Thunderstorms along a slow moving cold front produced large hail, damaging winds, heavy rain and flash flooding.
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.
Thunderstorms along a slow moving cold front produced large hail, damaging winds, heavy rain and flash flooding.
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 Sep 21, 12:08 PM CST, 42 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
108 PM CDT MON SEP 21 2009
...UPDATE TO AVIATION...
.DISCUSSION...
CLEAR SKIES...LIGHT WINDS...AND A SATURATED BOUNDARY LAYER WILL
CAUSE AREAS OF DENSE FOG TO PERSIST THROUGH MUCH OF THE EARLY
MORNING HOURS. SEVERAL LOCATIONS WILL EXPERIENCE NEAR ZERO
VISIBILITIES...AND A FOG ADVISORY MAY BE IN ORDER. THE EASTERN
OZARKS MAY HAVE THE BEST CHANCES AT EXPERIENCING WIDESPREAD DENSE
FOG...AND WILL KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON OBSERVATIONS IN THIS REGION.
AREAS NEAR LAKES...SUCH AS TABLE ROCK...LAKE OF THE OZARKS...AND
STOCKTON WILL ALSO HAVE BETTER CHANCES AT LOWER VISIBILITIES AS WELL.
AN UNSEASONABLY STRONG STORM SYSTEM CONTINUES TO MAKE A BEE LINE FOR
THE CENTRAL PLAINS. THIS FEATURE WILL FORCE A COLD FRONT THROUGH
SOUTHEAST KANSAS AND THE OZARKS LATE THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT. IN
RESPONSE TO THIS VIGOROUS COLD FRONT...STRONG TO SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY TO DEVELOP IN AREAS ALONG AND WEST OF THE
HIGHWAY 65 CORRIDOR THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. MIXED LAYER CAPES
ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE INTO THE 2000-2500 J/KG RANGE.
HOWEVER...DUE TO LOW MAGNITUDES OF WIND SHEAR...THE FREQUENCY AND
INTENSITY OF SEVERE STORMS WILL BE MITIGATED TO AN EXTENT.
MARGINALLY SEVERE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE
HAZARDS.
PERHAPS THE PRIMARY HAZARD ASSOCIATED WITH TONIGHTS STORMS COULD BE
FLASH FLOODING. SOIL CONDITIONS ARE MOIST AND EVEN SATURATED IN
SOME AREAS. MEANWHILE...PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES AHEAD OF TONIGHTS
FRONT WILL INCREASE TO AROUND 1.75 INCHES. ANY TRAINING OR SLOW
MOVEMENT OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY CREATE FLASH FLOODING IN SOME
SPOTS. ILL BE COLLABORATING THOUGHTS ON A POSSIBLE FLASH FLOOD
WATCH WITH SURROUNDING OFFICES THIS MORNING. A LAST MINUTE CALL
PRIOR TO ISSUANCE TIME WILL BE MADE ON THIS POSSIBLE HEADLINE.
ITS BECOMING MORE LIKELY THAT DRY WEATHER WILL FOLLOW THE PASSAGE OF
TONIGHTS COLD FRONT. ALL MODELS SUGGEST A MASSIVE MID LEVEL DRY
SLOT TO REPLACE THE MOISTURE LADEN AIR BEHIND THE FRONT. MEANWHILE
THE WRF SOLUTION IS SOMEWHAT OF AN OUTLIER...SUGGESTING THE
POSSIBILITY OF SOME LIGHT SHOWERS DEVELOPING UNDER THE MID LEVEL
COLD CORE ACROSS SE KANSAS AND WESTERN MISSOURI. AS A MATTER OF
FACT...THE MET GUIDANCE HAS LIKELY POPS GOING TUESDAY AND TUESDAY
NIGHT.
AFTER COLLABORATION WITH THE HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL PREDICTION CENTER
AND SEVERAL SURROUNDING OFFICES...IT APPEARS AS THOUGH THE WRF HAS
FEEDBACK ISSUES...DEVELOPING A WEAK AREA OF LOW PRESSURE OVER
EASTERN KANSAS AND WESTERN MISSOURI. THE ECMWF SOLUTION APPEARS TO
BE HANDLING THE SYNOPTIC LOW BETTER THAN ALL MODELS...AND HAVE
FOLLOWED THIS CLOSELY WITH PRECIPITATION CHANCES AND WEATHER.
