Two rounds of storms moved over the region from the early morning hours to late afternoon. The first round developed shortly after midnight along an elevated warm front moving northward from the Red River Valley into southwest Missouri.
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 rounds of storms moved over the region from the early morning hours to late afternoon. The first round developed shortly after midnight along an elevated warm front moving northward from the Red River Valley into southwest Missouri. The second round of storms, associated with a meso-scale convective system, developed over western Kansas during the late afternoon of the 21st and moved across southwestern Missouri from mid-morning through late afternoon on the 22nd. Rainfall accumulations over an inch and a half occurred for some areas.
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 21, 5:14 AM CST, 46 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Springfield MO 614 AM CDT Thu May 21 2020 .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 235 AM CDT Thu May 21 2020 An upper level Rex blocking pattern continues east of the area which was keeping a closed low over the TN/OH valley region and most of our CWA within a cyclonic flow pattern northwest of the low. Some low cloud cover still affecting much of the eastern CWA because of the proximity of the low. Temperatures have also been held in check due to the low. Readings were currently in the upper 50s to low 60s with dewpoints in the mid to upper 50s. This forecast will focus on 1) thunderstorm chances through the period, 2) severe weather chances on Friday and 3) the potential for flooding returning to the area. && .SHORT TERM...(Today and tonight) Issued at 235 AM CDT Thu May 21 2020 For today, the cut-off upper low will slowly drift northeast, but not far during the day. Over OK, some shortwave energy will begin lifting northeast during the afternoon, while some instability develops over the area ahead of this feature as moisture begins to shift into the area. Can't rule out some scattered afternoon convection, especially in the west where the better moisture and instability will lie along with the weak upper disturbance. This activity will likely diminish during the evening with the loss of daytime heating and when instability diminishes. However, more organized storms will be possible further to the west during the afternoon and nighttime with better jet dynamics in play. Some CAMS models are bringing this activity east into the western CWA by early Friday morning. So after a break of scattered convection during the late evening and a good portion of the overnight hours, some convection may then move back into the area in the form of a decaying MCS. .LONG TERM...(Friday through Wednesday) Issued at 235 AM CDT Thu May 21 2020 A lot of what happens Friday will depend on what the storms from Friday morning do. If there is a lot of convective debris from the morning storms remaining into the afternoon it could limit the instability. Surface dewpoints should reach the mid to upper 60s with temperatures in the 70s to around 80. The big difference will be both a low level jet and mid level jet in favorable positions for more organized convection Friday afternoon and evening with the potential for a few supercells as well. Behind this system, some upper ridging is wedged in between the departing shortwave and the much large system over the Rockies. We will remain in southwest flow aloft through the weekend with several embedded weaker distubances that may cause some more scattered activity on Saturday with lesser coverage Saturday night as the instability wanes. A more active period will start arriving on Sunday as the main upper trough approaches from the west. Plenty of instability will be in place with periodic waves of upper level energy moving in. Active weather will likely continue through the end of the forecast period. Widespread 2 to 3 inches of rain will be possibel in the western CWA over the 7 day period and 1 to 2 inches in the east. Certainly localized higher amounts would be possible with any training convection and with recent heavy rains from last week, may pose some flooding risks. && .AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Friday morning) Issued at 610 AM CDT Thu May 21 2020 IFR stratus has filled in across much of the forecast area early this morning. Ceilings around 900 feet have spread into BBG and SGF. Should see this break up a bit later this morning. Could see a few showers/storms this afternoon and better chance of convection toward morning on Friday at JLN and possibly BBG. && .SGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MO...NONE. KS...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...Lindenberg SHORT TERM...Lindenberg LONG TERM...Lindenberg AVIATION...Lindenberg
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Springfield MO 316 AM CDT Thu May 21 2020 KSZ073-097-101-MOZ055>058-066>071-077>083-088>098-101>106-220830- 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- 316 AM CDT Thu May 21 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of the Missouri Ozarks and extreme southeast Kansas. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. Weather hazards expected... Elevated lightning risk. DISCUSSION... Some scattered thunderstorms will be possible this afternoon and evening over western Missouri and southeast Kansas. Additional thunderstorms may move into the area from the west towards morning. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. Some strong to severe storms will be possible Friday afternoon and evening with all modes of severe weather possible over western Missouri and southeast Kansas. Large hail and damaging wind would be the most likely severe weather elements, however we can't rule out a low end tornado threat. There will be at least a chance of thunderstorms on nearly a daily basis from the weekend into the first half of next week. Heavy rain and flooding will also be possible as the ground remains fairly saturated from last weeks heavy rain. .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 Lindenberg
The Springfield radar (KSGF), 1 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 12:02 UTC.
10 flood, 2 hail, 1 heavy rain, 1 flash flood, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
The National Weather Service office in measured 3.80 inches of rainfall over a 24 hour period.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rainfall between 2 and 4 inches occurred across Greene County. West of Springfield, several feet of water was reported over Farm Road 146 at Wilsons Creek and at the Haseltine Branch near Farm Roads 140 and 115 closing the roads to traffic. On Chestnut Expressway near Haseltine Road, 2 vehicles were stalled in 2.5 feet of water.
The low water crossings were closed on Fall Creek Road. Several other city streets were also closed to to flooding rains.
McCord and Spring Streets were closed due to flooding.
Lightning struck a home resulting in a fire that caused moderate damage to a home and garage.
Nickle sized hail was reported.
Quarter sized hail was reported.
The low water crossing on Highway EE at Flat Creek was closed due to flooding.
The low water crossing on Highway T at Little Creek was closed due to flooding.
The low water crossing on Highway J at Trigger Creek was closed due to flooding.
The low water crossing on Highway 126 and SE 70th Lane was closed due to flooding.
Flooding from heavy rainfall was reported on Kentling Avenue and Highlandville Road.
The low water crossing on Highway K at the East Dry Wood Creek was flooded and impassable.
Over 2 feet of water was flowing over the low water crossing on Highway T at Possum Walk Creek.
The low water crossing on Highway Y at Cowskin Creek was flooded and impassable.
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, 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: 892659, 892657, 892667, 892668, 892660, 892677, 892678, 892669, 892670, 892671, 892672, 892673, 892674, 892675, 892676.