Tornadoes and Hail in Missouri, May 16, 2025

Area Forecast Discussion...Updated Aviation
National Weather Service Saint Louis MO
1214 PM CDT Fri May 16 2025

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Severe thunderstorms are expected to develop along or just
  ahead of a cold front this afternoon. Hail in excess of 2 inches
  in diameter and damaging winds in excess of 80 mph are the
  primary threats. A few tornadoes are also possible. If tornadoes
  do develop, they could be strong.

- After a dry Saturday, the chance for rain returns Sunday and
  continues into next week, with the highest chances on Monday
  night and Tuesday.

&&

.SHORT TERM...  (Through Late Saturday Afternoon)
Issued at 254 AM CDT Fri May 16 2025

The primary concern in the short term is the severe thunderstorm
threat this afternoon. The environment this afternoon will be
characterized by high CAPE and moderate to strong (mostly) linear
deep-layer shear. All short range deterministic guidance develops
3000+ J/Kg MLCAPE and as much as 4000+ J/Kg by around 18Z this
afternoon ahead of the front. 0-6km shear on all guidance is a
respectable 50-60kts as well. Forecast soundings show steep (7.5-
8.5C/km) mid level lapse rates with 2000+ J/Kg CAPE in the hail
growth zone. With that kind of instability and shear, rotating
updrafts are very likely, and this kind of environment almost
guarantees hail in excess of 2 inches. Low level lapse rates on
forecast soundings are basically dry adiabatic with deep
inverted-V signatures all the way to 850mb, so downdraft winds
from supercells could produce wind gusts in excess of 80 mph.
Linear shear will support splits and, depending on coverage,
mergers leading to upscale growth. All this leads to a high
confidence in severe weather this afternoon. With that said, where
and when convective initiation will occur is still somewhat
uncertain. The general consensus in most of the deterministic
models, including most CAMs is that CI will occur between 18-20Z
this afternoon over east central and southeast Missouri. The HRRR
has been particularly consistent in showing this the past several
runs. HREF probability of 2000+ J/Kg SBCAPE/>25 CINH/and 45kt+
0-6km shear maxes out at around 60% during that period just west
of the STL Metro area, extending southwest near the I-44 corridor.
This lends confidence to an early/mid afternoon CI west of the
Mississippi. There is a less likely scenario depicted by the
deterministic GFS and ECMWF where CINH is stronger, and there
isn't enough low level convergence along the front to initiate
convection until later in the afternoon over far southeast
Missouri and south central Illinois. To be clear, I think this
scenario is less likely, but it is plausible. One way or another,
forecast storm motion is 45-50kts, so even if the storms fire in
east central Missouri, they should clear eastern portions of the
CWFA by 22-00Z.

The remainder of the short term looks quiet with the cold front
moving down into Arkansas and the Tennessee Valley.  Cooler  and
drier air will spill into the Mid Mississippi Valley tonight and
Saturday.  Lows Saturday morning will range from around 50 in
northeast Missouri to the mid to upper 50s in the STL Metro and
parts of southeast Missouri and southwest Illinois.  Highs Saturday
will be around 10 degrees cooler than Today in the mid 70s to around
80.

Carney

&&

.LONG TERM...  (Saturday Night through Thursday)
Issued at 254 AM CDT Fri May 16 2025

We look to continue with the active pattern into early next week as
the LREF shows another upper low now moving into the Midwest by the
middle of next week.  The cluster analysis is showing some spread
with regards to the track and the timing of the upper low which
could affect potential heavy rainfall and strong to severe
thunderstorms.

We will begin to see the chances for showers and thunderstorms to
slowly increase late Saturday night into Sunday as the LREF is
showing a warm front beginning to move north from the Missouri/
Arkansas border.  The chances will be highest on Sunday night and
again Monday night when it is likely that a low level jet will set
up the potential for MCSs to track along and north of the warm front
and the LREF members have it's highest chances (70-90%) for rain
both on Sunday/early Monday and Monday night/early Tuesday.  Most of
it's members are also producing rain as it brings a surface low and
cold front through the area late Tuesday. I couldn't rule out a few
hail producers with these MCSs given the forecast CAPE profiles and
the deep layer shear.  The deterministic GFS/ECMWF are showing
MLCAPES in the 1000-1500 J/kg range with deep layer shear of 40-50
knots on Tuesday, so depending of the track of the upper low, a few
strong to severe thunderstorms remain possible.  The LREF is still
advertising around a 60% chance of >2" of rainfall over the next 7
days over the entire area with only about of 10% of >4" of rainfall.
Still, this higher chance is possible with any training
thunderstorms that occur with the MCSs.

The low will move off to the east by late next week and
northwesterly flow will set up aloft.  After temperatures mainly in
the 70s and 80s Sunday into Tuesday, highs will fall off into the
60s for the mid to late next week.

Britt

&&

.AVIATION...  (For the 18z TAFs through 18z Saturday Afternoon)
Issued at 1210 PM CDT Fri May 16 2025

Isolated to scattered thunderstorms will develop along a cold
front over the next couple of hours. The metro terminals still
have the best chance, but coverage is too low to be confident
enough to introduce a prevailing or a TEMPO. Any thunderstorm that
does directly impact a terminal would have the capability of
producing low visibilities in heavy downpours and large hail with
some wind threat as well. Storms will move off to the east
quickly, with dry weather and VFR conditions favored thereafter.
Winds are expected to veer through this evening, with
west/northwest winds behind the front. Gusts may diminish or at
least weaken this evening before picking back up again by mid
morning on Saturday.

Gosselin

&&

.LSX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MO...None.
IL...None.
&&

WFO LSX

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service St Louis MO
509 AM CDT Fri May 16 2025

ILZ058>060-064-065-069-070-074-079-095>102-MOZ018-019-026-027-
034>036-041-042-047>052-059>065-072>075-084-085-099-171015-
Greene IL-Macoupin IL-Montgomery IL-Bond IL-Fayette IL-Clinton IL-
Marion IL-Washington IL-Randolph IL-Adams IL-Brown IL-Pike IL-
Calhoun IL-Jersey IL-Madison IL-Saint Clair IL-Monroe IL-Knox MO-
Lewis MO-Shelby MO-Marion MO-Monroe MO-Ralls MO-Pike MO-Boone MO-
Audrain MO-Moniteau MO-Cole MO-Osage MO-Callaway MO-Montgomery MO-
Lincoln MO-Gasconade MO-Warren MO-Saint Charles MO-Franklin MO-
Saint Louis MO-Saint Louis City MO-Jefferson MO-Crawford MO-
Washington MO-Saint Francois MO-Sainte Genevieve MO-Iron MO-
Madison MO-Reynolds MO-
509 AM CDT Fri May 16 2025

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of eastern and
central Missouri as well as west central and southwest Illinois.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Severe thunderstorms are likely this afternoon across parts of east
central and southeast Missouri into southwest and south central
Illinois. Very large hail in excess of 2 inches in diameter, damaging
wind gusts in excess of 80 mph, and a few tornadoes are all possible.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday.

Thunderstorms are possible again late Saturday night through next
Tuesday.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may be needed this afternoon and early this
evening.

Carney