Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Missouri, May 8, 2009

Sixty to 90 mph winds impacted nearly all of Jasper County. Damage to trees, structures, buisiness signs, and power poles was widespread. The most significant damage occurred from winds knocking over a television tower at KSN TV on the west side of Joplin. This television tower fell into portions of the studio building, and caused the station to be off-air for several weeks. Part of the tower also fell on a nearby residence, destroying a vehicle and damaging a house. Thousands of Jasper County residences were left without power for several days. Several other homes were damaged from large trees falling on them. The Joplin Globe estimated that at least 2,000 homes had some roof damage and nearly 1500 trees were knocked over.

Widespread structural, tree, and power pole damage occurred across the majority of Barton County. The city of Lamar was impacted the greatest with numerous structures sustaining roof damage. A storage building at a lumber store was completely destroyed while the Lamar High School sustained major roof damage, causing rain to flood the gymnasium. Over 2000 residences lost power throughout the county. The community of Liberal had numerous structures that sustained damage, while it was estimated that Golden City had approximately 12 homes with damage.

Severe thunderstorm wind gusts ranging between 60 and 80 mph caused widespread damage to trees, power poles, and structures across much of Newton County. A roof was destroyed on a mobile home located near the intersection of Iris Road and Highway NN. Rain fell into the home, destroying the rest of the structure. In Diamond there were two buisinesses that had significant roof damage. The Dollar General Store in Neosho sustained roof damage and allowed water to enter the store. One building was destroyed at a fiberglass company in Neosho. A few thousand residences had lost power due to fallen power poles and lines.

Sixty to 85 mph winds caused widespread wind damage across much of Lawrence County. Damage consisted of trees, power poles, structures, and business signs. Winds destroyed a garage along with several outbuildings in Round Grove, and three homes experienced roof and window damage in an area of intense tree damage. A few businesses in Mount Vernon experienced roof and window damage. One home in Miller was destroyed from winds estimated at 85 mph. In Pierce City, most of the city experienced power loss from damaged power lines and poles. Large trees were downed and blocked nearly one half dozen roads, while a roof was completely torn off of an auto shop on Commercial Street.

Destroyed outbuildings, damage to roofs and other structures, downed trees, and knocked over power poles were all a result of 50 to 85 mph wind gusts that impacted almost all of Barry County. Monett was impacted the greatest as hundreds of structures sustained roof damage. Meanwhile several outbuildings west of Monett along Highway 60 were completely destroyed. There were also destroyed outbuildings along Highway 37 near the community of Purdy. A large roof was torn off of a storage facility that blocked a city street for several hours in Monett. The Gizmo's Event Center grandstand in Wheaton was heavily damaged, which caused heavy rain to destroy the interior of a banquet hall that was being constucted beneath the grandstand.

Sixty to 85 mph wind gusts created widespread damge to trees, power poles, and a few structures across much of Dade County. The southern half of the county was impacted the greatest, particularly in the community of Lockwood where numerous large trees were uprooted. Power line damage created power outages for residents of the community. There was also considerable tree and power pole damage in Greenfield as several city streets were blocked by debris. Power outages in Greenfield ranged from 24 to 48 hours.

Fifty to 80 mph winds caused damage to trees, boat docks, and boats across southern and central Cedar County. The most significant damage occurred on Stockton Lake, where the State Park Marina, Orleans Trail Marina, and Mutton Creek Marina had expensive damage to docks and boats. The State Park Marina estimates that 1.2 million dollars of damage occurred to the wave wall proctector. One boat broke away from a dock and became wedged underneath the dock. In the campgrounds, numerous trees were knocked over and one of the bath houses was destroyed. Several other outbuildings and numerous trees were damaged across the southern portion of the county.

Two to four inches of rain created widespread flooding across much of Vernon County. Locations where flooding was observed included Nevada, sections of Highway 71, sections of Highway 54, and sections of several county roads.

A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that an EF-1 tornado tracked across a rural section of southeast Dade County. The damage path was intermittent from just south of Fiddler's Ford to Carr Cemetary. The tornado damaged trees and outbuildings along its path.

