A weak cold front moved into the area. This surface feature along with high instability in the atmosphere developed severe thunderstorms which produced mainly 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 SGF wrote it up.
A weak cold front moved into the area. This surface feature along with high instability in the atmosphere developed severe thunderstorms which produced mainly 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 Springfield, MO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 7, 11:27 AM CST, 1 hour 8 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
1227 PM CDT SAT JUL 7 2012
...UPDATE TO AVIATION...
.UPDATE...
A DRIER MID LEVEL AIRMASS CONTINUES TO SPREAD EAST ACROSS THE
REGION. AS A RESULT THE CONVECTION THAT DEVELOPED EARLIER THIS
MORNING HAS SHIFTED OFF TO THE WEST AND SOUTH OFF THE AREA WHERE
THE BETTER MID LEVEL MOISTURE IS LOCATED. MIXING IS OCCURRING
ACROSS THE EASTERN OZARKS AND TEMPERATURES HAVE ALREADY SHOT UP
INTO THE UPPER 90S TO AROUND 100 DEGREES LATE THIS MORNING. HAVE
INCREASED HIGH TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA BY A FEW
DEGREES. THE WARMEST READINGS WILL OCCUR ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTH
CENTRAL MISSOURI WHERE HIGHS IN THE 102 TO 106 DEGREE RANGE WILL
OCCUR.
MIXING IS STARTING TO OCCUR AS THE TEMPERATURES WARM TODAY. THE
DRIER MID LEVEL AIR WORKING IN FROM THE EAST IS RESULTING IN
SURFACE DEWPOINTS MIXING OUT MORE THAT PREVIOUSLY
EXPECTED...RESULTING IN LOWER AFTERNOON HUMIDITIES AND HEAT INDEX
VALUES. HEAT INDEX VALUES SHOULD GENERALLY BE VERY SIMILAR TO THE
ACTUAL TEMPERATURE THIS AFTERNOON.
SLIGHTLY MORE MID LEVEL MOISTURE WILL REMAIN IN PLACE ACROSS FAR
SOUTHERN MISSOURI AND EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN KANSAS THIS
AFTERNOON...WHERE ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
WILL STILL REMAIN POSSIBLE. THIS ACTIVITY WILL NOT BE WIDESPREAD
IN NATURE. WITH THE DRIER AIR IN PLACE A FEW STRONG WIND GUSTS
WILL BE POSSIBLE FROM THE STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON.
UPDATED PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN SENT.
WISE
&&
.DISCUSSION...
ONE MORE HOT DAY APPEARS TO BE ON TAP FOR THE REGION (AT LEAST FOR A
WHILE)...BEFORE COOLER TEMPERATURES ARRIVE FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE
WEEK...ALONG WITH A CHANCE FOR MUCH NEEDED RAIN.
A FEW ELEVATED SHOWERS AND OCCASIONAL THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO
PERCOLATE ACROSS SOUTHWESTERN MISSOURI EARLY THIS MORNING...THE
RESULT OF WEAK LIFT FROM SEVERAL DISORGANIZED VORTICITY LOBES
MEANDERING EAST TO WEST UNDER THE MAIN RIDGE AXIS. THIS TREND IS
EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF THE DAY TODAY...WITH A SLIGHT
UPTICK IN COVERAGE THIS AFTERNOON OWNING TO AFTERNOON HEATING.
EXCEEDINGLY WEAK SHEAR VALUES WILL PRECLUDE ANY SORT OF ORGANIZED
SEVERE WEATHER THREAT TODAY...THOUGH AN ISOLATED STRONG STORM OVER
SOUTH CENTRAL MISSOURI WILL BE POSSIBLE...WITH GUSTY WINDS THE MAIN
POTENTIAL HAZARD.
