Narrow but heavy bands of snow affected portions of the Missouri Ozarks during the morning hours of March 4. Snow bands as narrow as 20 miles produced accumulations up to 8 inches.
Every event with a place to put it; 14 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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.
Narrow but heavy bands of snow affected portions of the Missouri Ozarks during the morning hours of March 4. Snow bands as narrow as 20 miles produced accumulations up to 8 inches. Nearly whiteout conditions were reported within these intense snow bands where hourly accumulations approached 2 inches per hour.
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 Mar 3, 11:47 PM CST, 2 hours 13 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
1147 PM CST MON MAR 3 2008
.DISCUSSION...
SHORT TERM (TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY)...
THE WEATHER SCENARIO FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS WILL BE RATHER COMPLEX
AS MODELS HAVE AGAIN INDICATED THAT THE STRONG UPPER LOW OVER NORTH
TEXAS WILL MOVE ACROSS NORTHERN ARKANSAS TONIGHT. COLD TEMPERATURES AT
THE SURFACE CONTINUE TO SLIDE TO THE SOUTHEAST AND WILL BE THROUGH
THE REGION BY SUNSET. FORECAST SOUNDINGS FROM THE RUC/GFS/NAM ARE
ALL INDICATING TEMPERATURES CONDUCIVE TO SNOW AFTER 00Z-02Z. PORTIONS
OF SOUTH CENTRAL MISSOURI MAY SEE SOME ACCUMULATING ICE AS THIS
AREA WILL TRANSITION TO SNOW LATE TONIGHT. THIS IS INDICATED WELL
BY THE GFS AND WRF. ONE CAUTION IS THAT THE WRF IS INDICATING MUCH
HIGHER SNOWFALL AMOUNTS AS COMPARED TO THE ECMWF AND GFS. THE WRF
DEVELOPS A DECENT TROWAL OVER THE OZARKS WITH THE LOW DEEPENING
AND MOVING ON A MORE NORTHERLY TRACK. HAVING A HARD TIME FINDING A
REASON THE LOW WOULD TRACK NORTH WITH THE GFS AND ECMWF SHOWING A
MORE REASONABLE EAST TO NORTHEAST TRACK.
UNDERSTANDING THIS...HAVE STILL BUMPED TOTAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS UP
A TOUCH AND INTRODUCED ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS IN THE SOUTH EASTERN
HALF OF THE AREA. STRONG UPPER DIVERGENCE ASSOCIATED WITH THE
300 MB JET AND STRENGTHENING 850-700 FRONTOGENESIS ALONG AN AREA OF
STRONG WARM AIR ADVECTION OVER SOUTH CENTRAL MISSOURI INDICATES
THAT A HEAVY BAND OF SNOW WILL DEVELOP ACROSS SOUTHERN MISSOURI.
OVERALL SNOW AMOUNTS ALONG AND SOUTH OF I-44 TO BE FROM 5 TO 9
INCHES. IF A HEAVIER BAND DOES DEVELOP IT WOULD BE ALONG AND JUST
SOUTH OF I-44. THIS IS WHERE ANY HEAVIER AMOUNTS WOULD FALL. AS
THE SYSTEM MOVES EAST OF THE AREA TUESDAY AFTERNOON...THE SNOW
WILL TAPER OFF FROM WEST TO EAST.
HATCH
LONG TERM (WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY)...
THE REGION WILL REMAIN UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF A NORTHWESTERLY FLOW
ALOFT THROUGH THE WEEK AS THE MEAN UPPER RIDGE POSITION REMAINS
ENTRENCHED OUT WEST. A SERIES OF SHORTWAVES AND ASSOCIATED COLD
FRONTS WILL RIDE DOWN THIS FLOW BRINGING REINFORCING SHOTS OF
CANADIAN AIR THROUGH THE WEEK. ONE SUCH FRONT WILL ARRIVE WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON WITH ANOTHER STRONGER FRONTAL PASSAGE ON FRIDAY.