THEREFORE HAVE FAVORED LOWER POPS FOR THE TUESDAY - THURSDAY NIGHT
TIME FRAME.
THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF MEASURABLE
PRECIPITATION LATE IN THE WEEK. THERE ARE SOME SIGNALS WITHIN THE
MEDIUM RANGE SOLUTIONS THAT INDICATES AN EASTWARD PROGRESSION WITH
THE DEVELOPING MID LATITUDE CYCLONE. THIS WOULD BRING FORCING AND
INCREASED MOISTURE BACK OVER THE REGION TOWARD THE FRIDAY-SUNDAY
TIME FRAME.
CRAMER
&&
.AVIATION...
THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT IN CENTRAL
KANSAS. THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK EAST.
IFR VISIBILITIES WILL BE POSSIBLE NEAR THUNDERSTORMS WITH
THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING HEAVY RAINFALL. THE COLD FRONT WILL MOVE
THROUGH THE AERODROMES DURING THE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT HOURS
BRINGING A WIND SHIFT TO THE NORTH. BEHIND THE FRONT CEILINGS
WILL LOWER WITH AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF MVFR AND IFR CEILINGS
EXPECTED.
ANGLE
&&
.SGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MO...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING FOR MOZ066-077>079-
088>090-093>095-101>104.
KS...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING FOR KSZ073-097-101.
&&HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO 1255 PM CDT MON SEP 21 2009 KSZ073-097-101-MOZ055>058-066>071-077>083-088>098-101>106-221800- 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- 1255 PM CDT MON SEP 21 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF THE MISSOURI OZARKS AND EXTREME SOUTHEAST KANSAS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS WILL OCCUR THIS AFTERNOON WEST OF A LINE FROM WARSAW TO SPRINGFIELD TO BRANSON THROUGH THIS EVENING. A FEW OF THESE STORMS COULD PRODUCE HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF QUARTERS...ALONG WITH DAMAGING WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. HEAVY RAIN WILL ALSO ACCOMPANY THESE STORMS...RESULTING IN FLASH FLOODING IN SOME AREAS. THESE STORMS WILL LIKELY WEAKEN AS THEY TRANSLATE EAST ACROSS THE REST OF THE OZARKS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS CAN NOT BE RULED OUT FROM TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. LOW PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY TRACK THROUGH THE PLAINS...EVENTUALLY PROGRESSING EAST TOWARDS THE OZARKS LATE IN THE WEEK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED ACROSS SOUTHEAST KANSAS AND WEST MISSOURI. && 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) ANGLE
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO 1139 AM CDT MON SEP 21 2009 KSZ073-097-211745- BOURBON KS-CRAWFORD KS- 1139 AM CDT MON SEP 21 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR BOURBON AND CRAWFORD COUNTIES UNTIL 1245 PM CDT... AT 1139 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 9 MILES SOUTHWEST OF BRONSON TO 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF PORTERVILLE TO 14 MILES SOUTHWEST OF WALNUT TO 30 MILES WEST OF MCCUNE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. PENNY SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS AROUND 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. PEOPLE IN BOURBON AND CRAWFORD COUNTIES...INCLUDING WALNUT... BRONSON...UNIONTOWN...HEPLER...REDFIELD...FORT SCOTT...FULTON... MCCUNE...GIRARD AND ENGLEVALE...SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER THREATEN. THESE STORMS ARE PRODUCING NEARLY CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. SEEK SHELTER INDOORS IMMEDIATELY AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. WISE
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
1158 AM CDT MON SEP 21 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1155 AM FLASH FLOOD FORT SCOTT 37.84N 94.71W
09/21/2009 BOURBON KS EMERGENCY MNGR
HEAVY RAIN PRODUCING STREET FLOODING IN THE TOWN OF FORT
SCOTT.
