A strong cold front moved through the region triggering showers and thunderstorms. Some of the thunderstorms produced damaging winds.
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 LSX wrote it up.
A strong cold front moved through the region triggering showers and thunderstorms. Some of the thunderstorms 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 Oct 17, 2:28 PM CST, 2 hours 5 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO 328 PM CDT WED OCT 17 2012 .SHORT TERM... ISSUED AT 327 PM CDT WED OCT 17 2012 (TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY) COLD FRONT TO MOVE THROUGH STL METRO AREA BY 00Z...EXITING THE CWA BY 03Z-04Z TIMEFRAME. IN THE MEANTIME...DECENT DEEP LAYER SHEAR TO BE PARALLEL TO FRONTAL BOUNDARY...SO EXPECT LINEAR CONVECTION OVER FORECAST AREA TO MOVE THROUGH RATHER QUICKLY WITH MAIN THREAT BEING DAMAGING WINDS. STILL POSSIBLE FOR SOME ISOLATED SUPERCELLS OVER FAR SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF FORECAST AREA BUT LIMITED INSTABILITY DUE TO LINGERING CLOUD COVER. CURRENTLY HAVE SVR THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 01Z...THEN ACTIVITY TO QUICKLY EXIT...COMING TO AN END BY 07Z. CLOUDS THEN TO CLEAR OUT FOR PORTIONS OF FORECAST AREA...BUT WILL BEGIN TO SEE WRAP AROUND CLOUDS ON BACKSIDE OF SYSTEM SLIDE INTO NORTHERN PORTIONS OF FORECAST AREA TOWARDS DAYBREAK. AS FOR LOW TEMPS...LOW TO MID 40S. ON THURSDAY...WITH STRONG CYCLONIC FLOW...WINDS TO PICKUP FROM THE WEST TO NORTHWEST...AROUND 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH AT TIMES...ESPECIALLY OVER CENTRAL AND NORTHERN MO AS WELL AS WEST CENTRAL IL...THOUGH REMAIN BELOW WIND ADVISORY CRITERIA. OTHERWISE...DEALING WITH WRAP AROUND CLOUDS AND CHANCES OF SHOWERS WITH BEST CHANCES ALONG AND NORTH OF I-70 THROUGH FRIDAY BEFORE COMING TO AN END. COLDER AIR TO FILTER IN AS WELL WITH HIGHS ONLY IN THE MID 50S NORTH TO THE LOW 60S FAR SOUTH ON THURSDAY. LOWS THURSDAY NIGHT WILL BE IN THE LOW TO MID 40S...WITH HIGHS ON FRIDAY IN THE MID TO UPPER 50S. BYRD && .LONG TERM... ISSUED AT 327 PM CDT WED OCT 17 2012 (FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY) BY THE WEEKEND...WEAK SURFACE RIDGE TO BUILD IN WITH TEMPERATURES MODERATING AND WARMING UP INTO THE LOW TO MID 60S ON SATURDAY AND INTO THE LOW TO MID 70S BY SUNDAY AS RIDGE MOVES OFF TO THE EAST. BY SUNDAY NIGHT NEXT WEATHER SYSTEM TO APPROACH REGION WITH FRONT STALLING OUT OVER FORECAST AREA. WILL SEE A CHANCE OF RAIN MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY. BEYOND THAT EXTENDED MODELS HAVE DIFFERING OPINIONS ON HOW TO HANDLE THE STALLED FRONT...SO KEPT FORECAST DRY TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY FOR NOW. BYRD && .AVIATION... ISSUED AT 110 PM CDT WED OCT 17 2012 CONVECTIVE LINE IS BEGINNING TO DEVELOP OVER SOUTHWEST MISSOURI AT THIS TIME. THE LINE IS EXPECTED TO MOVE EAST-NORTHEASTWARD AT SPEEDS OF 40 KTS. LOWER SHEAR PROFILE (0-3 KM) SUGGEST LINE NORMAL COMPONENT SUGGESTING STRONG WINDS WITH THE CONVECTIVE LINE. WE HAVE INCLUDED GST TO 35 KTS AND MAYBE HIGHER AS THE LINE MOVE ACROSS STL..SUS..AND CPS AREAS. SHEAR PROFILE OVER SOUTHEAST MISSOURI...SOUTHERN ILLINOIS MORE POTENTIAL FOR SUPERCELLUAR STRUCTURES TO EVOLVE. INSTABILITY IS STILL LIMITED AT THIS TIME WITH MUCAPE VALUES AROOUND 1000 J KG-1. EXPECT THE LIND TO MOVE EAST NORTHEASTWARD AND MOVE THROUGH STL AREA AROUND 2200 - 2300 UTC TIME FRAME. THE CONVECTIVE LINE MAY NOT MOVE INIO COOU AREA BUT COU WILL CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE RASH TSRA FROM 2100 - 2300 UTC. CONVECTIVE LINE WILL MOVE EAST OF STL BY 0000 UTC. SKIES WILL BECOME PARTLY CLOUDY AFTER 0200-0300 UTC. SURFACE WINDS WILL REMAIN FROM THE WEST AT 10KTS AND AGAIN INCREASE IN SPEED ON THURSDAY WITH GUSTS TO 25 KTS. SPECIFICS FOR KSTL...SCATTERED RAINSHOWERS WILL CONTINUE OVER AREA FOR EARLY TO MID AFTERNOON. WINDS WILL BE FROM THE SOUTHWEST WITH SURFCE WINDS OF 15KTS GUSTING TO 25 KTS. EXPECT CONVECTIVE LINE TO MOVE THROUGH STL BETWEEN 2200 AND 2300 UTC WITH TSRA VISIBILITIES DROPPING TO 2 MILES AND SURFACE WIND GUSTS WITH CONVECTIVE LINE AS HIGH AS 35 KTS MAYBE 40 KTS. PRZYBYLINSKI && .LSX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MO...NONE. IL...NONE. && WFO LSX