MOISTURE WILL BE LIMITED WITH THESE SYSTEMS BUT SOME LIGHT SNOW OR
FLURRIES CANNOT BE RULED OUT ESPECIALLY WITH THE SYSTEM ON FRIDAY.
TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN BELOW NORMAL INTO THE WEEKEND. A FRESH
SNOW PACK WILL FURTHER SUPPORT COLDER TEMPERATURES THE NEXT COUPLE
OF DAYS AND WENT BELOW MODEL GUIDANCE.
FOSTER
&&
.AVIATION...
FOR THE 06Z KSGF/KJLN TAFS...THE SECOND ROUND OF PRECIPITATION IS
STARTING TO MOVE INTO THE AREA. HAVE GOTTEN REPORTS OF A SLEET AND
SNOW SOUTH AND EAST OF SPRINGFIELD OVER THE LAST HOUR. HAVE
INCLUDE A TEMPO GROUP FOR A SNOW SLEET MIX AT THE KSGF TAF SITE
FOR THE FIRST COUPLE HOURS OF THE TAF PERIOD.
THE MAIN STORM SYSTEM STILL REMAINS OVER NORTHERN TEXAS AND WILL
KICK OFF TO EAST AND NORTH OVERNIGHT. A NARROW AND HEAVY SNOW BAND
WILL LIKELY SET UP NORTH OF THIS UPPER LEVEL LOW. STILL THINKING
THAT THE SPRINGFIELD TERMINAL WILL BE ON THE NORTHERN AND WESTERN
FRINGES OF THIS BAND OF SNOW AS IT MOVES ACROSS THE AREA. IFR
CONDITIONS CAN BE EXPECTED IN THIS BAND THAT SHOULD MOVE INTO THE
AREA AROUND 8Z AND MOVE OUT TUESDAY MORNING. THE JOPLIN TERMINAL
SHOULD REMAIN JUST TO THE NORTH OF THE BAND...BUT CANNOT RULE OUT
A PERIODS OF LIGHT SNOW HERE. THEREFORE...HAVE INCLUDED A TEMPO
GROUP FOR SNOW AT THE KJLN TAF SITE THROUGH 11Z.
WISE
&&
.SGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MO...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 6 PM CST TUESDAY FOR MOZ058-070-071-
081>083-090>092-095>098-101>106.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM CST TUESDAY FOR MOZ056-057-
068-069-077>080-088-089-093-094.
KS...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM CST TUESDAY FOR KSZ101.
&&HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO 803 PM CST MON MAR 3 2008 KSZ073-097-101-MOZ055>058-066>071-077>083-088>098-101>106-050215- BOURBON-CRAWFORD-CHEROKEE-BENTON-MORGAN-MILLER-MARIES-VERNON- ST. CLAIR-HICKORY-CAMDEN-PULASKI-PHELPS-BARTON-CEDAR-POLK-DALLAS- LACLEDE-TEXAS-DENT-JASPER-DADE-GREENE-WEBSTER-WRIGHT-NEWTON- LAWRENCE-CHRISTIAN-DOUGLAS-HOWELL-SHANNON-MCDONALD-BARRY-STONE- TANEY-OZARK-OREGON- 803 PM CST MON MAR 3 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF THE MISSOURI OZARKS AND EXTREME SOUTHEAST KANSAS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW WILL DEVELOP TONIGHT WITH ACCUMULATIONS OF FOUR TO EIGHT INCHES ALONG AND EAST OF A LINE FROM FROM CASSVILLE...TO SPRINGFIELD...TO OSAGE BEACH. LOCALLY HEAVIER ACCUMULATIONS UP TO 10 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE. AREAS WEST OF THIS LINE CAN EXPECT A DUSTING TO THREE INCHES OF SNOWFALL. FLOODING WILL CONTINUE ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE OUTLOOK AREA...DUE TO THE EXCESSIVE RAINFALL THAT WAS RECEIVED OVERNIGHT AND TODAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. DUE TO EXCESSIVE RAINFALL...FLOODING WILL LIKELY CONTINUE INTO TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. PERIODS OF SNOW WILL ALSO CONTINUE INTO TUESDAY MORNING BEFORE ENDING TUESDAY AFTERNOON. MINOR SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT AS ANOTHER DISTURBANCE PASSES OVER THE REGION. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED THROUGH TONIGHT. && THIS PRODUCT IS NOW AVAILABLE IN GRAPHICAL FORMAT...ALONG WITH OTHER WEATHER...HYDROLOGICAL AND CLIMATE INFORMATION...AT HTTP://WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/SGF(ALL LOWERCASE) WISE/FOSTER
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
826 PM CST MON MAR 03 2008
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0825 PM FLOOD 4 E LANTON 36.52N 91.73W
03/03/2008 HOWELL MO DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
MODOT REPORTS STATE ROUTE 142 CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING AT
THE MYATT CREEK EAST OF LANTON.