Sixty to 80 mph winds impacted a widespread area of Stone County. These severe thunderstorm wind gusts downed thousands of trees, particularly in the northern half of the county. The only known structural damage from these winds occurred at the Branson West Wal-Mart. A two foot hole was ripped off the roof causing heavy rain to flow inside the store, damaging merchandise. Several roads were blocked from downed trees.

Sixty to 90 mph winds created widespread damage to trees, structures, and power poles across much of the county. Roof damage to homes and businesses was significant in and around the communities of Billings, Nixa, Highlandville, and Ozark. Two mobile homes were heavily damaged in Highlandville from large trees falling on them. Several power poles were knocked over in Nixa, causing damage to some of the mobile units of the school district.

Sixty to 90 mph winds caused widespread tree, power pole, and structural damage across much of Greene County. Major roof damage to schools included Willard North Elementary, Fair Grove High School, Ash Grove High School, Bois D' Arc Elementary, and Glendale High School. Four students were injured at Fair Grove High School as debris fell into the school while the roof was peeling off. Portions of the elementary and middle school were completely destroyed, along with some light poles on the baseball field. The Ebenezer fire station and fire trucks sustained major damage. Several billboards west of Springfield along Interstate 44 were destroyed. The Sam's Club on Highway 65 and Sunshine had a temporary wall that was peeled off of the building. The Willard High School baseball field had major damage to the press box and dugouts. At Fellows Lake, the marina was broken into three pieces, and jammed the boat docks up onto the boat ramp. Thousands of residences across Greene County lost power up to three days.

Two to four inches of rain fell across Cedar County. Several county roads flooded during this episode. One particular area that experienced significant flash flooding was the intersection of Turkey Creek and Highway AA.

The Republic Emergency Management Director visually spotted and tracked a tornado that touched down southwest of Republic and moved across the city. Approximately 50 structures were damaged. The heaviest damage appeared to be concentrated on Kristopher Street.

Seventy to 90 mph winds caused massive damage across much of Polk County. The central and southern sections of the county was impacted the greatest. Hundreds of outbuildings were either heavily damaged or destroyed. The communities of Bolivar and Pleasant Hope experienced damage to several hundred structures. At Southwest Baptist University, a large tree fell on a car that was occupied by a student. The student was injured and transported to the hospital. The Marion C. Early High School gymnasium experienced significant damage. In Tin Town, a farm experienced signficant damage to the home and all outbuildings.

Fifty to 80 mph wind gusts downed thousands of trees across much of Taney County. The northern half of the county was impacted the greatest as structural damage occurred to a modular home in Forsyth from a large tree falling on the structure. Several power poles across the northern half of the county were downed and resulted in power outages.

A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that an EF-1 tornado touched down in a field about one quarter of a mile west of the intersection of Willard Road and Farm Road 115. A house located along Farm Road 115 sustained heavy damage. A few outbuidlings at the same location were destroyed. The tornado crossed Highway 160, and lifted approximately two miles south of Fantastic Caverns.

A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that an EF-1 tornado touched down approximately two miles northwest of Brighton, and tracked north across southern Polk County. The tornado lifted approximately two miles east southeast of Bolivar. The tornado damaged or destroyed several outbuildings and barns, and caused moderate to severe damage to frame homes. In addtion, numerous trees were uprooted.

A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that an EF-0 tornado touched down near the intersection of Highway 13 and Highway WW. The tornado tracked to the northeast over an intermittent path prior to lifting near the intersection of Highway H and Farm Road 148. The tornado damaged several outbuildings and trees along its path.

Numerous oubuildings, trees, and power poles were damaged from 60 to 85 mph wind gusts. The greatest impact of these winds occurred over southern Dallas County. One newspaper stated that not a single hay barn across areas of southern Dallas County was fully intact. An Alltel tower was blown down approximately three miles south of Buffalo.

A tornado touched down in rural sections of the county and caused damage to a home and numerous outbuildings on Essray Road. Intense tree damage also occurred as the tornado tracked into southeastern Christian County.

This tornado is an extension of the Taney County tornado. A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that an EF-1 tornado impacted extreme southeast Christian County. Wind speeds were estimated at 100 mph as the tornado damaged two homes, destroyed a few outbuildings, and downed numerous trees. The tornado eventually tracked into western Douglas County.

