Severe thunderstorms occurred during the late afternoon and evening hours of March 14th. Seven tornadoes occurred east of Springfield including an EF-3 tornado in Bakersfield, 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.
Severe thunderstorms occurred during the late afternoon and evening hours of March 14th. Seven tornadoes occurred east of Springfield including an EF-3 tornado in Bakersfield, Missouri. Large hail to the golfballs and damaging winds also occurred with these storms.
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 14, 1:49 PM CST, 23 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Springfield MO
249 PM CDT Fri Mar 14 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- High Wind Warning through 1am Saturday. Southerly non-
thunderstorm winds of 30-40 mph and gusts up to 65 mph for
much of the area will continue. Wind Advisory with gusts up
to 55 mph for far south- central MO.
- Red Flag Warning remains in effect for much of the area for
EXTREME FIRE DANGER today into tonight due to strong winds and
relative humidity values dropping into the 15-25% range.
Highest fire danger will be late this afternoon through
tonight along and west of Highway 65.
- Severe Thunderstorms: Thunderstorms expected to develop over
the area this afternoon and expand in coverage as they move
east. Highest severe chances and coverage is east of Highway
65. Large hail to the size of baseballs, damaging winds to
80mph and strong tornadoes are all potential hazards mainly
east of Highway 65.
- Additional Fire: Fire weather concerns continue for Saturday
through next Wednesday, with confidence highest in elevated to
significant fire danger Sunday through Tuesday.
&&
.SHORT TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY/...
Issued at 214 PM CDT Fri Mar 14 2025
Synoptic Pattern and Current Conditions: A strong shortwave was
pushing through Kansas with a 977mb surface low across the
Nebraska/Kansas border. A dryline was currently located across
northeast Oklahoma, just east of Tulsa. Temps across the area
were in the upper 70s to lower 80s with RH in the 20-30 percent
range.
We are seeing showers and storms developing along the dryline
now across southeast Kansas and northeast Oklahoma and this
is the initial stages of development for the afternoon. This is
due to a extremely strong 500mb jet max (110kts) nosing into
the northeast Oklahoma. This strong lift and increase in ML CAPE
(500-1000 across eastern OK) will likely continue to attempt
development across eastern Oklahoma this afternoon. Steep lapse
rates, adequate instability and strong wind shear will likely
allow for storms to become severe rapidly by mid to late
afternoon and a Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued west
of Highway 65 until 7pm. There has been a western shift in the
severe chances today as 12z HREF guidance develops storms along
and just west of the I-49 corridor with a gradual increase in
strength during the afternoon and evening from Highway 65 and
east. The 18z sounding from SGF did show a well mixed
environment therefore thinking the tornado threat west of
Highway 65 should remain low with large hail and damaging winds
the main threat.
Of concern for later this evening is that slightly higher
dewpoints (around 55 to perhaps 60 across the far eastern
ozarks) may indeed arrive and increase instability across areas
along and east of Highway 65. This combined with increasing
shear will allow for discrete supercell storms. Latest STP
values of 4-8 east of Highway 65 is concerning as the
environment for strong tornadoes has shifted slightly farther
west back towards highway 65 and especially towards Highway 63.
Of further concern is that some of the CAMS are showing very
strong low level and mid level updraft helicity swaths that are
long tracked east of Highway 65. These could be long track
tornadic supercells if this materializes. The limiting factor at
the moment is that the LCL's are currently high (1500-2000m).
However lower LCLs are across southeast Oklahoma and central
Arkansas and this may move in. If the LCLs remain high this
could limit the tornado threat and will monitor this closely.
Also, steep lapse rates and strong shear will promote large
hail to the size of baseballs. The other concern will be with
damaging winds up to 80mph as that jet moves in and allows for
extremely strong winds to mix down to the surface with the most
intense storms.
Storm timeline: Could see storms across the I-49 corridor in the
2-4pm timeframe, then the highway 65 corridor in the 4-7pm
timeframe, then the Highway 63 corridor in the 7-11pm
timeframe. These are rough estimates however confidence is high
that storms will be exiting by midnight if not before. Storm
motions will be very fast off to the east/northeast at 50-60mph.
