A slow moving upper level trough and low pressure system across the central plains region moving across the Ozarks caused numerous heavy showers and storms that produced heavy rainfall. This lead to additional flooding and flash flooding across the Ozarks.
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.
A slow moving upper level trough and low pressure system across the central plains region moving across the Ozarks caused numerous heavy showers and storms that produced heavy rainfall. This lead to additional flooding and flash flooding across the Ozarks.
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 May 22, 5:38 PM CST, 2 hours 47 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO 638 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011 ...MESOSCALE CONVECTIVE DISCUSSION... .DISCUSSION... 2330Z...TORNADIC STORM WHICH PUSHED THROUGH JOPLIN EARLIER IS BEGINNING TO RECYCLE BACK UP AND WAS NOW PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR THE TOWN OF WENTWORTH IN SOUTHWEST LAWRENCE COUNTY. ENVIRONMENT REMAINS RIPE FOR CONTINUED LARGE HAIL AND TORNADIC DEVELOPMENT AS THESE STORMS SHIFT EAST ACROSS SOUTHWEST MISSOURI WITH 0-1KM SHEAR VALUES OF 30-35KTS OF SHEAR AND SURFACE BASED CAPES OF 3000-4000J/KG. CAP HAS BEEN BROKEN IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AS WELL AND STORMS ALREADY STARTING TO SHOW ROTATION. THESE STORMS WILL ALSO LIKELY HEAD INTO SOUTHWEST MISSOURI WITH THE POTENTIAL OF LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS WITH THESE STORMS AS WELL. LINDENBERG && .AVIATION... FOR THE 00Z TAFS...TORNADIC SUPERCELL HAS PUSHED THROUGH JOPLIN WITHIN THE PAST HOUR AND CLUSTER OF CELLS CONTINUE TO PUSH EAST TOWARDS SPRINGFIELD. CURRENTLY HAVE THE TSRA MOVING INTO SGF BY 00-01Z. CURRENT TRACK OF CIRCULATION WILL TAKE IT SOUTH OF SGF. CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD PUSH EAST OF THE TAF AREAS BY 03-04Z. LINDENBERG && .SGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MO...NONE. KS...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO 751 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011 KSZ073-097-101-MOZ055>058-066>071-077>083-088>098-101>106-240100- 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- 751 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF THE MISSOURI OZARKS AND EXTREME SOUTHEAST KANSAS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER RISK LEVEL IS...SIGNIFICANT. WEATHER HAZARDS EXPECTED... ELEVATED TORNADO RISK. SIGNIFICANT HAIL RISK. ELEVATED THUNDERSTORM WIND DAMAGE RISK. LIMITED FLOODING RISK. LIMITED NON THUNDERSTORM WIND RISK. ELEVATED LIGHTNING RISK. DISCUSSION... TORNADIC SUPERCELLS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND PUSH EAST ACROSS SOUTHWEST MISSOURI THIS EVENING. THE ENVIRONMENT REMAINS FAVORABLE OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS ALONG THE MISSOURI ARKANSAS BORDER FOR LARGE HAIL AND TORNADOES TO DEVELOP. THE MOST FAVORABLE AREAS OF SEVERE WEATHER THE REST OF THE EVENING WILL BE SOUTH AND EAST OF A JOPLIN TO SPRINGFIELD TO ROLLA LINE. IN ADDITION TO THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT...LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING WILL BE POSSIBLE FOR ANY LOCATION THAT EXPERIENCES MULTIPLE ROUNDS OF THUNDERSTORMS IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. IT APPEARS THAT THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL WILL AFFECT LOCATIONS ALONG THE MISSOURI ARKANSAS BORDER WHERE SEVERAL INCHES OF RAINFALL MAY OCCUR. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE EACH DAY THROUGH THURSDAY. THERE WILL BE A THREAT OF STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...CONDITIONAL ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUFFICIENT INSTABILITY. HAIL AND STRAIGHT LINE WINDS APPEAR TO BE THE PRIMARY THREATS WITH ANY STRONG STORMS AT THIS TIME. DAILY CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL RESULT IN A RISK FOR FLASH FLOODING...AS WELL AS RISES ON AREA RIVERS. FLOODING POTENTIAL WILL BE MAXIMIZED FOR THOSE LOCATIONS THAT EXPERIENCE MULTIPLE ROUNDS OF THUNDERSTORMS IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS WILL BE NEEDED ALONG THE MISSOURI ARKANSAS BORDER THROUGH THE LATE EVENING. && 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) LINDENBERG
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
816 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0755 PM TSTM WND DMG 10 N ROGERSVILLE 37.26N 93.06W
