A strong spring storm system brought multiple rounds of thunderstorms and heavy rain to the southeast half of Missouri during the last couple days of April. Rainfall totals surpassed nine inches in some locations and this led to historic flooding along some of the tributaries of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers.
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 spring storm system brought multiple rounds of thunderstorms and heavy rain to the southeast half of Missouri during the last couple days of April. Rainfall totals surpassed nine inches in some locations and this led to historic flooding along some of the tributaries of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. Areas along the Meramec River were especially hard hit as new records were set at Steelville, Sullivan, and Eureka. The previous records had just recently been set during the late December flooding of 2015. Two major highways, I-44 and I-55 were shut down for a number of days due to the record river flooding from this event.
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 Apr 30, 10:46 PM CST, 1 hour 14 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...Updated Aviation National Weather Service Saint Louis MO 1146 PM CDT Sun Apr 30 2017 .SHORT TERM... (Through Late Monday Afternoon) Issued at 318 PM CDT Sun Apr 30 2017 Will continue the flash flood watch until 06Z. Band of widespread showers that were over the area this morning and early this afternoon has lifted north and east of the area. Beginning to see thunderstorms develop along the cold front over central Missouri where the atmosphere has recovered somewhat. Latest CAMS runs show these storms continuing to develop and moving eastward with time late this afternoon and early this evening. There is still the possibility that a few strong to severe storms to develop given the limited instability and the more than ample shear available. Any additional heavy rainfall could easily produce flash flooding, so will leave the flash flood watch in place through this evening. Then the steady rain will gradually end from west to east as a dry slot works into the area. But then, will see a chance of rain moving back into central and northeast Missouri as well as west central Illinois as the upper low currently over the central Plains moves northeast into Iowa. Temperatures will drop behind the cold front tonight. Tomorrow will be colder with cold air advection and low clouds. Britt .LONG TERM... (Monday Night through Next Sunday) Issued at 318 PM CDT Sun Apr 30 2017 ...Another moderate rainfall event looks to effect the region near midweek which will impact river basins forecast to experience major to record flooding... The deep upper low will be over the Great Lakes region at the start of the period will lift northeastward into southeast Canada on Tuesday with lesser amplitude on the broad longwave trof in its wake. This slight deamplification will be short-lived however as an upstream ridge builds over the western U.S. Wednesday into Thursday, resulting in a digging trof from the Plains into the MS Valley and development of a new deep longwave trof by Thursday. For sensible weather, decreasing cyclonic flow and diminishing winds are expected Monday Night with weak high pressure sliding into the area on Tuesday. This will bring the region slightly below average temperatures. Unfortunately the region seems to be in the cross eyes of another round of rain beginning Tuesday Night. As previously mentioned, an upper trof will dig into the area from the Plains and deepen midweek, with an associated surface low tracking from TX across the lower MS Valley and into the TN Valley by Thursday. Large scale ascent/forcing associated with the amplifying upper flow, and the associated mass/momentum adjustments as well as increasing low level WAA/isentropic ascent will spread into the area late Tuesday night, continuing Wednesday into Wednesday Night. The main focus will be south of Interstate 70, with widespread showers/rain centered through the river basins forecast to experience major to possibly record river flooding this upcoming week. Present indications are that any convection/thunderstorms will remain south of the area. This looks to be a steady precipitation event with rainfall totals of 1-2 inches, which will aggravate hydrologic conditions and potentially impact the flood crests/longevity. How long the rains lasts beyond Wednesday night is a bit more uncertain as the ECMWF is more progressive with the digging and amplifying upper trof, and thus would have the majority of additional precipitation shutting down by early Thursday, while the GFS would keep the precipitation continuing into Thursday evening. Once this rain event is over it appears a period of dry weather lasting through next weekend with gradually moderating temperatures. Glass && .AVIATION... (For the 06z TAFs through 06z Monday Night) Issued at 1142 PM CDT Sun Apr 30 2017 Area of MVFR ceilings will try and pinwheel northeastward into central and northeastern Missouri by daybreak and will also likely clip the metro terminals during the day on Monday. Scattered showers may also affect KCOU and KUIN. Gusty southwest winds will become more westerly by Monday evening. SPECIFICS FOR KSTL: Initially VFR conditions will yield to MVFR ceilings during the day on Monday. Cannot rule out a few showers but better probabilities further to the north. Gusty southwest winds will become more westerly Monday night with gusts subsiding. Gosselin && .LSX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MO...None. IL...None. && WFO LSX