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO 400 PM CDT WED OCT 17 2012 ILZ058>060-064-065-069-070-074-079-095>102-MOZ018-019-026-027- 034>036-041-042-047>052-059>065-072>075-084-085-099-181200- 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- 400 PM CDT WED OCT 17 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN AND CENTRAL MISSOURI AS WELL AS WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING AS A COLD FRONT MOVES SOUTHEASTWARD THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA. SOME OF THE STORMS MAY BE SEVERE...ESPECIALLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 70. THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY THERE WILL BE HEIGHTENED FIRE DANGER MAINLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 70 ON THURSDAY DUE TO LOW AFTERNOON RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES AND WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH. THE ONE LIMITING FACTOR WILL BE THE FUEL MOISTURE DUE TO THE RAINFALL THAT FALLS TONIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THROUGH THIS EVENING. BYRD
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
504 PM CDT WED OCT 17 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0457 PM TSTM WND GST GRAY SUMMIT 38.49N 90.82W
10/17/2012 E42 MPH FRANKLIN MO AMATEUR RADIO
HEAVY RAIN WITH GUSTS ESTIMATED TO 42 MPH.
&&
FUCHSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
508 PM CDT WED OCT 17 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0420 PM TSTM WND DMG ROSEBUD 38.39N 91.40W
10/17/2012 GASCONADE MO TRAINED SPOTTER
8-10 INCH DIAMETER LIMBS DOWN OFF OF TREE TOPS. 0.5
INCH HAIL LASTED ABOUT 2 MINUTES.
&&
FUCHSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
509 PM CDT WED OCT 17 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0415 PM TSTM WND DMG ROSEBUD 38.39N 91.40W
10/17/2012 GASCONADE MO TRAINED SPOTTER
8-10 INCH DIAMETER LIMBS DOWN OFF OF TREE TOPS. 0.5
INCH HAIL LASTED ABOUT 2 MINUTES.
&&
CORRECTED EVENT TIME
BYRDPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
510 PM CDT WED OCT 17 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0436 PM TSTM WND DMG SULLIVAN 38.22N 91.17W
10/17/2012 FRANKLIN MO AMATEUR RADIO
WINDS ESTIMATED UP TO 50 MPH.
&&
CORRECTED EVENT TIME
BYRDPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
516 PM CDT WED OCT 17 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0510 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 S OLD MONROE 38.91N 90.75W
10/17/2012 ST. CHARLES MO AMATEUR RADIO
WINDS ESTIMATED TO 60 MPH WITH 3-INCH LIMBS DOWN.
&&
FUCHSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
522 PM CDT WED OCT 17 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0505 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 S OLD MONROE 38.91N 90.75W
10/17/2012 ST. CHARLES MO AMATEUR RADIO
WINDS ESTIMATED TO 60 MPH WITH 3-INCH LIMBS DOWN.
&&
CORRECTED EVENT TIME
BYRDThe St Louis radar (KLSX), 62 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:32 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm winds damaged a machine shed and caused minor damage to a nearby house. Also, several power lines and power poles were blown down.
Thunderstorm winds blew down a power pole and several power lines.
Thunderstorm winds blew down several large trees around town.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, October 2012
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: 416201, 416202, 416203.