Flash Flooding and Flooding in Missouri, January 4 to 6, 2005

Name: Flash Flooding and Flooding in Missouri, January 4 to 6, 2005
Start: 2005-01-04T15:00
End: 2005-01-06T12:30
Location: Missouri

January 4 to 6, 2005 · NWS SGF · 4 events in 1 county or zone

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: 4

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.

Several periods of heavy rain in conjunction with little vegetation over the winter months set the stage for widespread flooding across much of extreme southeast Kansas and southern and central Missouri. In Lawrence County, numerous roads and low lying areas were inundated and impassable by motorists. Locations that were affected by flooding include, a section of County Road 2220 west of Verona, a section of Highway 97 three miles north of Stotts City, the Spring River in several locations of Lawrence County, several county roads and low water crossings countywide, a section of Highway DD near the intersection of Highway M, and a section of Highway 99 near the intersection of Highway 37.

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 Jan 4, 5:37 AM CST, 9 hours 23 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 4, 5:37 AM CST, 9 hours 23 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
537 AM CST TUE JAN 4 2005

LOTS TO PONDER THIS FORECAST PACKAGE WITH FORECAST AREA RIGHT IN THE
MIDDLE OF AN IMPRESSIVE BAROCLINIC ZONE.  MAIN CONCERNS IN THE SHORT
TERM WILL BE WITH FLOODING POTENTIAL...PRECIPITATION TYPE IN THE
NORTHERN CWA AND OBVIOUSLY WITH THE TEMPERATURES.

NEXT WAVE OF PRECIPITATION IS TAKING AIM AT THE FORECAST AREA AND
WAS LOCATED ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS AS OF THIS
WRITING.  FRONT WHICH WAS MOSTLY STATIONARY LAST NIGHT ON THIS SHIFT
HAS PUSHED ACROSS ALL BUT EXTREME SOUTHEAST SECTION OF CWA WITH
TEMPERATURE GRADIENT FROM LOW 60S IN OREGON COUNTY TO JUST ABOVE
FREEZING IN THE NORTHWEST COUNTIES.  WATER VAPOR SHOWS HUGE CLOSED
UPPER LOW JUST OFF THE CALIFORNIA COAST WITH IMPRESSIVE MOISTURE
STREAM INTO THE SOUTHERN/CENTRAL PLAINS AND MISSISSIPPI VALLEY
REGIONS.

FOR TODAY...UPPER SHORTWAVE SHOULD HELP TO DEVELOP SURFACE WAVE
ALONG THE FRONT OVER THE SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS AND MAY CAUSE FRONT TO
LIFT SLIGHTLY BACK TO THE NORTH OVER THE CWA.  AM REALLY NOT
EXPECTING FRONT TO LIFT TOO MUCH FURTHER NORTH AND THUS DO NOT SEE
GUIDANCE TEMPS BEING ATTAINED TODAY.  WITH 100% CLOUD COVER AND NEAR
100 POPS TODAY SHOULD NOT SEE MUCH IN THE WAY OF TEMPERATURE RISES.
HAVE INCLUDED SOME RISES IN THE SOUTHEAST WHERE FRONT MAY MOVE
SLIGHTLY NORTH.  SOME AREAS ACROSS MY CENTRAL MISSOURI COUNTIES HAVE
RECEIVED BETWEEN 1 AND 2 INCHES OF RAINFALL DURING THE PAST 36 HOURS
AND HAVE REDUCED THE FLASH FLOOD GUIDANCE.  HIGHEST QPF TOTALS LOOK
TO OCCUR ACROSS MY NORTHERN CWA SO HAVE DECIDED TO GO AHEAD WITH A
FLOOD WATCH FOR TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NORTH OF A PITTSBURG KANSAS
TO SALEM LINE.  ADDITIONAL RAIN AMOUNTS OF ONE TO TWO INCHES WILL
CAUSE SIGNIFICANT RISES ON AREA STREAMS WHICH ARE ALREADY FORECAST
IN FLOOD.  TEMPERATURES SHOULD REMAIN ABOVE FREEZING ACROSS MY
NORTHWEST COUNTIES DURING THE DAY AND AM NOT EXPECTING ANY FREEZING
RAIN TODAY.