Non thunderstorm winds and fire: Currently seeing wind gusts of
40-60mph along and west of the Highway 5 corridor where winds
are mixing down. Already seen brush/wildfires as well as
powerlines down in some areas. See fire section below for
further info on the extreme to historic fire danger. Non
thunderstorm winds will also increase behind the dryline with
gusts around 50mph. The High Wind Warning and Wind Advisory
continue through 1am.
&&
.LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/...
Issued at 214 PM CDT Fri Mar 14 2025
The Weekend: A trough will be slow to move through Saturday and
Sunday which leads to lower confidence in temperatures and any
precipitation chances. Preciptiation chances still remain low
and less than 20 percent with the higher chances east of
Highway 63. High temps should be much closer to average if the
clouds and lower 850mb temps persist. Sunday looks much cooler
with highs in the 50s. Elevated fire danger is likely both days
due to gusty northwest winds and low humidity.
Next Week: Overall the ensembles suggest a large ridge
developing which will increase the southerly winds and 850mb
temps therefore well above average highs look to return along
with steady winds which will only increase the fire danger
again. We continue to see signals for significant fire danger
by Monday and Tuesday. This will be monitored closely over the
coming days. A shortwave looks to move in by Wednesday which
will bring the next chance of precip.
&&
.AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z SATURDAY/...
Issued at 1153 AM CDT Fri Mar 14 2025
South to southwest winds will increase rapidly this afternoon
with gusts around 50kts at times. A broken line of thunderstorms
will likely develop near or just east of JLN by mid afternoon
and then work into the SGF area in the evening. It remains
unclear if they make it to BBG. These storms will likely be
severe. Ceilings will briefly drop to MVFR at times in storms
with damaging wind gusts. Once the storms pass this evening
skies will clear however high wind gusts around 40kts will
continue. Low level wind shear is likely at the sites. Wind
speeds will then decrease by Saturday morning and turn more
westerly.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...
Issued at 300 PM CDT Thu Mar 13 2025
Today:
Southerly winds of 30-40 mph gusting to 50-65 mph are
currently occuring generally along and west of Highway 5.
Humidity values will fluctuate between 15-25% at times this afternoon
until a dry line brings much drier air in from the west this
afternoon into tonight. Note that the timing of driest air will
be unusual because the air is pushing into the area rather than
resulting from afternoon mixing. RH values of 10-20% will move
in behind the dryline tonight. Moisture then improves from the
NW tonight, but RH values should remain at 20-30% all night in
areas south of I-44 and winds will be gusty all night.
Showers and thunderstorms are expected this afternoon and
evening along and ahead of the dry line, but the coverage is
expected to be limited for most of the area in the Red Flag
Warning. It's quite possible that some areas in the warning
remain dry. If thunderstorms do form, fire crews should be
prepared for lightning and severe weather including very strong
winds, large hail (potentially up to baseball size), and
tornadoes.
Saturday and beyond: Saturday will be cloudy, but winds will
remain elevated (10-20 mph gusting to 20-30 mph) out of the SW
shifting to NW with MinRH values of 30-40%.
Fire danger looks likely early next week as well, with a dry/windy
pattern continuing. Even at 5-6 days lead time, fire danger is
looking Significant Monday/Tuesday. Definitely stay tuned to this
threat and keep tabs on daily updates.
&&
.SGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
KS...Red Flag Warning until 1 AM CDT Saturday for KSZ073-097-101.
High Wind Warning until 1 AM CDT Saturday for KSZ073-097-101.
MO...Red Flag Warning until 1 AM CDT Saturday for MOZ055>058-
066>071-077>082-088>097-101>105.
High Wind Warning until 1 AM CDT Saturday for MOZ055>058-
066>071-077>083-088>095-101>103.
Wind Advisory until 1 AM CDT Saturday for MOZ096>098-104>106.
