A warm front was moving northward through Missouri during the early morning hours of May 7th. Showers and thunderstorms developed north of the front over northeast Missouri.
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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 LSX wrote it up.
A warm front was moving northward through Missouri during the early morning hours of May 7th. Showers and thunderstorms developed north of the front over northeast Missouri. A few of the storms produced damaging winds.
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 St. Louis, MO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 6, 11:10 PM CST, 55 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED AVIATION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO 1210 AM CDT FRI MAY 7 2010 .DISCUSSION... /346 PM CDT THU MAY 6 2010/ LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPING OVER SOUTHEAST COLORADO IS PRODUCING A WARM FRONT WHICH HAS BEEN MOVING STEADILY NORTHWARD THROUGH ARKANSAS AND OKLAHOMA INTO KANSAS AND SOUTHWEST MISSOURI. ATMOSPHERE IS BECOMING PROGRESSIVELY UNSTABLE ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE FRONT. SOME OF THIS INSTABILITY WILL RIDE UP INTO NORTHERN MISSOURI THIS EVENING AS THE LOW LEVEL JET INCREASES AND WE SHOULD SEE THUNDERSTORMS BREAK OUT OVER NORTHWEST MISSOURI/SOUTHERN IOWA DURING THE EARLY EVENING HOURS. STRONG 0-6KM SHEAR COMBINED WITH MUCAPES IN EXCESS OF 1000 J/KG SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO PRODUCE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS...POSSIBLY STRONG ENOUGH TO PRODUCE SOME LARGE HAIL OVER PARTS OF NORTHEAST MISSOURI AND WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. THINK CONVECTION WILL BE BE CONFINED TO NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA WHERE THE LLJ IS FOCUSED. INDEED...THERE'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MCON FOCUSED ON THE 850MB FRONT. NOT SURE IF THE MCON IS PRODUCING THE CONVECTION OR CONVECTIVE FEEDBACK IS PRODUCING THE MCON...BUT THERE'S DEFIANTLY A LOT OF GOOD FORCING TO BE HAD UP IN NORTHERN MISSOURI TONIGHT. LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE OUT OF THE PLAINS AND JUST NORTH OF ST LOUIS ON FRIDAY DRAGGING A COLD FRONT BEHIND IT. THINK MOST OF THE PRECIPITATION ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL STAY NORTH OF THE BI-STATE REGION AS SOUNDINGS ARE FAIRLY WELL CAPPED. HOWEVER...MODELS ARE PRINTING OUT SOME LIGHT QPF ASSOCIATED WITH THE FROPA. WILL HAVE TO WATCH THIS CLOSELY SINCE THE MODELS ARE FORECASTING SBCAPE BETWEEN 1500-2000 J/KG WITH THE FRONT IN THE AFTERNOON AS IT PASSES SOUTHEAST OF THE ST LOUIS METRO AREA INTO SOUTHERN MISSOURI AND ILLINOIS. FORECAST SOUNDINGS ARE STILL SHOWING A FAIRLY STOUT CAPPING INVERSION EARLY IN THE DAY...BUT THERE MIGHT BE ENOUGH FORCING TO GET STORMS GOING IN THE AFTERNOON. SEASONABLY COOL WEATHER WILL BUILD INTO THE REGION BEHIND THE FRONT FOR THE WEEKEND. A STRONG CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM SHOULD KEEP US COOL AND DRY FOR SATURDAY AND MOST OF SUNDAY. COULD SEE A FEW SHOWERS LATE SUNDAY AFTERNOON AS WARM ADVECTION RESUMES ALOFT AHEAD OF THE NEXT SYSTEM. NEXT WEEK IS SHAPING UP TO BE WET...WITH SEVERAL PERIODS OF OF RAIN POTENTIALLY STARTING AS EARLY AS SUNDAY NIGHT. A PERSISTENT LONGWAVE TROF OVER THE WESTERN 1/3 OF THE CONUS WILL BE THE PRIMARY CULPRIT BEHIND THIS WET WEATHER. SEVERAL SHORTWAVES EJECT THROUGH THE PLAINS INTO THE MIDWEST IN THE SOUTHWEST FLOW WHICH WILL BE PERSISTENT OVER THE REGION THROUGH THE WEEK. THE FIRST WILL COME OUT ON MONDAY...BRINGING US THE CHANCE FOR WARM ADVECTION STORMS AHEAD OF IT SUNDAY NIGHT...AND DURING THE DAY ON MONDAY. MEDIUM RANGE MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT THAT THE STORM SHOULD BE WINDING UP OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS ON TUESDAY MORNING...AND THE ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL PUSH INTO MISSOURI TUESDAY AFTERNOON OR EVENING. THERE...THE GFS AND ECMWF PART WAYS. THE GFS PUSHES THE COLD FRONT FURTHER SOUTH INTO THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY WHILE THE ECMWF STALLS IT OUT OVER OUR AREA. I THINK THE ECMWF'S SOLUTION IS MORE LIKELY SINCE BOTH MODELS ACTUALLY KEEP RIDGING OVER THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO AND THE TENNESSEE VALLEY IN THE MID AND UPPER LEVELS RATHER THAN DEEPENING A TROF OVER THOSE AREAS WHICH WOULD TEND TO PUSH COOLER AND DRIER AIR INTO THE MIDWEST. ADDITIONALLY...THE MEAN TROF OUT OVER THE ROCKIES DEEPENS WHICH WOULD ALSO TEND TO KEEP THE FRONT FURTHER NORTH RATHER THAN LET IT PROCEED INTO THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. THIS PATTERN USUALLY MEANS 'BUSY' IN MAY...SO HAVE KEPT RAIN IN THE FORECAST THROUGH DAY 7. CARNEY && .AVIATION... /1153 PM CDT THU MAY 6 2010/ ELEVATED THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BLOSSOMED ACROSS NRN MO AND NRN KS IN THE LAST 2-3HRS IN RESPONSE TO STG WAA/LIFT VIA THE SSWLY LLJ. SRN EXTENT OF THUNDER IS STILL IN QUESTION. HAVE ENOUGH CONFIDENCE TO MENTION AT KUIN...BUT NOT ENOUGH FURTHER SOUTH AS WOULD NEED ADDITIONAL SWD DEVELOPMENT FOR ANY IMPACTS AT KCOU. THIS ACTIVITY SHOULD LIFT ENE OF THE AREA DURING THE PREDAWN HOURS AS THE WARM FRONT SLOWLY LIFTS NWD. THE COLD FRONT WILL THEN PROGRESS ACROSS THE TAF SITES FROM MID MORNING THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON ON FRIDAY. SCT-BKN CU WILL DEVELOP AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT IN THE MORNING WITH SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOP ALONG THE COLD FRONT IN THE AFTERNOON. GUSTY WEST WINDS IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT. SPECIFICS FOR KSTL... STILL THINK ANY SHOWER/THUNDERSTORM THREAT WILL REMAIN TO THE NORTH OF LAMBERT OVERNIGHT WITH JUST SCT CLOUDS. WARM FRONT WILL LIFT NORTH BEFORE SUNRISE WITH WINDS VEERING TO SOUTHERLY. SCT-BKN CU FROM 3000-4000 FT WILL DEVELOP MID MORNING AND SHOULD DECREASE IN COVERAGE AFTER THE COLD FROPA WITH INCREASING/GUSTY WESTERLY WINDS. CURRENT THINKING REMAINS WITH THE COLD FRONT PASSAGE AROUND 19Z. NOT SURE IF ADDITIONAL SCT THUNDERSTORMS WILL HAVE DEVELOPED ALONG THE FRONT YET...MAYBE TOO CAPPED. THIS UNCERTAINTY AND LOW ANTICIPATED COVERAGE IF DEVELOPMENT OCCURS...HAVE PRECLUDED ME EXPLICITY MENTIONING ANYTHING MORE THAN A CB CLOUD GROUP. GLASS && .LSX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MO...NONE. IL...NONE. && WFO LSX
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO 356 PM CDT THU MAY 6 2010 ILZ058>060-064-065-069-070-074-079-095>102-MOZ018-019-026-027- 034>036-041-042-047>052-059>065-072>075-084-085-099-071130- GREENE IL-MACOUPIN IL-MONTGOMERY IL-BOND IL-FAYETTE IL-CLINTON IL- MARION IL-WASHINGTON IL-RANDOLPH IL-ADAMS IL-BROWN IL-PIKE IL- CALHOUN IL-JERSEY IL-MADISON IL-ST. CLAIR IL-MONROE IL-KNOX MO- LEWIS MO-SHELBY MO-MARION MO-MONROE MO-RALLS MO-PIKE MO-BOONE MO- AUDRAIN MO-MONITEAU MO-COLE MO-OSAGE MO-CALLAWAY MO-MONTGOMERY MO- LINCOLN MO-GASCONADE MO-WARREN MO-ST. CHARLES MO-FRANKLIN MO- ST. LOUIS MO-ST. LOUIS CITY MO-JEFFERSON MO-CRAWFORD MO- WASHINGTON MO-ST. FRANCOIS MO-STE. GENEVIEVE MO-IRON MO- MADISON MO-REYNOLDS MO- 356 PM CDT THU MAY 6 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN AND CENTRAL MISSOURI AS WELL AS WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY TONIGHT...MAINLY NORTH OF INTERSTATE 70. SOME OF THE STORMS COULD BE SEVERE...PRIMARILY OVER PARTS OF CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST MISSOURI AND WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. THE PRIMARY SEVERE WEATHER THREAT IS LARGE HAIL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY THE CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE ON FRIDAY. SOME OF THE STORMS COULD BE SEVERE OVER PARTS OF SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS. AFTER A QUIET WEEKEND...THE CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL RETURN AREA WIDE FROM SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH NEXT THURSDAY.. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... STORM SPOTTERS SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER CLOSELY TONIGHT AND BE READY FOR IMMEDIATE ACTIVATION IF SEVERE WEATHER WATCHES OR WARNINGS ARE ISSUED.. && FOR A GRAPHICAL VERSION OF THIS INFORMATION SEE OUR WEBPAGE AT (LOWERCASE)... HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/LSX/?N=HWO1 CARNEY
The St Louis radar (KLSX), 205 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 06:03 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm winds knocked down a power pole on Highway T just south of Highway 6.
Damaging downburst winds totally destroyed a machine shed on Highway T, approximately 5 miles south southwest of Knox City. The debris field from the machine shed extended southeast in a narrow corridor 40 yards wide and one mile long. The narrow corridor of enhanced winds were estimated around 100 mph. Other tree damage was found half a mile north of the intersection of Highway T and County Road 296. A few large trees were uprooted while many large branches were blown down to the southeast. A little further to the east, about three quarters of a mile north of the intersection of Highway E with Highway T, a machine shed was damaged. There were indications that the machine shed flexed and shifted when the high winds hit and this flexing produced ripples in the sheet metal siding. Other damage was noted to the soffiting on the building and one large overhead door was blown to the northeast. On the same farmstead, the high winds caused a silo to be destroyed with the debris from the silo causing the collapse and destruction of two additional silos.
Downburst winds destroyed a machine shed in an open field about a quarter mile east of the intersection of Highway DD and County Road 204. A little further to the east, a barn was destroyed. The debris from this barn extended half a mile to the east southeast.
Downburst winds caused extensive damage on the south side of Lewistown. A narrow corridor of enhanced winds, approximately 40 yards wide extended from the western edge of the town, between Monticello and Arbell Streets to Elm Street to the east. Two mobile homes located west of Cherry Street were completely destroyed. There were no occupants in either mobile home. A radio tower outside of the Lewistown Fire Station, which is on Cherry Street, was blown down. A number of trees and large tree limbs were blown down in the area. Pieces of the first mobile home were wrapped around one large tree trunk east of Cherry Street while much of the second mobile home was partially wrapped around and pushed against a large tree. The home east of this point was protected by a large tree from much of the mobile home debris. Winds were estimated around 100 mph in this area. South of Arbell Street to the far southeastern part of town, damaging downburst winds were observed. A few large trees fell on homes over this area. A window was blown out on the Lewis County C-1 school on State Route J near the intersection with County Road 208. The downburst wind damage area extended a bit further east to S. Oak Street. No injuries were reported and no damage estimate was available.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Missouri in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Missouri, May 2010
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: 235090, 235087, 235097, 235104.