FOR TONIGHT...MORE UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE ENERGY WILL MOVE INTO THE
AREA WITH CONTINUED CHANCES OF MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN ACROSS THE
FORECAST AREA.  THE HEAVIEST RAIN IS EXPECTED ACROSS THE NORTHERN
HALF OF THE CWA.  TEMPERATURE PROFILES INDICATE THAT MY NORTHERN
MOST COUNTIES MAY FLIRT WITH THE FREEZING MARK OVERNIGHT TONIGHT AND
PRECIPITATION MAY BE IN THE FORM OF FREEZING RAIN AT TIMES.  WITH
THIS AREA RIGHT ON THE EDGE OF RAIN/FREEZING RAIN HAVE DECIDED TO GO
WITH A RAIN OR FREEZING RAIN WORDING IN THE GRIDS FOR NOW.  THIS
AREA IS CURRENTLY IN A WINTER STORM WATCH AND WILL BE CHANGING TO AN
ADVISORY THIS MORNING.  IF LATER MODEL TRENDS SUGGEST COLDER AIR
MOVING IN THEN THIS MAY NEED TO BE UPGRADED HOWEVER CURRENT MODEL
TRENDS WOULD LEAN TOWARDS AN ADVISORY.

FOR WEDNESDAY/WEDNESDAY NIGHT...SURFACE LOW WILL TRACK NORTHEAST
ALONG THE FRONT AND ACROSS THE CWA SO WOULD NOT EXPECT MUCH CHANGE
IN THE THERMAL PROFILE AND FRONTAL POSITION UNTIL LATE IN THE DAY.
AS THE COLDER AIR FILTERS IN AND COLD DEPTH INCREASES BY LATE
WEDNESDAY...PRECIPITATION MAY CHANGE OVER TO A BRIEF PERIOD OF
SNOW.  IT APPEARS THAT THE COLDER AIR MASS HOWEVER WILL LAG BEHIND
THE MAIN AREA OF PRECIPITATION...SO AM NOT EXPECTING MUCH IN THE WAY
OF ACCUMULATION WITH THIS SYSTEM.  PRECIPITATION SHOULD END BY
WEDNESDAY EVENING FROM WEST TO EAST WITH CLEARING OVERNIGHT AND MUCH
COLDER TEMPERATURES.  CURRENTLY GOING WITH THE TEENS IN THE WEST
WHICH WILL CLEAR OUT THE FASTEST AND MID 20S IN THE FAR SOUTHEAST
SECTIONS.

FOR THE EXTENDED...ANOTHER UPPER SHORTWAVE LOOKS TO MOVE INTO THE
AREA BY FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY WITH POSSIBLY ENOUGH GULF MOISTURE
WORKING NORTHWARD INTO THE AREA TO KEEP LOW POPS GOING.  TEMPERATURE
PROFILES LOOK WARM ENOUGH FOR RAIN AND HAVE TAKEN OUT MENTION OF ANY
SNOW FOR NOW.

LINDENBERG
&&

.AVIATION...
ISENTROPICALLY INDUCED LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN OVER THE STATIONARY
FRONT WILL CONTINUE OVER MUCH OF THE 24 HOUR TERMINAL AERODROME
FORECAST FOR BOTH JOPLIN AND SPRINGFIELD.  THIS RAIN SHIELD WILL
CAUSE FLIGHT CONDITIONS TO REMAIN IFR TO LIFR THROUGH TODAY.  WINDS
WILL PERSIST OUT OF THE NORTHEAST AT AROUND 9 TO 12 MPH.

CRAMER
&&

.SGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
.MO...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY TUESDAY EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY
EVENING GENERALLY ALONG AND NORTH OF A NEVADA TO VERSAILLES LINE.
FLOOD WATCH TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY AREAS GENERALLY NORTH OF A LAMAR
TO SALEM LINE.
.KS...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY TUESDAY EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY
EVENING FOR BOURBON COUNTY.
FLOOD WATCH TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY FOR BOURBON AND CRAWFORD
COUNTIES.

WFO SGF

Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 4, 1:46 PM CST, 1 hour 14 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
146 PM CST TUE JAN 4 2005

KSZ073-097-101-MOZ055>058-066>071-077>083-088>098-101>106-051200-
BARRY-BARTON-BENTON-BOURBON-CAMDEN-CEDAR-CHEROKEE-CHRISTIAN-CRAWFORD-
DADE-DALLAS-DENT-DOUGLAS-GREENE-HICKORY-HOWELL-JASPER-LACLEDE-
LAWRENCE-MARIES-MCDONALD-MILLER-MORGAN-NEWTON-OREGON-OZARK-PHELPS-
POLK-PULASKI-SHANNON-ST. CLAIR-STONE-TANEY-TEXAS-VERNON-WEBSTER-
WRIGHT-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...AVA...BOLIVAR...BRANSON...CAMDENTON...
FORT LEONARD WOOD...FORT SCOTT...HOUSTON...JOPLIN...LEBANON...
MONETT...MOUNT VERNON...NEOSHO...NEVADA...OSAGE BEACH...OZARK...
PITTSBURG...ROLLA...SPRINGFIELD...STOCKTON AND WEST PLAINS.
146 PM CST TUE JAN 4 2005

