Flooding in Missouri, April 10 to 11, 2008

Name: Flooding in Missouri, April 10 to 11, 2008
Start: 2008-04-10T05:00
End: 2008-04-11T04:00
Location: Missouri

April 10 to 11, 2008 · NWS PAH · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

A strong low pressure system moved northeast from eastern Kansas across the central Plains. Widespread heavy rain and thunderstorms over saturated ground produced flooding.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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: $75,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 7

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 PAH wrote it up.

A strong low pressure system moved northeast from eastern Kansas across the central Plains. Widespread heavy rain and thunderstorms over saturated ground produced flooding. Rainfall was mostly in the 2 to 4 inch range.

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 Paducah, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 10, 2:09 AM CST, 2 hours 51 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 10, 2:09 AM CST, 2 hours 51 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
309 AM CDT THU APR 10 2008

.DISCUSSION...
MODERATE RISK OF SVR OVER NEARLY ENTIRE FA TODAY. WARM FRONT
CURRENTLY SITTING ON SRN DOORSTEP STILL MODELLED TO LIFT NORTH
THIS AM...SPREADING RAIN SHIELD AND EMBEDDED/MAINLY ELEVATED
THUNDER RISK NORTH AND EAST AS BOUNDARY LIFTS. SOME SVR POTENTIAL
EXISTS AS WARM FRONT LIFTS AND LOW LAYER HELICITY INCREASES ALONG
WITH INCREASING LLJ...COORDINATION W/SPC REVEALS WATCH TO BE
ISSUED SOON. BY PM HOURS WE ARE IN WARM SECTOR AND MAY HAVE
TEMPORARY LULL...AS SURFACE WAVE DEVELOPS AND PUSHES COLD FRONT
TOWARD US FROM THE WEST. THIS WILL GENERATE ACTIVE LINE OF
CONVECTION WHICH WILL INCLUDE BEST CHC SVR AS WIND FIELDS/SHEAR IS
STRONG/IMPRESSIVE. SWODY1 TEXT SUGGESTS THREAT CONTINUES OVERNIGHT
WITH ACTIVE CONVECTION PRIMARILY IN PRE FRONTAL SQUALL AND MAIN
THREAT BEING DAMAGING WINDS GIVEN POWERFUL FLOW OFF THE SURFACE
AND ALOFT.

NEAR 100 POPS ANTICIPATED THIS AM NORTH AND WEST TAPERING TO
LIKELY POPS SOUTH AND EAST...WITH CATEGORICAL POPS OVERNIGHT AS
PRE FRONTAL SQUALL MOVES ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA. OTHER PRIMARY
THREAT REMAINS FLOOD POTENTIAL WITH 1-2 RAIN ON STILL WET GROUNDS
KEEPING FFA ACTIVE THREAT TIL END OF EVENT.

END OF EVENT IS BEHIND FROPA WHICH IS NOT ENTIRELY REMOVING
CONVECTIVE CHANCES UNTIL SOMETIME FRI. WE SPLIT THE MODEL
DIFFERENCES AND DECIDED TO LINGER POPS THRU THE DAY BUT REMOVE
THUNDER BY MIDDAY. THE TRANSITION TO A TROFFY PATTERN THAT WILL
HOLD THRU THE WEEKEND THEN OCCURS...WITH LIGHT SHOWERY CHANCES
REMAINING IN THE WEEKEND FORECAST. IN FACT THE THERMAL PROFILE IS
SUCH THAT SAT NIGHT MAY EVEN SEE A LIGHT MIX/CHANGE OF LIQUID TO
FROZEN...THOUGH MINIMAL AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED.

NEW MOS FOR TEMP FORECAST IS CLOSE AND GENERALLY FLOWED W/GOING
FORECAST NOS AND NEW COLLAB PIC.

&&

.AVIATION...
LOTS TO TALK ABOUT FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS. FIRST OFF...THE EARLY
MORNING HOURS WILL BE TRICKY WITH THE WARM FRONT TO OUR SOUTH...CIGS
AND VSBYS ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE. CIGS ARE AS LOW AS 300 FT IN SOME
PLACES BUT VFR OTHER PLACES. SAME WITH VSBYS. THIS WILL BE THE CASE
UNTIL THE WALL OF RAIN REACHES THE TAF SITES. LOOKS LIKE KCGI SHOULD
EXPERIENCE PRECIP WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR OR SO...WITH THE MAIN AREA OF
RAINFALL SLOWLY MOVING EASTWARD WITH TIME. IT WILL LIKELY BE CLOSE
TO SUNRISE OR SLIGHTLY THEREAFTER BEFORE THE OTHER TERMINALS SEE THE
RAIN. THERE WILL BE SOME EMBEDDED THUNDER AS WELL. RAINFALL WILL
CONTINUE FOR MOST OF THE MORNING HOURS.

