The first of three rounds of storms occurred as a front interacted with very unstable air to produce numerous severe thunderstorms that caused extensive hail and wind damage over portions of the area. The second round of storms developed near Topeka, KS and roared southeastward into east-central Missouri in the early afternoon, producing substantial straight-line wind damage.
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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 SGF wrote it up.
The first of three rounds of storms occurred as a front interacted with very unstable air to produce numerous severe thunderstorms that caused extensive hail and wind damage over portions of the area.
The second round of storms developed near Topeka, KS and roared southeastward into east-central Missouri in the early afternoon, producing substantial straight-line wind damage.
The final round of severe storms developed in the late afternoon and evening along a warm front over southeast Kansas and far southwest Missouri, producing primarily large hail.
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 3, 5:58 AM CST, 1 hour 42 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Springfield MO 658 AM CDT Sun May 3 2020 .SHORT TERM...(Today and tonight) Issued at 237 AM CDT Sun May 3 2020 A rather weak front was located across central Missouri this morning. Showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop along this boundary as short waves move through the zonal upper level flow today and the front sags south. The CAMS models are struggling a bit this morning, showing showers developing where the radar was clear. However, there is more confidence for shower and storm development as we approach sunrise as a 500mb jet moves over Missouri and the front sags into the Ozarks. Model continue to suggest elevated instability will be sufficient at up to around 1200-1500 J/kg but shear remains weak at less than 20kts. This would allow for some strong to isolated severe storms this morning marginally severe hail and winds possible. Temperatures today will be more seasonable than yesterday but will still climb into the lower to middle 70s. High pressure will move over Missouri This evening and overnight which will bring a break in rain chances with a mild night expected for the region. .LONG TERM...(Monday through Saturday) Issued at 237 AM CDT Sun May 3 2020 The frontal boundary will lift back north during the day Monday and bring the potential for severe weather to the region. With eh return flow and increasing moisture, severe thunderstorms will be possible. Models show from 1500 to 2500 j/kg of instability during the day, though cloud cover may limit heating a bit. Steep mid level lapse rates will be present and the overall shear expected may allow for storms to initially develop as discrete storms or supercells with large hail and damaging winds the main concerns. The wind fields and low level helicity values are not conducive for tornado formation but it will remain a feature to monitor. Especially where storms move along the front or surface boundaries. With the potential for very strong updrafts, hail to golf balls in size or possibly larger will be possible. The system will also be bring the potential for some localized heavy rainfall with may produce some localized flooding in flood prone areas Monday night into Early Tuesday morning. The remainder of the week looks fairly quiet with cooler weather expected. Daily highs will be about 5-10 degrees below normal as we get into the end of the week where normal daily highs this time of year are in the lower 70s. The cooler weather will be thanks to northwesterly upper level flow and and rounds of Canadian air sliding across the plains into the region. A quick moving system should bring some rain to the Ozarks Thursday night into Friday but other than this the period from 6-14 days from now looks rather quiet and cool. && .AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Monday morning) Issued at 647 AM CDT Sun May 3 2020 A front will slowly sag south through the area today. An area of thunderstorms across eastern Kansas will move east across the Ozarks through this morning. This will bring MVFR ceilings as the storms move across the area. Once the storms move through the region, Ceilings will lift to low end VFR for the remainder of today and into the overnight hours. && .SGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MO...NONE. KS...NONE. && SHORT TERM...Hatch LONG TERM...Hatch AVIATION...Hatch
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Springfield MO 515 AM CDT Sun May 3 2020 KSZ073-097-101-MOZ055>058-066>071-077>083-088>098-101>106-041015- 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- 515 AM CDT Sun May 3 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of the Missouri Ozarks and extreme southeast Kansas. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. Weather hazards expected... Limited hail risk. Limited thunderstorm wind damage risk. Limited flooding risk. Limited lightning risk. DISCUSSION... A few storms are possible across southeastern Kansas and the southern Missouri Ozarks through this morning. The strongest storms could be capable of hail up to the size of quarters. Damaging straight line winds will also be possible with the most intense storms. Not all locations will be effected as coverage will be more scattered in nature. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday. More robust thunderstorms are expected Monday afternoon and evening. Severe thunderstorms are very likely on Monday, with large hail to the size of golf balls and damaging wind gusts being primary hazards with this activity. Localized areas of flooding can not be ruled out on Monday and Monday night. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed through tonight. && More detailed information can be accessed at: http://www.weather.gov/sgf/sitrep This product in graphical format...along with other weather... hydrological and climate information...at http://www.weather.gov/sgf Hatch
The Springfield radar (KSGF), 128 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 13:39 UTC.
12 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Hail to the size of ping pong balls was reported. Several vehicles suffered minor hail damage from the hail.
Thunderstorm winds downed numerous power poles and lines causing over 2000 power outages between Elsmore, Hiatville and Devon.
Power lines and poles were down from winds estimated at 60 mph.
Hail from dime to quarter size was reported.
Quarter size hail was reported via MPing.
Hail from nickle to quarters in size was reported.
Hail to the size of golf balls was reported by the Emergency Manager. Minor roof and vehicle damage occurred.
Baseball sized hail was reported 1 mile west of Baxter Springs. Damage occurred to a home , two vehicles and several head stones at a cemetery.
A report of ping pong ball sized hail was received via MPing. Minor roof damage occurred to a home.
Hail up to two inches in size damaged several vehicles and caused minor roof damage.
Quarter sized hail was reported.
Hail to the size of golf balls fell in the towns of Columbus and Crestline. Roof and vehicle damage occurred along the path of hail.
Quarter sized hail was reported via MPing.
Ping pong ball sized hail was reported in a mainly rural area.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kansas in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Kansas, May 2020
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: 883802, 883817, 883818, 883805, 883803, 883804, 883811, 883820, 883808, 883821, 883806, 883813, 883807, 883810.