A cluster of strong to severe thunderstorms moved across northern Missouri during the early afternoon of May 24th, and resulted in damaging winds reaching into portions of Scotland County Missouri. Heavy rainfall amounts of around 2 inches also fell with this event.
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 DVN wrote it up.
A cluster of strong to severe thunderstorms moved across northern Missouri during the early afternoon of May 24th, and resulted in damaging winds reaching into portions of Scotland County Missouri. Heavy rainfall amounts of around 2 inches also fell with 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 Quad Cities, IA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 24, 1:55 PM CST, 1 hour 12 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Quad Cities IA IL 255 PM CDT Sun May 24 2020 .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 251 PM CDT Sun May 24 2020 The latest sfc analysis was indicating a messy boundary field acrs the MO into the mid/upper MS RVR Valley regions, thanks to decayed MCS outflow intersection with ongoing warm front. One main boundary intersection was seen laid out generally from west to east acrs far northern MO, while a cool front extended from central MN southwestward back into south central NE and western KS. The current water vapor and Vis satellite loops were showing a vort max/MCV rolling north acrs eastern KS ATTM, and this feature to be the igniter for renewed convection that's already taking place in high CAPE fields just to the north and northeast of the wave. The warm, moist and occasionally active pattern looks to continue through much of the upcoming week until a steering flow regime change and cooler air mass push shunts the action zone east and south of the local region by the end of the week. && .SHORT TERM...(This Evening through Monday Morning) ISSUED AT 251 PM CDT Sun May 24 2020 Convective debris and outflow from the earlier decayed MCS is thinning acrs the CWA, allowing for some air mass recovery with local SBCAPEs of 2-3K J/kg acrs the southern 2/3's of the fcst area. The approaching wave out of KS should continue to induce lift, with sctrd storms/convective clusters continuing to blossom acrs the northwest half of MO into western and central IA with breach of convective temps. Expect some of this activity to migrate up acrs the southwestern CWA late afternoon and evening, and continued north acrs eastern IA as the evening progresses. LLVL and bulk shear profiles weak to marginal, and unless there is a localized mesoscale shear enhancement such as on a boundary or discontinuity zone, despite the high CAPEs there appears to be just a marginal severe storm risk. Damaging wind gusts would be the primary threat, and precipital water feed of 1.3 to 1.6 inches would support locally heavy rainfall and an outside chance for the need of an isolated flash flood warning for stalled storms on a boundary. While the evening activity may be primarily from acrs MO into eastern IA, the late night action may shift east of the MS RVR acrs IL as a vort max seen now embedded in southerly steering flow acrs southern IL, propagates toward the Chicagoland area and northwest IN. Thus while the IA activity may wane after midnight with the wave passage to the northwest, sctrd later nocturnal storms may skirt the eastern CWA into early Monday morning. The nocturnal LLJ will be in play CWA- wide tonight, but interesting though, that the DVN CWA will look to remain mainly in between the two prime forcing mechanisms pulsing up in amplifying southerly steering flow to lee of high plains upper trof complex. Thus may be more of an isolated to sctrd coverage storm scenario for much of the first period. As for overnight lows, increased sfc DPT pool will keep lows up in the low to mid 60s for much of the area, with more mid 60s than low 60s. ..12.. .LONG TERM...(Monday through next Sunday) ISSUED AT 251 PM CDT Sun May 24 2020 Memorial Day, known for the start of the summer season as much as it is for it's intended meaning, will in fact, represent a typical hot and humid day of standard summer bear. Morning storms may be found moving north on the weak but moisture rich low level flow likely on the chaotic mesoscale boundaries left over from tonight's storms. Heavy rain will be possible with any storm, as movement should be relatively slow. A warm and humid afternoon is expected, much like today's warmth. This is expected to bring more scattered storms in the afternoon, initially, in MO and eastern Iowa, but with outflow interactions, they should spread in to Illinois. Heavy rains are possible, but coverage of it should be limited. Tuesday may see a lower coverage amount of storms, as the upper low positions itself over Texas, but that's mainly looking at the GFS which as the focus both west and east of our region. The EC says there's no such break at all. Wednesday into Thursday, it appears we are set up for much higher coverage of rain/storms as the upper low is positioned a bit farther east, with moisture transport focused into Iowa and Illinois again. This will be a more predictable heavy rain threat, but again, storms in the weak flow will focus on mesoscale boundaries we cannot pin point until the day of each event. Unlike the other days, a strong upper trof will swing southeast into the Midwest by Thursday, temporarily pushing heat and humidity south of the region. The pleasant dry weather should last through the upcoming weekend with highs in the 70s and lows in the 50s. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Monday Afternoon) ISSUED AT 1240 PM CDT Sun May 24 2020 Most of the area VFR this afternoon under debris clouds, except for some pesky patches of MVFR cumulus near BRL and DBQ. Outflow boundaries pushing through the area from earlier decaying convective system making for variable winds of 5-10 KTs for first hour or two of the TAF cycle, but expect southerly sfc flow to take over again as the afternoon progresses. Then the watch will b on for isolated to sctrd showers/thunderstorms developing late this afternoon and especially this evening, with higher coverage expected moving out of northeast MO and moving up acrs eastern IA. CID may have the best chance to eventually get impacted by this activity and used a few CAM model runs to define a TEMPO window during mid evening at that site. Otherwise not enough confidence to put convection at the other TAF sites at this time, with VFR conditions generally continuing into Monday morning with south to southwest sfc winds of 5-10 KTs. This flow should keep MVFR to IFR fog from forming. But any wind drop-off may allow for at least light fog in the VCNTY of a few sites especially DBQ and CID toward dawn. ..12.. && .DVN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IA...NONE. IL...NONE. MO...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...12 SHORT TERM...12 LONG TERM...Ervin AVIATION...12
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Quad Cities IA IL 639 AM CDT Sun May 24 2020 IAZ040>042-051>054-063>068-076>078-087>089-098-099-ILZ001-002-007- 009-015>018-024>026-034-035-MOZ009-010-251145- Buchanan-Delaware-Dubuque-Benton-Linn-Jones-Jackson-Iowa-Johnson- Cedar-Clinton-Muscatine-Scott-Keokuk-Washington-Louisa-Jefferson- Henry IA-Des Moines-Van Buren-Lee-Jo Daviess-Stephenson-Carroll- Whiteside-Rock Island-Henry IL-Bureau-Putnam-Mercer-Henderson- Warren-Hancock-McDonough-Scotland-Clark- 639 AM CDT Sun May 24 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of north central Illinois...northwest Illinois...west central Illinois...east central Iowa...northeast Iowa...southeast Iowa and northeast Missouri. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT There is a chance of thunderstorms today and tonight, mainly west of the Mississippi River. Gusty winds and locally heavy rainfall are the main threats. Heat index readings will top out in the upper 80s to near 90 degrees this afternoon. Portions of the Rock River is experiencing flooding. Please see the latest Flood Statements and Flood Warnings for details. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY Humid conditions will be seen Monday, with thunderstorms possible Monday evening and during the overnight hours. Lightning and locally heavy rainfall will be the main threats. There is a chance for thunderstorms Tuesday through Thursday. It is too early to determine the severe weather threat. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... There is a chance for spotter activation today and this evening west of the Mississippi River.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
1116 AM CDT SUN MAY 24 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1257 PM TORNADO MECHANICSVILLE 41.90N 91.25W
05/23/2020 CEDAR IA NWS STORM SURVEY
A TORNADO DEVELOPED SOUTHWEST OF
MECHANICSVILLE SHORTLY BEFORE 1 PM, AND
TRACKED NORTHEAST THROUGH NORTHERN CEDAR
COUNTY. THE TORNADO DESTROYED THE PORCH OF A
HOME JUST WEST OF MECHANICSVILLE, AND CAUSED
OUTBUILDING DAMAGE AT A FARMSTEAD NEAR THE
CEDAR/JONES COUNTY LINE BEFORE LIFTING. THE
TORNADO WAS RATED EF1 WITH MAXIMUM WINDS
ESTIMATED AROUND 95 MPH. THE TORNADO WAS ON
THE GROUND FOR ABOUT 16 MINUTES ALONG AN
INTERMITTENT 7 MILE PATH. ASSISTANCE
PROVIDED BY CEDAR COUNTY EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT AND THE MECHANICSVILLE FIRE
DEPARTMENT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.
&&
RP KINNEYPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
1144 AM CDT SUN MAY 24 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0224 PM TORNADO 1 NNE ANDREW 42.17N 90.58W
05/23/2020 JACKSON IA TRAINED SPOTTER
CORRECTED TIME. A TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTED A
TORNADO ON THE GROUND 1 MILE NORTH NORTHEAST
OF ANDREW.
&&
RP KINNEYPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
1257 PM CDT SUN MAY 24 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0229 PM TORNADO 1 SSE MALVERN 41.83N 89.88W
05/23/2020 WHITESIDE IL STORM CHASER
BRIEF TOUCHDOWN. NO DAMAGE OBSERVED.
&&
RP KINNEYPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
117 PM CDT SUN MAY 24 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0418 PM TORNADO 1 NNE WARREN 42.50N 89.99W
05/23/2020 JO DAVIESS IL NWS STORM SURVEY
CORRECTS TIME OF PREVIOUS REPORT. A TRAINED
SPOTTER OBSERVED A BRIEF TORNADO IN AN OPEN
FIELD NEAR WARREN. THE TORNADO IS DESIGNATED
AS AN EF-U (UNKNOWN), AS NO DAMAGE WAS
OBSERVED TO ASSIGN AN EF-SCALE RATING.
&&
RP KINNEYSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Quad Cities IA/IL
337 PM CDT Sun May 24 2020
IAC177-MOC045-199-242115-
Van Buren-Scotland-Clark-
337 PM CDT Sun May 24 2020
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT SOUTHWESTERN VAN BUREN...
SCOTLAND AND SOUTHWESTERN CLARK COUNTIES UNTIL 415 PM CDT...
At 337 PM CDT, a strong thunderstorm was located near Greensburg, or
10 miles northwest of Edina, moving northeast at 35 mph.
Wind gusts up to 50 mph and pea size hail are possible with this
storm.
Locations impacted include...
Memphis, Wyaconda, Cantril, Rutledge, South Gorin, Granger,
Greensburg, Crawford, Arbela, Hitt, Etna, Sand Hill, Memphis Memorial
Airport, Spillman Mound, Kilwinning, Brock, Bible Grove, Prospect
Grove, Scotland County Fairgrounds and Fairmont.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm. Minor flooding
of low lying areas, creeks, streams and urban areas is possible. If
you encounter water over a roadway, do not drive through it.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
LAT...LON 4059 9235 4060 9218 4065 9218 4069 9201
4026 9181 4026 9195 4030 9195 4030 9235
TIME...MOT...LOC 2037Z 240DEG 31KT 4028 9232
ErvinThe Des Moines radar (KDMX), 177 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:10 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A tree was blown down onto a vacant house and barn doors were blown in.
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: 892895.