BY LATE MORNING AND INTO THE AFTERNOON HOURS...WE SHOULD SEE A LULL.
HOW MUCH SUNSHINE DEVELOPS IS FAIRLY UNCERTAIN BUT WE SHOULD AT
LEAST SEE A RISE TO VFR CIGS/VSBYS. ANOTHER ASPECT WILL BE THE
STRONG GUSTY SOUTH WINDS THAT WILL COMMENCE LATER TODAY. WE COULD
SEE GUSTS TO NEARLY 35 KTS IN PLACES. NEW SHRA/TRSA DEVELOPMENT WILL
BE POSSIBLE AS WE HEAD INTO THE LATE AFTERNOON HOURS. HOWEVER...THE
MAIN LINE OF CONVECTION WILL LIKELY HOLD OFF UNTIL THE EVENING
HOURS...WHICH WILL OUT AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT.

&&

.PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
KY...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM NOON CDT TODAY THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR
     BALLARD-CALDWELL-CALLOWAY-CARLISLE-CHRISTIAN-CRITTENDEN-
     DAVIESS-FULTON-GRAVES-HENDERSON-HICKMAN-HOPKINS-LIVINGSTON-
     LYON-MARSHALL-MCCRACKEN-MCLEAN-MUHLENBERG-TODD-TRIGG-UNION
     KY-WEBSTER.

MO...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM NOON CDT TODAY THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR
     BOLLINGER-BUTLER-CAPE GIRARDEAU-CARTER-MISSISSIPPI-NEW
     MADRID-PERRY MO-RIPLEY-SCOTT-STODDARD-WAYNE MO.

IL...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM NOON CDT TODAY THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR
     ALEXANDER-EDWARDS-FRANKLIN-GALLATIN-HAMILTON-HARDIN-JACKSON-
     JEFFERSON-JOHNSON-MASSAC-PERRY IL-POPE-PULASKI-SALINE-UNION
     IL-WABASH-WAYNE IL-WHITE-WILLIAMSON.

IN...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM NOON CDT TODAY THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR
     GIBSON-PIKE-POSEY-SPENCER-VANDERBURGH-WARRICK.

&&

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 10, 2:38 AM CST, 2 hours 22 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
338 AM CDT THU APR 10 2008

ILZ075>078-080>087-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ014>022-111000-
JEFFERSON-WAYNE IL-EDWARDS-WABASH-PERRY IL-FRANKLIN-HAMILTON-
WHITE-JACKSON-WILLIAMSON-SALINE-GALLATIN-GIBSON-PIKE-POSEY-
VANDERBURGH-WARRICK-SPENCER-UNION KY-WEBSTER-HOPKINS-CHRISTIAN-
HENDERSON-DAVIESS-MCLEAN-MUHLENBERG-TODD-
338 AM CDT THU APR 10 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN
ILLINOIS...SOUTHWEST INDIANA...AND WESTERN KENTUCKY.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY AND
TONIGHT. A SIGNIFICANT OUTBREAK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS
POSSIBLE. THE BEST CHANCE TIME FRAME IS FROM LATE AFTERNOON AND
EVENING INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. STRONG TORNADOES...DAMAGING
WINDS...AND LARGE HAIL ARE ALL POSSIBLE. FLOODING RAINS ARE
ALSO A THREAT. REFER TO THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR MORE DETAILED
INFORMATION. ALSO REFER TO THE LATEST FLOOD STATEMENTS FOR MORE
DETAILED RIVER FLOODING INFORMATION.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

FOR INFORMATION ON FLOODING...REFER TO THE LATEST FLOOD WARNINGS
AND STATEMENTS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY LATER TODAY OR TONIGHT.