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Saint Louis MO 933 PM CDT Sun Apr 30 2017 ILZ058>060-064-065-069-070-074-079-095>102-MOZ018-019-026-027- 034>036-041-042-047>052-059>065-072>075-084-085-099-011200- 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-Saint 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-Saint Charles MO-Franklin MO- Saint Louis MO-Saint Louis City MO-Jefferson MO-Crawford MO- Washington MO-Saint Francois MO-Sainte Genevieve MO-Iron MO- Madison MO-Reynolds MO- 933 PM CDT Sun Apr 30 2017 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of eastern and central Missouri as well as west central and southwest Illinois. .DAY ONE...Tonight Flooding is ongoing on many area rivers. Some river basins where major and possibly record river flooding is forecast include the Cuivre, Big, Bourbeuse, Gasconade, Meramec, Illinois, and Kaskaskia. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday Flooding is ongoing on many area rivers. Some river basins where major and possibly record river flooding is forecast include the Cuivre, Big, Bourbeuse, Gasconade, Meramec, Illinois, and Kaskaskia. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed into this evening. Spotters are encouraged to report any severe weather or significant rainfall amounts and flooding, if observed, to the National Weather Service. Gosselin
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
900 PM CDT SUN APR 30 2017
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0900 PM HEAVY RAIN 3 E SULLIVAN 38.22N 91.11W
04/30/2017 M6.50 INCH FRANKLIN MO PUBLIC
RAINFALL TOTAL SINCE FRIDAY NIGHT AT 10PM.
THE DURATION OF THE HEAVY RAIN EVENT WAS 24
HOURS.
&&
TESPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
909 PM CDT SUN APR 30 2017
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0908 PM HEAVY RAIN SAINT LOUIS 38.64N 90.24W
04/30/2017 M6.58 INCH ST. LOUIS CITY MO TRAINED SPOTTER
STORM TOTAL.
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
917 PM CDT SUN APR 30 2017
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0916 PM HEAVY RAIN 1 WNW HARVESTER 38.75N 90.59W
04/30/2017 M3.30 INCH ST. CHARLES MO PUBLIC
RAINFALL TOTAL SINCE NOON FRIDAY.
&&
TESPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
1026 PM CDT SUN APR 30 2017
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1025 PM HEAVY RAIN MOSCOW MILLS 38.95N 90.92W
04/30/2017 M6.71 INCH LINCOLN MO PUBLIC
TOTAL SINCE FRIDAY AFTERNOON.
&&
TESPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
1137 PM CDT SUN APR 30 2017
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0600 PM FLOOD CEDAR HILL 38.36N 90.64W
04/30/2017 JEFFERSON MO NEWSPAPER
*** 1 FATAL ***
78-YEAR OLD MAN WAS SWEPT AWAY BY RISING
FLOOD WATERS AND DROWNED. TIME WAS
ESTIMATED.
&&
TESThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
8 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
The Cuivre River crested about 2 feet over major stage at Old Monroe due to the heavy rainfall. Numerous roads were flooded due to the river flooding.
The Meramec River rose well above major flood stage at Steelville due to very heavy rain that fell across the river basin. Numerous roads along the flow of the river were flooded as well as a number of camp grounds, as well as, a couple of hotels.
The Meramec River at Pacific rose above major stage during the day on May 1st. Also, the Bourbeuse River at Union crested 3 feet above major stage during the day on May 2nd. Numerous roads were flooded, as well as, several camp grounds and parks. In Pacific, numerous homes and businesses were flooded.
The Meramec River at Eureka and Valley Park crested well above major flood stage in the late evening hours of May 2nd/early morning hours of May 3rd, due to the heavy rainfall. A number of roads were closed due to the river flooding including I-44, Highway 141 where it goes under I-44.
The Meramec and Big Rivers remained above major flood stage through May 5th due to the heavy rainfall. A number of roads were closed due to the river flooding.
The Moreau River remained above major flood stage through the afternoon hours on May 1st due to very heavy rain over the river basin. A number of secondary roads were closed due to the river flooding. Also, the river rose to the bottom of Tanner Bridge. No structures were affected by the flooding.
The Gasconade River at Rich Fountain went above major flood stage, with a record crest of 37.46 feet on May 2nd, due to very heavy rain over the river basin in late April. A number of secondary roads were closed due to the river flooding.
The Gasconade River at Rich Fountain went above major flood stage, with a record crest of 37.46 feet on May 2nd, due to very heavy rain over the river basin in late April. A number of secondary roads were closed due to the river flooding. Also, several homes and businesses were flooded north of Mount Sterling.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Missouri in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Missouri, May 2017
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: 714414, 714416, 714418, 714422, 714423, 714461, 714462, 714465.