&&
SHORT TERM...Burchfield
LONG TERM...Burchfield
AVIATION...Burchfield
FIRE WEATHER...BurchfieldHazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED National Weather Service Springfield MO 149 PM CDT Fri Mar 14 2025 KSZ073-097-101-MOZ055>058-066>071-077>083-088>098-101>106-151900- 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- 149 PM CDT Fri Mar 14 2025 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of the Missouri Ozarks and extreme southeast Kansas. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. Weather hazards expected... Moderate tornado risk. Enhanced hail risk. Moderate thunderstorm wind damage risk. Significant lightning risk. Significant non thunderstorm wind risk. Extreme fire weather risk. DISCUSSION... South to southwest non-thunderstorm winds will gust up to 50-65 mph this afternoon. These damaging winds will also make driving difficult, especially in high profile vehicles. Critical to extreme fire danger conditions will exist across most of the area today into tonight due to dry air, strong winds, and dry ground cover fuels. Fires will spread very quickly with spot fires common. Fire control will be extremely difficult. Lightning could also ignite fires this afternoon and evening. Severe thunderstorms will begin to develop during the mid to late afternoon hours along or just east of I-49. Storm coverage will be low across southeast Kansas and far west Missouri, but increases with eastward extent and is highest east of Missouri Highway 65. These storms west of Highway 65 would likely produce large hail and damaging winds. East of Highway 65 and especially along and east of Highway 63, supercell thunderstorms could become the main type. If supercells can form, winds in excess of 80 mph, large hail up to the size of baseballs, and tornadoes (some strong) would occur. Thunderstorms would be very fast moving to the east/northeast at 50-60 mph. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. Additional elevated to significant fire weather conditions will exist Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday of next week. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will be needed this afternoon through tonight. && More detailed information can be accessed at: http://www.weather.gov/sgf/dsspacket This product in graphical format...along with other weather... hydrological and climate information...at http://www.weather.gov/sgf Burchfield
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Springfield MO
1022 AM CDT Fri Mar 14 2025
MOZ093-094-101-102-141615-
Barry MO-Newton MO-McDonald MO-Lawrence MO-
1022 AM CDT Fri Mar 14 2025
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT NEWTON...MCDONALD...BARRY AND
LAWRENCE COUNTIES THROUGH 1115 AM CDT...
At 1021 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from near Miami to near South West City to near
Gentry. Movement was northeast at 65 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and penny size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Roaring River State Park, Emerald Beach, Monett, Fairview, Aurora,
Mount Vernon, Pleasant Ridge, Wheaton, South West City,
Chain-O-Lakes, Seligman, Freistatt, Madry, Racine, Neosho, Cassville,
Seneca, Marionville, Ritchey, and Jenkins.
This includes the following highways...
Interstate 44 between mile markers 1 and 8, and between mile markers
37 and 58.
Interstate 49 between mile markers 1 and 35.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3650 9462 3705 9461 3705 9406 3728 9361
3650 9359
TIME...MOT...LOC 1521Z 223DEG 57KT 3686 9483 3654 9467 3627 9459
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
BurchfieldPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Springfield MO
248 PM CDT Fri Mar 14 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0246 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Columbus 37.17N 94.84W
03/14/2025 Cherokee KS Emergency Mngr
Tree branches broken near 4 inch in
diameter.
&&
AnglePreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Springfield MO
311 PM CDT Fri Mar 14 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0310 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst Goodman 36.74N 94.40W
03/14/2025 M63 MPH McDonald MO Emergency Mngr
&&
TEOThe Tulsa radar (KINX), 110 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:13 UTC.
33 hail, 12 tornado, 7 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Emergency management measured a 67 mph wind gust northwest of Anderson with thunderstorms.
A 60 mph wind gust was measured in the city of Joplin.
Thunderstorm wind gusts downed a power line in Aurora.
Thunderstorm wind gusts ripped off shingles of homes in Chesapeake.
Thunderstorm wind gusts downed two large tree limbs in Springfield.