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE MISSOURI OZARKS AND EXTREME
SOUTHEAST KANSAS.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

  MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED
  ACROSS THE ENTIRE OUTLOOK AREA THROUGH TONIGHT. THE HEAVY RAIN
  WILL CAUSE SIGNIFICANT RISES AS WELL AS FLOODING ON AREA RIVERS
  AND STREAMS. IN ADDITION...THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR FLOODING OF
  LOW WATER CROSSINGS AND OTHER LOW LYING AREAS. FOR MORE DETAILS ON
  THE FLOOD THREAT REFER TO THE FLOOD WATCH PRODUCT.

  TEMPERATURES MAY FALL TO AROUND FREEZING TONIGHT NORTHWEST OF A
  VERSAILLES TO PITTSBURG KANSAS LINE. IF TEMPERATURES DO GET THIS
  COLD THEN SOME ICE COULD ACCUMULATE...MAINLY ON ELEVATED SURFACES.
  FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE ICING THREAT REFER TO THE WINTER
  WEATHER ADVISORY PRODUCT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY.

  ADDITIONAL MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE EARLY
  WEDNESDAY...WHICH COULD LEAD TO ADDITIONAL FLOODING.

  ALSO...TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN NEAR FREEZING OVER FAR NORTHWEST
  PORTIONS OF THE OUTLOOK AREA...SO SOME ADDITIONAL ICE
  ACCUMULATIONS ARE POSSIBLE THERE.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

  SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED THROUGH TONIGHT.

IZZI

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jan 4, 10:00 AM CST, 5 hours before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
1000 AM CST TUE JAN 04 2005

..TIME..    ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE..    ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0930 AM     FLASH FLOOD      SHELL KNOB              36.63N 93.63W
01/04/2005                   BARRY              MO   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            HIGHWAY 39 NEAR SCHELL KNOB IMPASSABLE DUE TO HIGH WATER.

0957 AM     FLASH FLOOD      3 S GAINESVILLE         36.56N 92.43W
01/04/2005                   OZARK              MO   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            LOW WATER CROSSING ON ROUTE T 5 MILES EAST OF HWY 5
            CLOSED.

Local storm report, Jan 4, 10:55 AM CST, 4 hours 5 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
1055 AM CST TUE JAN 04 2005

..TIME..    ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE..    ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1040 AM     FLASH FLOOD      CASSVILLE               36.68N 93.87W
01/04/2005                   BARRY              MO   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            SIGNIFICANT STREET FLOODING IN CASSVILLE

SAW

Local storm report, Jan 4, 12:50 PM CST, 2 hours 10 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
1250 PM CST TUE JAN 04 2005

..TIME..    ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE..    ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1150 AM     FLASH FLOOD      AVA                     36.95N 92.65W
01/04/2005                   DOUGLAS            MO   PUBLIC

            STATE HIGHWAYS FF AND Y FLOODED. HUNTER, TURKEY AND
            COWSKIN CREEKS OUT OF BANKS.

TERRY

Local storm report, Jan 4, 1:57 PM CST, 1 hour 3 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
157 PM CST TUE JAN 04 2005

..TIME..    ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE..    ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0120 PM     FLASH FLOOD      1 N NORTHVIEW           37.29N 93.00W
01/04/2005                   WEBSTER            MO   EMERGENCY MNGR

            LOW WATER CROSSING FLOODED JUST NORTH OF I-44 ON
            GREENWOOD ROAD

0120 PM     FLASH FLOOD      2 NW FORDLAND           37.19N 92.98W
01/04/2005                   WEBSTER            MO   EMERGENCY MNGR

            PANTHER CREEK HAS FLOODED LOCATIONS EAST OF N. IRON
            MOUNTAIN ROAD NEAR FORDLAND.

SAW

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 flash flood, 2 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Lawrence

When: January 4, 3:00 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Lawrence County, 2 mi W of Verona
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.967, -93.800

Flood, Lawrence

When: January 4, 5:00 PM CST to January 5, 1:00 AM CST
Where: Lawrence forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.106, -93.833 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Lawrence

When: January 5, 1:00 AM CST to 12:15 PM CST
Where: Lawrence County, Countywide
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.117, -93.883

Flood, Lawrence

When: January 5, 12:15 PM CST to January 6, 12:30 PM CST
Where: Lawrence forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.106, -93.833 (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.
Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Missouri in 2005 Every state in 2005 This day in weather history Warnings in Missouri, January 2005

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: 5435290, 5435291, 5435292, 5435293.