05/22/2011 WEBSTER MO PUBLIC
NUMEROUS TREES DOWN 10 MILES NORTH OF ROGERVILLES AND
6805 HWY KK.
&&
MGRIFFINPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
820 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0820 PM HAIL NOEL 36.55N 94.48W
05/22/2011 M1.00 INCH MCDONALD MO EMERGENCY MNGR
&&
MGRIFFINPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
825 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0825 PM HAIL NOEL 36.55N 94.48W
05/22/2011 M2.75 INCH MCDONALD MO EMERGENCY MNGR
&&
MGRIFFINPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
848 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0847 PM HAIL 3 NNE SOUTH WEST CITY 36.55N 94.59W
05/22/2011 M1.75 INCH MCDONALD MO EMERGENCY MNGR
HWY 43 ...3 MILES NORTH OF SOUTHWEST CITY.
&&
MGRIFFINPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
858 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0725 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 NE GALENA 36.82N 93.45W
05/22/2011 STONE MO EMERGENCY MNGR
REPORTS OF HOUSES AND MOBILE DAMAGE ALONG WITH NUMEROUS
TREES DOWN ON HORSE CREEK RD EAST OF GALENA. AND HOUSE
DAMAGE ON BASS HOLLOW RD EAST OF COON RIDGE RD. HOUSE
DESTROYED ON HWY AA 1 MILE EAST OF HWY 413. POSSIBLE
TORNADO DAMAGE.
&&
MGRIFFINPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
925 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0925 PM FLASH FLOOD 3 NNE SOUTH WEST CITY 36.55N 94.59W
05/22/2011 MCDONALD MO EMERGENCY MNGR
HWY 43 AND BUFFALO CREEK IS IMPASSABLE BECAUSE OF RAPID
WATER RISE.
&&
MGRIFFINThe Tulsa radar (KINX), 102 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 02:25 UTC.
17 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Highway 43 and Buffalo Creek was impassable because of high water.
Elk River Road west of Pinevile was closed due to high water.
Three feet of water was reported over Highway W in downtown Pineville.
Roaring River State Park was evacuated because of high water.
Low area one half mile east of Pump Station Road on Route 76 was impassable.
Route 43 at Buffalo Creek was covered by eighteen inches of water and was impassable.
Highway 59 north of Noel was washed away.
Highway E south of Powell was closed due to high water.
Numerous small businesses and houses were flooded in the center of town.
A UPS driver reported water over Highway 86 and the road was impassable.
Numerous roads were reported impassable.
Numerous homes in the Neosho and Seneca were flooded and evacuated. Widespread flash flooding was reported across the county with numerous roads impassable.
Forty homes were flooded. Twenty-five individuals had to be rescued. Numerous businesses were flooded.
Eight inch water main ruptured due to flooding along Saint Louise Street near Eugene Street at Little Lost Creek.
Numerous low water crossings were flooded.
Highway M near the Saline Valley Conservation Area was flooded and impassable.
Highway H was flooded and impassable.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Missouri in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Missouri, May 2011
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: 296780, 296782, 296783, 296784, 296785, 296787, 296788, 296790, 296791, 296792, 296793, 296796, 296797, 296798, 296799, 296800, 296801.