This is a continuation of the Polk County tornado that entered the northwestern portion of Dallas County near the Polk-Hickory-Dallas County lines. Bob and Robin Moroni ages 49 and 47, were sleeping in their modular home when the tornado struck.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS SGF wrote it up.
This is a continuation of the Polk County tornado that entered the northwestern portion of Dallas County near the Polk-Hickory-Dallas County lines. The tornado then tracked through rural areas and small communities of northern Dallas County where it destroyed approximately 48 homes and outbuildings and claimed the lives of two local residents.Bob and Robin Moroni ages 49 and 47, were sleeping in their modular home when the tornado struck. They were both deceased from being thrown several yards from their location.
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 May 4, 4:08 PM CST, 2 hours 12 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTED LAST LINE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO 508 PM CDT SUN MAY 4 2003 ...MESOSCALE CONVECTIVE DISCUSSION... SUPERCELL OVER LABETTE COUNTY KANSAS AND ANOTHER OVER NOWATA COUNTY WILL BE MOVING INTO THE FAR SOUTHWESTERN PORTIONS OF OUR CWA WITHIN ABOUT AN HOUR. SKIES HAVE CLEARED OVER EXTREME SOUTHWEST MISSOURI AND THE ATMOSPHERE HAS BECOME VERY UNSTABLE. 0-1KM HELICITIES OF 150-300 M2/S2 OVER THE AREA...0-3KM CAPE OF OVER 100 J/KG AND INCREASING RAPIDLY NOW THAT SUN HAS EMERGED. THE POTENTIAL FOR LONG TRACKED AND STRONG TORNADOES IS VERY HIGH WEST OF AN OSCEOLA...TO SPRINGFIELD...TO BRANSON LINE. SUPERCELL MOVING OUT OF CRAWFORD COUNTY CONTINUES TO MOVE INTO AN ENVIRONMENT FAVORABLE FOR CONTINUED TORNADO PRODUCTION...AND STRONG, LONG TRACKED TORNADO IS POSSIBLE WITH THAT CELL AS WELL AS IT MOVES THROUGH BARTON COUNTY. UNCONFIRMED REPORTS OF SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURAL DAMAGE IS NOW BEING REPORTED WITH THE TORNADO IN CRAWFORD. .SGF... MO...NONE. KS...NONE. IZZI
KSZ073-097-101-MOZ055>058-066>071-077>083-088>098-101>106-051100-
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
100 PM CDT SUN MAY 4 2003
...OUTBREAK OF VIOLENT THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOS LIKELY THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING...
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE MISSOURI OZARKS AND EXTREME
SOUTHEAST KANSAS.
.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.
WEATHER HAZARDS EXPECTED:
NUMEROUS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING...
VERY LARGE HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF BASEBALLS
DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 70 MPH
TORNADOS...INCLUDING THE POTENTIAL OF STRONG
AND PARTICULARLY DAMAGING TORNADOS
AREAS AFFECTED AND TIMING:
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING WEST OF AN OSCEOLA TO NEOSHO LINE
AS EARLY AS 2 PM...AREAS ALONG AND WEST OF HIGHWAY 65 BETWEEN 3
AND 5 PM...AND AREAS BETWEEN 65 AND HIGHWAY 63 BETWEEN 4 AND 6 PM.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE WESTERN HALF OF THE OUTLOOK
AREA UNTIL 6 PM.
DISCUSSION:
CLOUD COVER WILL DECREASE THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON AND ALLOW FOR
STRONG SURFACE HEATING. A HUMID AND VERY UNSTABLE AIR MASS IS
FORECAST TO MOVE INTO THE OUTLOOK AREA THIS AFTERNOON. A POWERFUL
LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL DRAG A DRYLINE INTO THE WESTERN PORTIONS
OF THE OUTLOOK AREA THIS AFTERNOON. GIVEN THE EXTREMELY FAVORABLE
AND STRONG WINDS ALOFT...AND THE AMOUNT OF INSTABILITY FORECAST TO
BE PRESENT...EXPLOSIVE DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS
ANTICIPATED BY EARLY TO MID AFTERNOON OVER THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF
THE OUTLOOK AREA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL THEN MOVE RAPIDLY
EASTWARD ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE OUTLOOK AREA LATE THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY BECOME FAVORABLE FOR SUPERCELLS THIS
AFTERNOON AS SURFACE DEWPOINTS SURGE WELL INTO THE 60S TO NEAR 70
DEGREES. LARGE AND DAMAGING HAIL...DESTRUCTIVE STRAIGHT LINE
WINDS...AND TORNADOS...INCLUDING THE POTENTIAL FOR A FEW LONG
LIVED AND PARTICULARLY DESTRUCTIVE TORNADOS.
THE WEATHER SITUATION WILL LIKELY EVOLVE VERY RAPIDLY WITH STORMS
DEVELOPING BY 2 PM. ONCE STORMS DEVELOP THEY WILL INTENSIFY
RAPIDLY...BECOMING SEVERE AND POSSIBLY TORNADIC WITH IN AN HOUR OF
INITIATION. PERSONS OVER THE ENTIRE OUTLOOK SHOULD TAKE TIME NOW
TO REVIEW TORNADO SAFETY RULES AND BE READY TO REACT QUICKLY IF
THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.
THIS IS POTENTIALLY A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THOSE IN THE
OUTLOOK AREA ARE URGED TO REVIEW SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY RULES AND
TO LISTEN TO RADIO AND TELEVISION AND NOAA WEATHER RADIO.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.
NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE REQUIRED AS EARLY AS 2 PM OVER WESTERN
PORTIONS OF THE OUTLOOK AREA...AND BETWEEN 2 PM AND MIDNIGHT FOR
THE REMAINDER OF THE OUTLOOK AREA.
&&
THIS PRODUCT IS NOW AVAILABLE IN GRAPHICAL FORMAT...ALONG WITH OTHER
WEATHER...HYDROLOGICAL AND CLIMATE INFORMATION...AT
HTTP://WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/SGF
IZZIPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
707 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0500 PM GIRARD KS TORNADO
05/04/03 CRAWFORD CONFIRMED ON GROUND.
REPORTED BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
708 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0705 PM 1 N PIERCE CITY MO TORNADO
05/04/03 LAWRENCE DAMAGE REPORTED.
REPORTED BY HAM RADIO
OPERATOR.PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
711 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0508 PM ARMA KS TORNADO
05/04/03 CRAWFORD METEOROLOGIST REPORTED
TORNADO ON GROUND.
REPORTED BY PUBLIC.PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
713 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0712 PM HUMANSVILLE MO TORNADO
05/04/03 POLK TWO HOMES DESTROYED. .
REPORTED BY EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT.PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
716 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0709 PM VERONA MO TORNADO
05/04/03 LAWRENCE TORNADO ON GROUND
MOVING EAST TOWARDS
VERONA. . REPORTED BY
LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
720 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0709 PM 4 W AURORA MO TORNADO
05/04/03 LAWRENCE DEBRIS SIGHTED.
REPORTED BY OFF-DUTY
NWS EMPLOYEE.The Springfield radar (KSGF), 63 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:18 UTC.
1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado, Dallas | 2003-05-04 | 49 | Male | Permanent Home | Direct |
| Tornado, Dallas | 2003-05-04 | 47 | Female | Permanent Home | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Missouri in 2003Every state in 2003This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Missouri, 2003Warnings in Missouri, May 2003
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: 5358172.