISONVILLE             MO   WIND DAMAGE
05/07/02   CASS                           TREE DOWNED.  REPORTED
                                          BY LAW ENFORCEMENT
                                          OFFICIAL.

Local storm report, May 6, 11:24 PM CST, 43 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
1223 PM CDT TUE MAY 07 2002

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

1215 PM    HARRISONVILLE             MO   WIND DAMAGE
05/07/02   CASS                           TREE DOWNED.  REPORTED
                                          BY LAW ENFORCEMENT
                                          OFFICIAL.

Special weather statement, May 6, 11:59 PM CST, 8 minutes before

MOZ045-046-054-071100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED FOR WATCH NUMBER
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
1259 AM CDT TUE MAY 7 2002

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
NUMBER 245...IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 AM CDT TUESDAY MORNING. THIS SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN MISSOURI:

COOPER...HENRY AND PETTIS.

SOME CITIES IN THIS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH INCLUDE BOONVILLE...
CLINTON AND SEDALIA.

Special weather statement, May 7, 12:04 AM CST, 3 minutes before

KSZ025-057-060-103>105-MOZ020>025-028>033-037>040-043>046-053-054-
070630-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
104 AM CDT TUE MAY 7 2002

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 244 HAS BEEN CANCELLED AS OF 104 AM
CDT TUESDAY MORNING. COUNTIES NO LONGER UNDER THIS SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH INCLUDE...

IN KANSAS:

ATCHISON...JOHNSON...LEAVENWORTH...LINN...MIAMI AND WYANDOTTE.

IN MISSOURI:

BATES...BUCHANAN...CALDWELL...CARROLL...CASS...CHARITON...CLAY...CLIN
TON...HOWARD...JACKSON...JOHNSON...LAFAYETTE...
LINN...LIVINGSTON...MACON...PLATTE...RANDOLPH...RAY AND SALINE.

THE THREAT FOR WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER HAS DIMINISHED ACROSS THESE
AREAS.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 245 HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR
PETTIS...COOPER AND HENRY COUNTIES. THIS WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6
AM...AND REPLACES WATCH NUMBER 244.

LVQ

The radar

The Pleasant Hill radar (KEAX), 90 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 06:06 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 flash flood, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Pettis

When: May 7, 12:07 AM CST
Where: Pettis County, Sedalia
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 38.700, -93.233

Flash Flood, Cooper

When: May 7, 1:03 AM CST to 4:03 AM CST
Where: Cooper County, 2 mi S of Boonville
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 38.844, -92.810 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Doyle road and U highway closed due to high water.

Flash Flood, Saline

When: May 7, 1:12 AM CST to 4:12 AM CST
Where: Saline County, Sweet Spgs
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.137, -93.202 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flooding on county road 415 and highways 127 and 417.

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.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Missouri in 2002 Every state in 2002 This day in weather history Warnings in Missouri, May 2002

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: 5294031, 5294030, 5294032.