&&
ANGLEThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
14 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy snow accumulations of 4 to 7 inches fell within a 20 mile wide band across the county. Snowfall rates approached 1 inch per hour at the height of the event resulting in a rapid deterioration of road conditions.
Heavy snow accumulations of 4 to 7 inches fell across the northern portion of the county. Snowfall rates approached 1 inch per hour at the height of the event resulting in a rapid deterioration of road conditions.
Heavy snow accumulations of 4 to 8 inches fell within a 25 mile wide band across the county. Snowfall rates approached 2 inches per hour at the height of the event resulting in whiteout conditions and a rapid deterioration of road conditions.
Heavy snow accumulations of 4 to 7 inches fell within a 20 mile wide band across the southeast portion of the county. Snowfall rates approached 1 inch per hour at the height of the event resulting in whiteout conditions and a rapid deterioration of road conditions.
Heavy snow accumulations of 4 to 8 inches fell within a 25 mile wide band across the county. Snowfall rates approached 2 inches per hour at the height of the event resulting in near whiteout conditions and a rapid deterioration of road conditions.
Heavy snow accumulations of 4 to 7 inches fell within a 20 mile wide band across the western portion of the county. Snowfall rates approached 1 inch per hour at the height of the event resulting in a rapid deterioration of road conditions.
Heavy snow accumulations of 4 to 7 inches fell within a 20 mile wide band across the southeast portion of the county. Snowfall rates approached 1 inch per hour at the height of the event resulting in a rapid deterioration of road conditions.
Heavy snow accumulations of 4 to 7 inches fell across the county. Snowfall rates approached 1 inch per hour at the height of the event resulting in a rapid deterioration of road conditions.
Heavy snow accumulations of 4 to 8 inches fell across the county. Snowfall rates approached 1 inch per hour at the height of the event resulting in a rapid deterioration of road conditions.
Heavy snow accumulations of 4 to 7 inches fell across much of the county. Snowfall rates approached 1 inch per hour at the height of the event resulting in a rapid deterioration of road conditions.
Heavy snow accumulations of 4 to 7 inches fell across the eastern portion of the county. Snowfall rates approached 1 inch per hour at the height of the event resulting in a rapid deterioration of road conditions.
Heavy snow accumulations of 4 to 7 inches fell across the eastern portion of the county. Snowfall rates approached 1 inch per hour at the height of the event resulting in a rapid deterioration of road conditions.
Heavy snow accumulations of 4 to 7 inches fell across the county. Snowfall rates approached 1 inch per hour at the height of the event resulting in a rapid deterioration of road conditions.
Heavy snow accumulations of 4 to 7 inches fell across the county. Snowfall rates approached 1 inch per hour at the height of the event resulting in a rapid deterioration of road conditions.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Missouri in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Missouri, March 2008
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: 87242, 87243, 87244, 87245, 87261, 87262, 87246, 87250, 87251, 87252, 87255, 87256, 87257, 87259.