Fifty to 85 mph wind gusts impacted nearly all of Webster County. Over 500 businesses and homes were damaged, meanwhile, hundreds of outbuildings were either damaged or destroyed. Tree damage was intense and widespread across all of the county. A communications tower owned by the Webster County Sheriff's Office was blown down near the community of Elkland. The ticket booth at Marshfield High School's football field along with the bus barn in Niangua were heavily damaged.

Sixty to 80 mph wind gusts swept across all of Douglas County causing widespread damage to trees, outbuildings, and power poles. Several shops, barns, and other farm related outbuildings were destroyed across the county. In Ava, damage mainly consisted of a few roofs that had minor damage. Communities within the county that were impacted the greatest include Pansy, Goodhope, and Redbank.

One to three inches of rain caused flooding of small streams and creeks. One particular stream that experienced significant flooding was Brush Creek. This creek flooded a section of Highway J.

This tornado is an extension of the Christian County tornado. A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that an EF-1 tornado tracked into southwest Douglas County. Trees and a few outbuildings were damaged from the tornado.

A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that an EF-1 tornado touched down near Highway 60 approximately one mile east of Fordland, and tracked northeast to near Diggins Road. The tornado damaged a delivery truck, a roof off the Memory Lane Dairy Farm, several trees, and an outbuilding on Diggins Road.

A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that an EF-2 tornado with winds up to 130 mph touched down approximately one mile north of Merritt. The tornado tracked northeast along a two and a half mile path before lifting northwest of Goodhope. The tornado damaged two homes, several outbuildings, and numerous trees.

A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that an EF-2 tornado touched down two miles west of Goodhope and tracked northeast for about two and a half miles. The tornado tore a roof off of a home along with damaging numerous trees.

Two to four inches of rain fell over Hickory County. Several low lying county roads flooded. A couple of specific locations that flooded included the intersection of Starkes Creek and Highway P and a section of Highway D south of Preston.

A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that an EF-2 tornado touched down two miles west of Charity and tracked northeast over an intermittent path. The tornado destroyed three frame homes and numerous outbuildings. One indirect fatality and another injury resulted from this tornado. A man and his wife were both injured when their house was destroyed. He later died from a heart attack while being transported to the hospital.

Sixty to 80 mph wind gusts impacted much of Ozark County. The northern half of the county experienced the greatest damage, mainly in the form of uprooted trees. A few outbuildings were also damaged. The Ozark County Times, a newspaper in Gainesville, stated that thousands of trees were damaged. Power poles were also impacted, knocking out power to 2,300 residences and businesses. There were also a few outbuildings in Theodosia and Isabella that were completely destroyed.

A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that an EF-1 tornado touched down near Mt. Zion and tracked about one mile to the northeast. The tornado caused minor home damage, destroyed a barn, and uprooted several trees.

A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that an EF-1 tornado impacted a rural section of northwest Ozark County. The tornado destroyed seven outbuildings and damaged three houses. Tree damage was intense, particularly near the intersection of County Road 950 and County Road 955.

Sixty to 90 mph wind gusts caused widespread damage to trees, power poles, outbuildings, homes, and businesses across all of Wright County. The community of Mansfield was impacted the greatest, as power outages from downed utility lines and poles lasted for up to three days. Numerous homes experienced roof damage. Mansfield Building Company experienced heavy damage, while the roof on the Norwood post office peeled away.

Widespread wind damage occurred across central and southern Laclede County. Trees, outbuildings, and power poles were the primary items that were damaged. In Conway, several homes experienced minor roof damage. Rural areas south of Lebanon experienced the most intense wind speeds. In Lebanon, a few trees were knocked over, however, structural damage was minimal.

Rainfall amounts of two to four inches flooded several areas of Camden County. Two specific locations that flooded include a section of Highway 7 southeast of Barnumton and a section of Highway BB one mile south of Montreal.

A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that significant flash flooding occurred across much of Laclede County. Several county roads, low water crossings, and drainage culverts were washed out.

A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that an EF-1 tornado with 90 to 100 mph winds occurred four miles northwest of Hartville. The tornado destroyed several outbuildings and uprooted numerous trees.

Sixty to 80 mph winds impacted central and northern Howell County. Damage to trees, power poles, and a few outbuildings were observed. The city of West Plains only sustained minor damage to a few roofs, meanwhile, areas in and around Willow Springs and Mountain View experienced extensive tree and structural damage.

