Two areas of storm activity affected the region during the morning hours. Storms that developed over western Kansas on the evening of the 23rd tracked eastward into southeast Kansas and western Missouri during the morning of the 24th.
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.
Two areas of storm activity affected the region during the morning hours. Storms that developed over western Kansas on the evening of the 23rd tracked eastward into southeast Kansas and western Missouri during the morning of the 24th. Another area of storm development occurred near the Arkansas border north of a warm front. These storms congealed into a large complex of storms that tracked eastward across central Missouri through late morning. Rainfall accumulations over an inch occurred over most of the region, with isolated amounts over one and a half inches over southwest Missouri near Joplin, Neosho and Monett.
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 Mar 24, 5:47 AM CST, 1 hour 13 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Springfield MO 647 AM CDT Tue Mar 24 2020 .SHORT TERM...(Today and tonight) Issued at 1217 AM CDT Tue Mar 24 2020 Primary concern is in the short term with strong to severe storms tonight into Tuesday morning and associated flooding potential. The combination of a shortwave, surface low, and strong mid and low level jet dynamics will lead to continued thunderstorm development upstream (already seeing convection over western Kansas as of midnight). These storms will move east into the area over the next few hours and linger into Tuesday (exiting the western areas by noon and the eastern areas by mid-afternoon). Storms will be elevated given that we are north of the warm front with a pronounced inversion, making hail the primary threat but can't rule out an isolated damaging wind threat. Greatest severe threat will be over the southwestern CWA from far SE Kansas through extreme SW Missouri where the steepest mid-level lapse rates are expected. Those lapse rates and ample CAPE in the hail growth layer will be supportive of hail as large as golf balls. The flooding threat will cover the entire CWA. While some small portion of the CWA may not see as much rain depending on exact track and evolution of convection, much of the area should see at least 0.75" per latest model guidance, with potential for 1-2" over a large portion of the area. Always tricky to pinpoint with convection, but with saturated soils will have to watch hydro pretty closely. .LONG TERM...(Wednesday through Tuesday) Issued at 1217 AM CDT Tue Mar 24 2020 Warmer and dry weather are expected for Wed and Thu with highs Wed in the mid 60s to low 70s and in the mid 70s to around 80 for Thu. Shower and thunderstorm chances return Thursday night into Saturday as a deepening wave moves through the central CONUS. Sunday through Tuesday then looks dry for the most part. && .AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Wednesday morning) Issued at 639 AM CDT Tue Mar 24 2020 Numerous showers and thunderstorms currently across the area will shift east, ending at all sites by 18Z (earlier at KJLN). Fog is then expected tonight into Wednesday morning, especially at KSGF and KBBG, and to a lesser extent KJLN. && .SGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MO...NONE. KS...NONE. && SHORT TERM...Titus LONG TERM...Titus AVIATION...Titus
Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED National Weather Service Springfield MO 727 AM CDT Tue Mar 24 2020 KSZ073-097-101-MOZ055>058-066>071-077>083-088>098-101>106-251230- 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- 727 AM CDT Tue Mar 24 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 flooding risk. Elevated lightning risk. Elevated fog risk. DISCUSSION... Showers and thunderstorms will continue to move through the area this morning. The severe thunderstorm potential has decreased however a few storms could produce pea size hail and winds to 40 mph. Cloud to ground lightning will also be possible this morning. Widespread rainfall amounts of 0.75-1.5" will be possible with this round of storms this morning, especially along and south of Interstate 44. Minor flooding will be possible given saturated soils. Fog may reduce visibilities below one mile tonight across the area. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday. Additional thunderstorms will be possible Thursday night into Saturday. There is some potential for strong to severe thunderstorms Thursday night into Friday morning. .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 Burchfield
The Springfield radar (KSGF), 25 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 13:02 UTC.
8 flood, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy rainfall produced flooding on East Farm Road 104 and in southern portions of Strafford.
Route D was closed due to flooding at a low water area south of Preston.
Highway 97 was closed due to flooding at the Spring River.
Route Z at the Finley River was closed due to flooding.
Route CC south of Hurley at the Spring Creek was flooded and impassable.
Heavy rains cause Prairie State Park to close due to flooding.
Route T at Possum Walk Creek was flooded and impassable.
Highway K at the Spring Creek was closed due to flooding.
Routes FF was closed due to flooding on Hunter Creek.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Missouri in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Missouri, March 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: 880937, 881208, 881209, 881210, 881211, 881212, 881213, 881214, 881215.