The fire department reported heavy rainfall and quarter size hail around Highway 39 and Highway 76 north of Shell Knob.
Hail to the size of half dollars fell in Springfield.
Hail to the size of half dollars fell in the city of Ozark.
Hail to the size of quarters fell just to the northeast of Springfield.
Emergency management reported half dollar size hail in Emerald Beach.
Baseball sized hail went through the Highlandville area in the evening of March 14th. Minor damage occurred to the siding of some homes from the wind driven hail.
Hail up to the size of quarters fell in Ozark.
Hail to the size of quarters fell just southwest of Ozark.
Hail up to the size of half dollars fell just west of Ozark near Highway 65.
Wind driven hail to the size of golf balls destroyed windows in Ozark.
Hail to the size of quarters fell on the east side of Nixa.
Hail to the size of quarters fell in the town of Strafford.
Hail to the size of quarters fell just west of Sparta.
Hail to the size of half dollars fell just west of Nixa.
Hail to the size of half dollars fell southwest of Reeds Spring on Y Highway.
Hail to the size of half dollars fell in Emerald Beach.
Hail to the size of quarters fell east of Rogersville on Highway 60.
Hail to the size of ping pong balls fell north of Shell Knob.
An EF1 tornado with maximum wind speeds of 100 mph started 5 miles north of Seymour and tracked northeast into Wright County. In Webster County the tornado ripped the roof off of a home, destroyed numerous barns, collapsed a train communication tower, and snapped trees.
Hail to the size of golf balls fell in Reeds Spring.
A 62 mph wind gust was measured in Seymour during thunderstorms.
Several trees were downed due to a thunderstorm seven miles east of Niangua.
An EF1 tornado with maximum wind speeds of 100 mph continued into Wright County near Duncan. In Wright County the tornado uprooted numerous trees and damaged outbuildings. The tornado ended near Highway Z north of Hartville.
Hail to the size of quarters fell in Bruner.
Hail to the size of quarters fell in Lebanon.
Hail to the size of quarters fell on the Christian and Taney County line.
Hail to the size of ping pong balls fell in Seymour.
Hail to the size of ping pong balls fell northwest of Garrison.
An EF1 tornado with peak winds around 90 mph started just west of Lynchburg and tracked northeast into far northwestern Texas County. In Laclede County, the tornado damaged numerous barns and damaged the roof of a home. Numerous trees were uprooted and damaged. The tornado then tracked northeast into Texas County.
Hail to the size of ping pong balls fell on Highway 14 at the Christian and Douglas County line.
An EF1 tornado with peak winds around 90 mph continued from Wright County into far northwestern Texas County north of Plato. In Texas County, the tornado uprooted numerous tree. The tornado then tracked northeast into Pulaski County.
An EF1 tornado with peak winds around 90 mph continued from Texas County into southern Pulaski County, including Fort Leonard Wood. In Pulaski County, the tornado damaged outbuildings and uprooted numerous trees.
Hail to the size of quarters fell just north of Roby.
Hail to the size of quarters fell in Evening Shade.
Following a review of satellite and radar imagery, the NWS determined an EF-1 tornado touched down in Phelps County. This tornado was within a larger path of the parent storm that produced additional tornadoes between Diggins, MO through Rolla. This tornado started six miles west of Yancy Milles, MO in the vicinity of County Road 7630 and then tracked through the Mark Twain National Forest before lifting just before Highway 63, three miles north of Vida, MO. Based upon satellite imagery in conjunction to radar data, the endpoint of this tornado was just to the southeast of a subsequent tornado that tracked northeast toward Rolla, MO. Damage was largely to uprooted trees, though a barn damaged on Highway T near the intersection of County Road 7460.
