Flooding and Heavy Rain in Missouri, May 12 to 13, 2020

Name: Flooding and Heavy Rain in Missouri, May 12 to 13, 2020
Start: 2020-05-12T03:00
End: 2020-05-13T20:00
Location: Missouri

May 12 to 13, 2020 · NWS SGF · 14 events in 8 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 14

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS SGF wrote it up.

A band of training thunderstorms set up across southern Missouri. Several rounds of storms developed over central Kansas and tracked southeastward into the Ozarks as moisture lifted up and over a warm front over the Red River Valley. Many low water crossings flooded over southern Missouri. Highway C along Flat Creek in eastern Barry County and Highway 97 at the Spring River were closed due to flooding. Rainfall accumulations exceeded two inches.

What forecasters said that day

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 12, 2:59 AM CST, 1 minute earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 12, 2:59 AM CST, 1 minute before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Springfield MO
359 AM CDT Tue May 12 2020

.SHORT TERM...(Today through Wednesday tonight)
Issued at 300 AM CDT Tue May 12 2020

Another cold and rainy day is in store for the area today. High
temperatures will be 20 to 25 degrees below with readings in the
40s to the middle 50s this afternoon. Some record cold highs will
be possible for the date.

An area of rain is currently over the area and extends back into
the Plains. Isentropic lift will continue across the area for much
of the day, so light rain will continue. The rain may begin to
scatter out more this afternoon and evening. Rainfall rates will
not be overlay heavy, but with widespread light-moderate rain for
24 hours amounts will add up and lead to some minor flooding of
streams, creeks, rivers, and low water crossings today for far
southeast Kansas and southern Missouri. Will continue the Flood
Watch as is until 5 PM this evening.

A warm front will start to lift north across the area overnight
into Wednesday morning. Instability will begin to increase and
scattered thunderstorms are expected to develop along the warm
front as it lifts north across the region. MUCAPE values will
increase over 1000 J/kg and the MUCIN weakens to near 0. Lapse
rates will steepen late tonight into Wednesday morning and deep
layer shear could support a few strong to severe storms. With the
storms being elevated in nature hail to the size of quarters will
be the main risk.

Warmer conditions will begin to advect from southwest to northeast
into the area on Wednesday. Highs will range from the middle 60s
across central Missouri to the middle 70s across far southwestern
Missouri Wednesday afternoon.

An upper level disturbance will move across the Plains on
Wednesday and additional storms are expected to develop across
Oklahoma and Kansas in the afternoon and evening. The better
coverage and severe potential will be west of the area, but a few
storms may drift into extreme southeastern Kansas and far western
Missouri. Large hail will be the main risk.

.LONG TERM...(Thursday through Monday)
Issued at 300 AM CDT Tue May 12 2020

Warmer conditions will occur on Thursday into next week. Highs
will warm into the the upper 70s to around 80 each afternoon.

A front will sag south into the area later Thursday into Friday.
Storms will develop along the front. Instability and shear will
support the potential for a few strong to severe storms with
damaging straight line winds and large hail the main risks.
An upper level trough will move through the area this weekend and
will push the front back to the north and produce scattered
storms. Some strong to severe storms will remain possible. Locally
heavy rainfall will also be possible as multiple rounds of rain
occurs across the area this week.

An upper level ridge will build over the area early next week
brining much warming conditions to the area and limiting the rain
chances.

&&

.AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Tuesday night)
Issued at 1135 PM CDT Mon May 11 2020

Rain showers will persist into Tuesday morning as an upper level
storm system continues to approach from the west. Ceilings will
continue to lower with IFR becoming increasingly likely overnight.
Visibilities will generally remain in the MVFR category.

The showers may taper off for a bit later Tuesday afternoon,
however they are expected to increase again Tuesday evening.
Confidence is high that IFR will persist into Tuesday evening.

Surface winds will gradually increase out of the east to southeast
later tonight and especially on Tuesday.

&&

.CLIMATE...
Issued at 300 AM CDT Tue May 12 2020

Some record cold highs will be in jeopardy today. Below are the
forecast today along with the record cold highs for today for
select cities.

City             Forecast      Record     Year
Springfield         50            56      1939
Joplin              51            56      1967
West Plains         50            54      2019
Vichy/Rolla         51            52      1967

&&

.SGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MO...Flood Watch through this afternoon for MOZ077-088>090-093>097-
     101>106.

KS...Flood Watch through this afternoon for KSZ097-101.

&&

SHORT TERM...Wise
LONG TERM...Wise
AVIATION...Schaumann
CLIMATE...Wise

Hazardous weather outlook, May 11, 8:58 PM CST, 6 hours 2 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED
National Weather Service Springfield MO
958 PM CDT Mon May 11 2020

KSZ073-097-101-MOZ055>058-066>071-077>083-088>098-101>106-130300-
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-
958 PM CDT Mon May 11 2020

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of the Missouri
Ozarks and extreme southeast Kansas.