Sixty to 85 mph winds impacted most of Texas County. Thousands of trees were damaged along with more than 200 power poles that were destroyed. Nearly 10,000 power outages were estimated by Intercounty Electric. Numerous outbuildings were either damaged or destroyed. In Gladden, recovery crews worked 15 hours straight to remove storm debris along a one mile stretch of a county road. Hundreds of structures in the community of Licking were damaged. A pavillion structure at the Old City Park was completely flattened by a large tree. Several mobile homes at the Green Acres mobile home park were crushed by downed large trees.

A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that an EF-0 tornado tracked across rural sections of southwest Texas County. The tornado damaged several outbuildings, while significant tree damage also occurred.

Fifty to 80 mph winds impacted mainly the southern half of Pulaski County. Far southern Pulaski County, which is primarily less populated and rural, experienced the greatest tree damage. A few power poles were also damaged resulting in power outages.

A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that an EF-2 tornado touched down near the small community of Oakland. This tornado damaged numerous outbuildings and destroyed a mobile home.

A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that an EF-3 tornado impacted a rural area just north of Pomona. The tornado destroyed a frame home. Several cars were thrown 50 yards while two school buses were knocked over. One mobile home and one travel trailer were destroyed, and two outbuildings along with an auto shop were destroyed.

A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that an EF-1 tornado tracked across rural sections of northeast Howell County. The tornado damaged a few homes along with uprooting numerous trees.

A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that an EF-2 tornado tracked across rural sections of northern Howell County. The tornado damaged several homes and outbuildings. Numerous trees were also uprooted from the tornado. This tornado continued into southeastern Texas County.

A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that an EF-1 tornado impacted a section of northeast Texas County. The tornado removed a roof from a mobile home and destroyed a barn. Numerous trees were also uprooted.

Sixty to 85 mph winds caused intense damage to trees, power poles, and structures over much of Shannon County. This damage was widespread, and impacted almost all communities within the county. The Missouri Department of Conservation estimated that nearly 13 million dollars of damage occurred to forest land, some of which was due to tornadoes. Hundreds if not thousands of structures sustained some type of damage. A sawmill was destroyed with only one wall left standing near the intersection of Highway 19 and Highway D.

Sixty to 80 mph wind gusts impacted all of Oregon County. Significant tree damage was observed countywide, while numerous outbuildings and homes sustained damage. It was relayed to the National Weather Service that several homes in the community of Koshkonong had windows that were blown out. Roof damage was widespread in all communities of Oregon County.

Two to four inches of rain caused flash flooding over sections of Fort Leonard Wood.

This tornado is a continuation of the Howell County tornado. A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that an EF-2 tornado entered southeastern Texas County from northern Howell County. The tornado tracked across rural portions of southeastern Texas County, destroying one home and several outbuildings. Two injuries occurred to the residents of the home. Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted. The tornado eventually tracked into west central Shannon County.

Fifty to 80 mph winds swept across mainly southern sections of Dent County. Thousands of trees were damaged, while power poles were also impacted leaving hundreds of residences without power. Several outbuildings and homes also experienced damage. Montauk State Park observed significant tree damage with an extended period of power outage. The community of Salem experienced signficiant tree and power pole damage.

This tornado is a continuation of the southeastern Texas County tornado. A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that an EF-2 tornado entered rural west central Shannon County from southeastern Texas County. This tornado tracked across forested areas of west central and central Shannon County, uprooting and snapping numerous trees. The Missouri Department of Conservation announced that the tornado and other high winds from this event resulted in $13M of damage to trees. The tornado also damaged a sawmill along its path.

Two to four inches of rain fell over Maries County that resulted in widespread flooding of county roads. Several roads, low water crossings, and culverts were washed out.

Three to six inches of rain fell over the southern half of Oregon County. This excessive rain resulted in significant flash flooding of creeks, rivers, and streams. Numerous low water crossings became impassable to motorists. Meanwhile, a section of Highway 19 between Alton and Thayer was impassable from Fredrick Creek.

Significant flash flooding of low lying roads resulted from one to four inches of rain that fell over Dent County. The northern section of the county experienced the heaviest rainfall, particularly near the community of Sligo.