An EF-2 tornado moved through Phelps County, including the city of Rolla. The tornado started in the Mark Twain National Forest approximately 7 miles southeast of Newburg, MO with damage diminishing to the north of Dillion, MO. The tornado caused an intermittent path of damaged and uprooted trees before causing damage to homes and businesses along Highway 63 south of Rolla then continued to cause damage across southeast sections of Rolla that included significant damage to some homes, roof damage to multiple schools and other businesses. One person was injured across this portion of the path. The damage became more intermittent across eastern sections of Rolla, then became even more sparse as it crossed Interstate 44 at Highway V though still strong enough to damage a barn roof, uproot additional trees, and shifted a mobile home off it’s piers, and then lifted near Little Prairie Conservation Area to the north of Dillion, MO. At it’s peak, the tornado reached 500 yards wide and had peak winds estimated at 110-120 mph.
Hail to the size of quarters fell in Seymour.
Hail to the size of half dollars fell south of Rolla.
Hail to two inches in diameter fell along Dickinson Road.
Hail to the size of quarters fell in Anutt.
Hail to the size of ping pong balls fell north of Manes.
This is the continued path of the tornado that came out of Baxter County Arkansas. An EF-3 tornado with peak winds of 145 mph moved through Bakersfield, Missouri resulting in three fatalities and four injuries. In Ozark County, the tornado destroyed several homes and damaged dozens of other homes. Multiple cars were rolled 50 to 100 yards. Numerous trees were also uprooted including entire groves of trees destroyed. This tornado then moved northeast into Howell County.
This is a continuation of the EF-3 tornado from Ozark County. This tornado traveled into southwest Howell County and continued to the northeast and passed just south of South Fork before causing damage along the portion of Highway 63 that turns southeast as it exits West Plains. The tornado finally lifted along Highway 160 seven miles east of West Plains. In Howell County, the tornado damaged numerous homes and uprooted numerous trees.
Hail to the size of quarters fell in West Plains.
This is the beginning of a long-track EF-3 tornado that began south of Rover, MO and tracked northeast before lifting in southern Reynolds County. The peak wind speed was 165 mph with a maximum width of 800 yards. The tornado initially touched down around 2 miles northeast of Brandsville, then moved south of Rover where it pushed two homes off their foundation before continuing northeast through wooded areas. The tornado then took the roof off another home but left internal walls intact along Highway DD and again at the north end of County Road 331. It was also at this point that it caused the collapse of a pair of new high voltage transmission line metal support polls rated to withstand 90 mph winds before going back into wooded areas where satellite imagery depicted periodic uprooted trees into the Mark Twain National Forest. Thousands of trees were uprooted along its path. The tornado then traveled northeast into Shannon and eventually Carter Counties.
A 24 mile long tornado path was determined by a combination of NWS survey, storm reports, and satellite damage to have moved from just north of Koshkonong to 2 miles north of Alton before lifting 8 miles northeast of Alton. Maximum width was approximately a half mile wide though it was likely considerably narrower in places. While much of the path was to trees along with several outbuildings, the tornado damaged a few homes including a south facing ground level home off County Road 402 where it caused EF3 damage. The track continued northeast of Alton into the Mark Twain National Forest with satellite detecting an intermittent path of uprooted trees to near the Eleven Point River at Turners Mill.
This is the continuation of the tornado out of Oregon County that moved into far southeastern Shannon County. This tornado uprooted hundreds of trees before moving northeast into Carter County and intensifying.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado, Ozark | 2025-03-14 | 41 | Female | Mobile/Trailer Home | Direct |
| Tornado, Ozark | 2025-03-14 | 62 | Female | Permanent Home | Direct |
| Tornado, Ozark | 2025-03-14 | 32 | Female | Permanent Home | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Missouri in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Missouri, 2025Warnings in Missouri, March 2025
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: 1237702, 1237703, 1237690, 1237691, 1237692, 1237649, 1237650, 1237651, 1237652, 1237653, 1237655, 1237656, 1237657, 1237659, 1237661, 1237662, 1237664, 1237665, 1237666, 1237667, 1237668, 1237669, 1237670, 1237753, 1237671, 1237704, 1237694, 1237755, 1237672, 1237673, 1237674, 1237675, 1237676, 1237758, 1237677, 1237760, 1237762, 1237679, 1237681, 1237769, and more.