ILZ088>094-KYZ001>013-MOZ076-086-087-100-107>112-114-111000-
UNION IL-JOHNSON-POPE-HARDIN-ALEXANDER-PULASKI-MASSAC-FULTON-
HICKMAN-CARLISLE-BALLARD-MCCRACKEN-GRAVES-LIVINGSTON-MARSHALL-
CALLOWAY-CRITTENDEN-LYON-TRIGG-CALDWELL-PERRY MO-BOLLINGER-
CAPE GIRARDEAU-WAYNE MO-CARTER-RIPLEY-BUTLER-STODDARD-SCOTT-
MISSISSIPPI-NEW MADRID-
338 AM CDT THU APR 10 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN
ILLINOIS...WESTERN KENTUCKY...AND SOUTHEAST MISSOURI.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT. A WARM FRONT WILL LIFT NORTH THIS
MORNING AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS...INCLUDING THE
POTENTIAL FOR TORNADOES...ARE THE PRIMARY THREAT.

IN ADDITION MUCH OF THE REGION IS UNDER A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE
WEATHER LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT. A SIGNIFICANT OUTBREAK OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS IS POSSIBLE. THE BEST CHANCE TIME FRAME IS FROM LATE
AFTERNOON AND EVENING INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. STRONG
TORNADOES...DAMAGING WINDS...AND LARGE HAIL ARE ALL POSSIBLE.
FLOODING RAINS ARE ALSO A THREAT. REFER TO THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH
FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION. ALSO REFER TO THE LATEST FLOOD
STATEMENTS FOR MORE DETAILED RIVER FLOODING INFORMATION.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

FOR INFORMATION ON FLOODING...REFER TO THE LATEST FLOOD WARNINGS
AND STATEMENTS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY LATER TODAY OR TONIGHT.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Ripley

When: April 10, 5:00 AM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Ripley County, Doniphan to 1.94 mi S of Doniphan
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 36.620, -90.820

A few streets were closed in Doniphan.

Flood, Bollinger

When: April 10, 6:00 AM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Bollinger County, Marble Hill to 2.02 mi NNW of Laflin
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 37.300, -89.970

Crooked Creek went slightly over its banks, but no buildings were flooded.

Flood, Butler

When: April 10, 6:00 AM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Butler County, Poplar Bluff to 1.1 mi NNW of Lone Hill
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 36.750, -90.400

Low areas were flooded on some roads. The entire length of Highway N was closed. High water on County Road 450 west of Poplar Bluff caused a loaded school bus to turn around.

Flood, Carter

When: April 10, 6:00 AM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Carter County, Van Buren to 3.5 mi NNE of South Van Buren
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 37.000, -91.020

Many roads with low water crossings were impassable. Schools dismissed early. Highways M, Y, and Z were closed. County Road 228 was flooded with two feet of water near the intersection of Route E. Creeks and low-lying areas were flooded. About four inches of rain fell in the county.

Flood, Perry

When: April 10, 6:00 AM CST to April 11, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Perry County, Perryville to 2.97 mi SSE of Perryville
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 37.720, -89.870

Apple Creek was out of its banks and flooding numerous county roads. Highway B was flooded and closed from Perryville to Biehle.

Flood, Wayne

When: April 10, 6:00 AM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where: Wayne County, Piedmont to 1.89 mi E of Piedmont Muni Arpt
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $75,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 37.170, -90.720

In an area that was severely impacted by record flooding in March, major creek flooding occurred. Voluntary evacuations were requested for Piedmont, where McKenzie Creek left its banks. A few people were rescued on the south side of Piedmont. About 40 people were sheltered at a church as a precaution. No more than a half dozen homes were affected by this flood in Piedmont. The levels of McKenzie Creek were reportedly only about one-third of the height of the March 18 flood. Main Street was partially covered by creek floodwaters, and water lapped at the base of a bridge. Along the Black River west of Piedmont, nine people were evacuated by boat from a subdivision along the Black River. Half of the subdivision was underwater. Some of the homes had over six feet of water in them.

Flood, Cape Girardeau

When: April 10, 11:00 AM CST to April 11, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Cape Girardeau County, Cape Girardeau to 1.29 mi ENE of Delta
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 37.300, -89.530

Highway T and County Road 349 were flooded. Standing water was over Highway P near Delta.

What these are

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 2008 Every state in 2008 This day in weather history Warnings in Missouri, April 2008

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: 89406, 89399, 89400, 89402, 89403, 89412, 89414.