TEMPERATURES TODAY WILL BE QUITE WARM ONCE AGAIN...WITH 925 AND 850
MB TEMPS SUPPORTING WIDESPREAD 100 TO 105 SURFACE HIGHS. WENT A FEW
DEGREES COOLER OVER SOUTH CENTRAL MISSOURI...WHERE THUNDERSTORM
COVERAGE MAY BE ENOUGH TO KEEP HIGHS IN THE 97-99 RANGE. CERTAINLY
THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR TEMPS A FEW DEGREES HIGHER IF CLOUD COVER
ISN'T AS WIDESPREAD AS EXPECTED.
A COLD FRONT CURRENTLY DROPPING SOUTH OVER THE NORTHERN PLAINS WILL
BEGIN TO MOVE INTO THE AREA LATE TONIGHT INTO THE DAY SUNDAY...WITH
AN ASSOCIATED INCREASE IN THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY ALONG/AHEAD OF THE
FRONT FOR SUNDAY. MORE WIDESPREAD CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY...AS WELL
AS AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING FROPA...IS EXPECTED TO KEEP HIGH TEMPS
QUITE A BIT COOLER SUNDAY FOR THE REGION. HUMIDITY VALUES WILL
CERTAINLY BE ON THE INCREASE SUNDAY AS MOISTURE ADVECTS NORTH AND
POOLS AHEAD OF THE FRONT. COOLER TEMPS WILL KEEP HEAT INDICES UNDER
CONTROL...AND DON'T EXPECT AN EXTENSION OF ANY HEAT HEADLINES TO BE
NECESSARY. SIMILAR TO TODAY...A COUPLE OF STRONGER STORMS WILL BE
POSSIBLE SUNDAY AS THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE REGION...WITH GUSTY
WINDS THE MAIN HAZARD.
BY MONDAY MORNING...THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE AXIS WILL BE SHIFTED WELL
WEST TOWARD THE GREAT BASIN...WITH NORTHWEST FLOW IN PLACE ALOFT
OVER THE CWA. THE SURFACE FRONT SHOULD BE JUST ABOUT CLEAR OF THE
CWA MONDAY...THOUGH SOME POST FRONTAL SHOWER/THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY
WILL BE POSSIBLE AS WEAK SHORTWAVES DROP SOUTHEAST OVER THE
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. CERTAINLY THINK THAT MOST PLACES WILL BE DRY
MONDAY AND TUESDAY...WITH THE BEST CHANCE FOR ANY ADDITIONAL
RAINFALL FOCUSED ALONG THE MISSOURI/ARKANSAS STATE LINE THROUGH
EARLY TUESDAY MORNING.
MONDAY WILL ALSO USHER IN WHAT LOOKS LIKE A PROLONGED PERIOD OF
TEMPERATURES CLOSER TO CLIMATOLOGICAL NORMS...GENERALLY UPPER 80S TO
AROUND 90. HIGH PRESSURE LOOKS TO REMAIN ANCHORED OVER THE LOWER
GREAT LAKES THROUGH MUCH OF NEXT WEEK...NOT ONLY KEEPING
TEMPERATURES IN CHECK...BUT PROVIDING AN EASTERLY COMPONENT TO
SURFACE WINDS...AND THUS WHAT SHOULD BE VERY COMFORTABLE DEWPOINT
VALUES. WHILE A DRY AIRMASS DOESN'T BODE WELL FOR THE
DROUGHT...NEXT WEEK SHOULD AT LEAST BE QUITE COMFORTABLE FOR MID
JULY.
BOXELL
&&
.AVIATION...
THE PRIMARY AVIATION WEATHER IMPACT TODAY WILL BE SCATTERED
THUNDERSTORMS DURING THE AFTERNOON TO EARLY EVENING HOURS. THIS
ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED TO DIE DOWN AFTER SUNSET...WITH A FEW
SHOWERS LINGERING ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH THE EVENING. THERE
WILL BE ANOTHER CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS TOMORROW STARTING IN THE
LATE MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON AS A FRONTAL BOUNDARY MOVES INTO
THE AREA FROM THE NORTH.
KARDELL
&&
.CLIMATE...
RECORD HIGH TEMPS FOR TODAY...