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

Weather hazards expected...

  Elevated flooding risk.

DISCUSSION...

  Persistent rainfall across extreme southeast Kansas and the
  Missouri Ozarks will create a risk for flooding late tonight
  and through Tuesday, especially from southeastern Kansas
  into southern Missouri.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday.

  Rain will continue well into Tuesday across much of southern
  Missouri. There will be an elevated risk for flooding of small
  streams, creeks, and possibly some larger stem rivers. Flood
  sensitive low water crossings could also become impassable.

  Scattered thunderstorms will be possible on Wednesday and
  Thursday. A few stronger storms will be possible in southeast
  Kansas and western Missouri.

  A cold front will move into the area Thursday night into Friday
  bringing a better coverage of showers and storms to the area.
  A few strong to severe storms could be possible with hail and
  straight line winds the main risk. Scattered storms will then
  be possible this weekend. There could be the potential for
  flooding for locations that are affected by multiple rounds of
  storms this week into the weekend.

.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

Cramer/Schaumann

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

13 flood, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Barry

When: May 12, 3:00 AM CST to 8:40 AM CST
Where: Barry County, 0.89 mi SE of Wheaton
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates: 36.760, -94.060

The fire department measured 2.00 inches of rain over a 6 hour period.

Flood, Barry

When: May 12, 10:00 AM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Barry County, 0.55 mi W of Mc Dowell to 0.46 mi W of Mc Dowell
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 36.820, -93.790

Highway C was closed at Flat Creek due to flooding.

Flood, Lawrence

When: May 12, 10:00 AM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Lawrence County, 2.98 mi NNE of Stotts City to 2.56 mi SSW of Phelps
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 37.140, -93.950

Highway 97 was closed at the Spring River due to flooding.

Flood, Lawrence

When: May 12, 10:00 AM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Lawrence County, 2.98 mi NNE of Stotts City to 2.56 mi SSW of Phelps
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 37.140, -93.950

Highway 97 was closed at the Spring River due to flooding.

Flood, Greene

When: May 12, 12:35 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Greene County, 1.65 mi E of Springfield to 1.95 mi E of Springfield
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 37.200, -93.270

Street flooding was reported near downtown Springfield via MPing.

Flood, Ozark

When: May 12, 6:32 PM CST to May 13, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Ozark County, 0.69 mi N of Mammoth to 0.37 mi NNE of Mammoth
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 36.540, -92.400

Highway T was closed at Possum Walk Creek due to flooding.

Flood, Barton

When: May 12, 6:46 PM CST to May 13, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Barton County, 1.49 mi SSW of Boston to 1.51 mi SSW of Boston
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 37.400, -94.310

Highway 126 was closed at Muddy Creek due to flooding.

Flood, Jasper

When: May 13, 4:44 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where: Jasper County, 1.1 mi W of Alba to 1.2 mi WNW of Alba
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 37.230, -94.450

Highway D was closed at the Spring River due to flooding.

Flood, Jasper

When: May 13, 5:09 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where: Jasper County, 2.82 mi NNE of Reeds to 2.93 mi NNE of Reeds
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 37.160, -94.160

Highway 37 was closed at the Spring River due to flooding.

Flood, Howell

When: May 13, 7:54 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where: Howell County, 2.66 mi SW of Pottersville to 2.85 mi SW of Pottersville
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 36.670, -92.060

Highway K was closed at a low water crossing due to flooding.

Flood, Douglas

When: May 13, 9:54 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where: Douglas County, 1.79 mi ENE of Ava to 2.15 mi ENE of Ava
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 36.960, -92.620

Highway FF east of Ava was closed at Hunter Creek due to flooding.

Flood, Douglas

When: May 13, 9:55 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where: Douglas County, 2.76 mi W of Ava Muni Meml Arpt to 2.5 mi W of Ava Muni Meml Arpt
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 36.970, -92.730

Highway Y was closed at Cowskin Creek due to flooding.

Flood, Douglas

When: May 13, 12:11 PM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Douglas County, 1.49 mi SSE of Olathe to 1.44 mi SSE of Olathe
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 37.010, -92.520

Highway U northeast of Ava was closed at Bryant Creek due to flooding.

Flood, Ozark

When: May 13, 1:01 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where: Ozark County, 2.77 mi E of Rockbridge to 2.68 mi E of Rockbridge
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 36.780, -92.370

Highway 95 was closed at Bryant Creek due to flooding.

What these are

Heavy Rain: Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Missouri in 2020 Every state in 2020 This day in weather history Warnings in Missouri, May 2020

Sources

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: 892864, 892851, 892852, 892853, 892854, 892855, 892856, 892857, 892858, 892859, 892860, 892861, 892862, 892863.