&&
CCROWESPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO 1244 PM CDT MON SEP 21 2009 KSZ097-101-MOZ066-067-077-078-088-089-211845- CRAWFORD KS-CHEROKEE KS-JASPER MO-DADE MO-BARTON MO-CEDAR MO- VERNON MO-ST. CLAIR MO- 1244 PM CDT MON SEP 21 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR BARTON...CEDAR...CHEROKEE...NORTHERN JASPER...NORTHWESTERN DADE...SOUTHEASTERN CRAWFORD...ST. CLAIR AND VERNON COUNTIES UNTIL 145 PM CDT... AT 1242 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF METZ TO HORTON TO MOUNDVILLE TO 11 MILES WEST OF FAULKNER...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH. PENNY SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS AROUND 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. THESE STORMS ARE PRODUCING NEARLY CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. SEEK SHELTER INDOORS IMMEDIATELY AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. WISE
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
1251 PM CDT MON SEP 21 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1230 PM HAIL FORT SCOTT 37.84N 94.71W
09/21/2009 E0.88 INCH BOURBON KS EMERGENCY MNGR
1230 PM HEAVY RAIN 6 SW FORT SCOTT 37.78N 94.79W
09/21/2009 M2.85 INCH BOURBON KS AWOS
2.85IN OF RAIN BETWEEN 9AM AND 1PM AT FORT SCOTT AWOS
SITE.
&&
CCROWEPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
128 PM CDT MON SEP 21 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0115 PM HAIL 5 S NEVADA 37.77N 94.35W
09/21/2009 E0.50 INCH VERNON MO LAW ENFORCEMENT
LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED DIME HAIL 5 MILES SOUTH OF
NEVADA ON HIGHWAYN 71.
&&
CCROWESPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO 142 PM CDT MON SEP 21 2009 MOZ055-056-067-211945- ST. CLAIR MO-BENTON MO-MORGAN MO- 142 PM CDT MON SEP 21 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR BENTON...MORGAN AND NORTHEASTERN ST. CLAIR COUNTIES UNTIL 245 PM CDT... AT 142 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF BRANDON TO 4 MILES NORTH OF ICONIUM...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. PENNY SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS AROUND 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE COLE CAMP...LINCOLN...STOVER...VERSAILLES AND WARSAW. OTHER LOCATIONS IN THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT INCLUDE LAKE OF THE OZARKS AND TRUMAN LAKE. THESE STORMS ARE PRODUCING NEARLY CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. SEEK SHELTER INDOORS IMMEDIATELY AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. WISE
The Pleasant Hill radar (KEAX), 92 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:48 UTC.
13 flash flood, 5 heavy rain, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees and power lines were reported down.
Quarter size hail was reported.
A CoCoRaHS observer measured 3.42 inches of rainfall from 3 to 6 PM. Water was 14 inches deep in fields at this location.
Road closures occurred near the intersection of Zora and Thicket streets and along Quaker Mill Road near Webb City.
A COOP Observer measured 3.20 inches of rainfall with runoff causing a small pond to overflow.
In 45 minutes, 2.20 inches of rain was measured causing flooding of a pond and fields.
In 30 minutes, 1.74 inches of rainfall was measured. 4 inches of water was flowing over the intersection of Lynwood Terrace and Ranch Drive.
A spotter measured 3.20 inches of rain.
West Elm Street was closed due to flooding.
There was 2.00 inches of rain measured.
There was 4.00 inches of rain measured in Lebanon.
State Route M along the Little Fork Creek was closed due to flooding.
State Route CC was closed due to flooding.
The intersection of Hickory and Mill streets were closed in Buffalo due to flooding. Another road closure occurred along Potter Road north of State Highway 215 due to flooding. Flooding was also reported along Cloverdale Road near State Highway 32 and along Redtop Road south of Summerset Road.
State Route W was closed due to flooding.
State Highway CC was closed in 3 locations between Highway 13 and Highway 65.
Farm Road 156 flooded on the west side of the bridge over Wilson's Creek.
State Route EE was closed at the North Fork due to flooding.
State Route 38 was closed due to flooding along the Hawk River.
The Flat Creek gauge was 9 inches above flood stage.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Missouri in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Missouri, September 2009
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: 196637, 196638, 196617, 196616, 196632, 196633, 196618, 196634, 196619, 196635, 196636, 196620, 196621, 196623, 196624, 196625, 196626, 196628, 196629, 196631.