SGF...100 (1939)
JLN...100 (1980)
UNO...99 (1978)
VIH...100 (1980)
FRIDAY WAS DAY 3 OF HIGH TEMPS AT SPRINGFIELD AT OR ABOVE 100
DEGREES...WHICH IS THE EARLIEST 3 DAY STREAK OF 100+ TEMPS ON
RECORD. IF TODAY'S FORECAST HIGH OF 100 VERIFIES...IT WILL MARK 4
DAYS IN A ROW OF 100 OR GREATER HIGH TEMPERATURES. THE PREVIOUS
RECORD FOR 4 OR MORE DAYS OF 100 OR GREATER WAS A 5 DAY STREAK
FROM JUL 11-15 1966.
&&
.SGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MO...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR MOZ055>058-066>071-
077>083-088>098-101>106.
KS...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR KSZ073-097-101.
&&HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO 1209 PM CDT SAT JUL 7 2012 KSZ073-097-101-MOZ055>058-066>071-077>083-088>098-101>106-081715- 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- 1209 PM CDT SAT JUL 7 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF THE MISSOURI OZARKS AND EXTREME SOUTHEAST KANSAS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. WEATHER HAZARDS EXPECTED... LIMITED THUNDERSTORM WIND DAMAGE RISK. LIMITED LIGHTNING RISK. ELEVATED EXCESSIVE HEAT RISK. ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER RISK. DISCUSSION... ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP LATER THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS EVENING. WHILE NO WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED...A FEW OF THE STRONGEST STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING GUSTY WINDS...AS WELL AS FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. HEAT INDICES TODAY WILL ONCE AGAIN TOP OUT BETWEEN 100 AND 105 DEGREES...WITH THE WARMEST READINGS EXPECTED ACROSS CENTRAL MISSOURI...INCLUDING THE TRUMAN LAKE AND LAKE OF THE OZARKS REGION. THE COMBINATION OF VERY HOT TEMPERATURES AND DROUGHT CONDITIONS WILL AGAIN RESULT IN ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL PERSIST THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT ACROSS THE REGION. NO WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED...BUT SOME STORMS MAY PRODUCE GUSTY OUTFLOW WINDS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED THROUGH TONIGHT. && 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) WFO SGF
The Springfield radar (KSGF), 39 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:33 UTC.
28 thunderstorm wind, 3 hail, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
Several large trees were reported down near Sparta High School. A silo was reported damage in the same area.
A tree was reported down.
Two barns were reported damaged.
Several trees were reported down. Roof damage occurred to a barn and a home.
A tree was reported down.
Several small trees were reported down.
Several trees were reported down across the road along Route 125 and near Carter Road.
Large limbs and electrical lines were reported down.
Large tree limbs were reported down along Highway 60.
Several trees were blown down.
Several trees were blown down and a barn was damaged.
Several trees were blown down on, some on houses. Two barns/outbuildings were damaged and one was destroyed.
A tree was blown down on Delaware Street north of Kearney Street.
A piece of a TV satellite tower was damaged and fell in the parking lot at the TV studio.
A tree was reported down across Highway 173 at the intersection of Highway 143 and Highway 173.
Numerous trees were reported down across Highway AA in the vicinity of Barnett.
A tree was reported down across Highway 5.
Several trees and power lines were blown down and a building was damaged.
A tree was blown down.
Power lines were blown down.
A few trees were reported down.
Several trees were blown down near the intersection of Highway 52 and Route PP.
A wind gust of 63 mph was measured at the Branson Airport.
Three mobile homes were heavily damaged. A tree was blown down on another mobile home.
Several trees were blown down near the town of Elsey.
Several trees and power lines were blown down in the Goodhope area.
A tree was blown down.
A storm total rainfall of 2.50 inches was measured.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Missouri in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Missouri, July 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: 386413, 386415, 386417, 386418, 386419, 386421, 386422, 386424, 386403, 386425, 386428, 386429, 386432, 386443, 386460, 386461, 386462, 386464, 386468, 386466, 386467, 386465, 386469, 386404, 386405, 386475, 386470, 386471, 386472, 386473, 386474, 386411.