Severe storms moved across the Ozarks from April 14 to 15, 2026, and brought intense multi-hazard weather. The system advanced in two primary waves driven by escalating atmospheric instability.
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 storms moved across the Ozarks from April 14 to 15, 2026, and brought intense multi-hazard weather. The system advanced in two primary waves driven by escalating atmospheric instability. Unseasonably warm air pushed temperatures into the mid-80s. Strong southern winds gusted between 30 and 40 mph, injecting high humidity into the region. The initial round of storms were discrete supercell thunderstorms which formed over the Ozark Plateau. These initial isolated cells primarily produced large hail. The storms then developed into a training complex which brought heavy downpours. Total rainfall accumulated between 1 and 4 inches, triggering flash flooding and rapid rises in local streams.
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 Apr 14, 6:42 PM CST, 4 hours 38 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Springfield MO 742 PM CDT Tue Apr 14 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Storms are expected to move into the area late this evening into the overnight hours from Oklahoma. There will be the potential for some severe storms mainly along and south of I-44 and along and west of Highway 65. - Additional severe weather potential Wednesday afternoon and evening, and again Friday afternoon and overnight into Saturday. - Marginal excessive rainfall concerns through the week in areas that see repeated strong storms and/or training precipitation. && .MESOSCALE... Issued at 742 PM CDT Tue Apr 14 2026 An upper level trough is currently moving east across the Rocky Mountains region this evening. An area of surface low pressure is located across western Kansas with a dry line extending from central Kansas to the southwest into western Texas early this evening. Thunderstorms have developed along the dry line across central Oklahoma into Texas this afternoon and evening. Further north across Kansas, the cap never weakened enough for storm development especially with the better lift to the west with the upper level trough so storms have not developed across Kansas. A few showers have developed but storms have just not been able to develop further north. Confidence is now low that northern storms will develop as the cap will continue to strengthen this evening across east central Kansas into west central Missouri. Therefore attention turns to the activity to the southwest in Oklahoma. Coverage in storms is increasing across Oklahoma and a cluster of storms is expected to develop on move northeast this evening into tonight. The upper level trough will move east tonight and an area of MLCAPE of 750 to around 1000 J/kg with a weak cap will be in place ahead of the storms to the northeast into extreme southeastern Kansas and far southwestern Missouri late this evening into the early overnight hours generally south of I-44 and west of Highway 65. Instability will remain weakly capped to the east into south central Missouri into Wednesday morning but the instability will decrease to 500 J/kg or less to the east as the cluster of storms moves out well ahead of the better upper level support to the west. Therefore, the cluster/line of storms across south central Oklahoma and north central Texas is expected to move east northeast basically along I-44 into the area late this evening, generally after 10pm into the overnight hours. Overall the storms should be weakening as they move into the area but a scattered damaging wind risk and an isolated quarter size hail risk will occur into the far southwestern portions of the area, again along and south of I-44 and west of Hwy 65. Low level shear will be increase some with a low level jet developing, but the line of storms may out run the better shear. Therefore, the tornado risk is low, but there could be a low chance for a brief tornado across the far southwestern portions of the area if mesovorts can develop, but the risk is decreasing for our area. As this complex moves east across the area overnight it will be more showers with some embedded thunder as it moves east across central Missouri. && .SHORT TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/... Issued at 256 PM CDT Tue Apr 14 2026 It's breezy out there today as the trough pushes into our area and the surface pressure gradient remains tight. Southwest winds have been observed at 20-25 mph with gusts 30-35 mph. Temperatures have climbed into the upper 70s to low 80s despite a good amount of cloud cover. There are a few hours of warming left, so we're still on track to reach the predicted highs in the 80s today. The low encroaching on western Missouri has an attendant dryline that extends south and west across western Oklahoma and down into Texas. Convective initiation is expected along this dryline in the next couple of hours. Headed into the evening, these initial supercells are expected to line up as they move east-northeast across Kansas and Oklahoma on their way to us. The northeastern-most end of the line will reach us first, and may feature some development out ahead in west-central Missouri as early as 5-6 p.m. The main line looks to reach our area closer to 7-8 p.m., moving generally west-to-east with a northeast component. These supercells will look very scary as they move through Oklahoma, where they will be riding a moisture/instability gradient and tapping into all the moisture and warmth that has streamed into the region with the last several days of southerly flow. However, as they move eastward into our area and out of the better instability, they will become less organized/discrete. They are still very much expected to be severe, just not as severe as what may be seen in central Oklahoma, so keep this in mind when monitoring upstream. The stronger/more discrete cells in the line will be capable of very large hail up to 2-3", damaging wind gusts up to 70 mph, and tornadoes (particularly in our Kansas counties). With the line as a whole/line segments, hail up to quarters and damaging winds will be possible. Again, storms decrease in severity as they move east due to the loss of daytime heating and storms quickly gobbling up the favorable environment. The area with the highest risk for these hazards (SPC Slight risk, level 2/5) is roughly the northwestern half of the CWA, or a Cassville-Springfield- Lebanon-Vichy line. The severe risk will come to an end in the early morning hours, but there will be little break in the rainfall as a cold front impinging on the dryline from the west continues to force precipitation in eastern Oklahoma that tracks northeast into SWMO. Wednesday will be rainy and dreary the majority of the day. The dryline/cold front situation makes a final push Wednesday night, and should have just enough oomph from 1000-3000 J/Kg of MLCAPE, 30-50 kts of shear, steep lapse rates, moisture, and all a severe storm's favorite things to bring another round of severe convection in the afternoon and evening. All severe hazards will be possible with this activity as well, and the risk will end after midnight. With the multiple rounds of rain, one might wonder about the flash flood risk. While there is a marginal risk for excessive rainfall Tuesday and Wednesday, given that the expected storm total QPF forecast over the course of two days still remains lower than 1-hr flash flood guidance, it would take hours worth of training and/or strong cells to create a flash flood hazard. This risk is considered secondary to the hail/wind/tornado risk both days. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... Issued at 256 PM CDT Tue Apr 14 2026 The cold front lifts to the north rather than moving through Wednesday night, keeping us in the southerly flow regime for the time being. Rain will gradually end from west to east Thursday morning, and we'll enjoy some sunshine in the afternoon with highs in the low 80s. The winds settle down as well, with no disturbances nearby for the first time in several days. Friday, a deep trough finally pushes a cold front through the area. This looks like a very classic severe setup, and we are included in an Enhanced equivalent (level 3/5) outlook from the SPC. Based on the expected environmental conditions, supercells capable of large hail and tornadoes are expected for our area, which grow upscale into a squall line as they progress toward the Mississippi valley. && .AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z THURSDAY/... Issued at 520 PM CDT Tue Apr 14 2026 Cumulus clouds have developed across the region with cloud bases around 3500 to 5000ft this afternoon and will remain over the area this evening. Mid and high level clouds will also increase across the area this evening. Convection is developing in north central Texas and south central Oklahoma early this evening and additional convection development is expected to develop across Kansas this evening. This activity will move northeast this evening and tonight. Convection could move into the area as early as the mid to late evening hours, with additional convection possible tonight into Wednesday. Another system will then start to move east on the area on Wednesday with additional storms expected across the area possibly as early as Wednesday afternoon but more likely Wednesday evening just after this TAF period. && .CLIMATE... Issued at 300 PM CDT Tue Apr 14 2026 Record High Temperatures: April 14: KVIH: 87/2006 KUNO: 86/2024 April 15: KUNO: 84/9999 April 17: KSGF: 87/1937 KVIH: 86/2004 KUNO: 87/2006 Record High Minimum Temperatures: April 14: KSGF: 67/2006 April 15: KSGF: 63/2006 April 16: KSGF: 66/1963 April 17: KSGF: 66/1976 && .SGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... KS...None. MO...None. && MESOSCALE...Wise SHORT TERM...Nelson LONG TERM...Nelson AVIATION...Wise CLIMATE...Camden
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Springfield MO 809 PM CDT Tue Apr 14 2026 KSZ073-097-101-MOZ055>058-066>071-077>083-088>098-101>106-160115- 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- 809 PM CDT Tue Apr 14 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of the Missouri Ozarks and extreme southeast Kansas. .DAY ONE...Tonight. Weather hazards expected... Slight tornado risk. Slight hail risk. Slight thunderstorm wind damage risk. Elevated lightning risk. Limited excessive rainfall risk DISCUSSION... Storms currently across south central Oklahoma are expected to continue to move east northeast basically along I-44 into the area late this evening, generally after 10pm into the overnight hours. Overall the storms should be weakening as they move into the area but a scattered damaging wind risk and an isolated quarter size hail risk will occur into the far southwestern portions of the area mainly along and south of I-44 and west of Hwy 65. There could be a low chance for a brief tornado across the far southwestern portion of the area but the overall tornado risk is low. Locally heavy rainfall will also occur with this activity across far southwestern Missouri. Localized flooding is possible where multiple showers and storms can track across the same locations. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday. Multiple rounds of severe thunderstorms will be possible across portions of the area at times again tomorrow and Friday. Flooding may be possible in areas that receive multiple rounds of heavy rainfall. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed late this evening into the early overnight hours across far southwestern Missouri. && 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 Wise
The Tulsa radar (KINX), 105 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 05:19 UTC.
19 flash flood, 13 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
A large tree was reported down on powerlines.
A large tree was reported down and blocking traffic on Big Sugar Creek Road.
A large tree was reported down on a home causing minor roof damage.
A large tree was split in half and fell on a powerline.
A large tree and several large limbs reported down.
High winds caused minor damage to the roof of one building at the airport.
Quarter sized hail was reporter.
Several city roads and streets were reported as flooded.
Missouri Route 83 at Ables Branch was closed due to flooding.
A large tree was uprooted and laying on the road.
A tree was uprooted and fell on Highway Y blocking traffic.
A low water road was flooded town.
A tree was reported down and blocking a road in town.
A large tree was reported down.
State Highway CC was closed at a low water area due to flooding.
First responders performed a water rescue successfully after a motorist drove into flood waters.
State Highway P was closed at Lindley Creek due to flooding.
High winds downed a large tree which fell onto Highway 126 west of I-49.
High winds of 59 mph were measured by a home weather station.
State Highway U was closed at Tavern Creek due to flooding.
A tree was reported down and laying on a city street.
State Highway D was closed due to flooding at a low water area.
State Highway 97 was closed due to flooding from tributaries of Keller Creek.
Water was reported over the road at the intersection of Highway 171 and Baseline Boulevard.
Water was reported over the road impacting traffic.
Water was reported over Baseline Boulevard at several low water areas.
State Highway H at Ingalls Creek was flooded and impassable.
Southeast 100th Lane near Highway U was washed out with 6 to 8 feet of fast flowing water over the road. Some road material was removed for the water.
State Highway J was flooded at several low water areas.
State Highway T between Southeast 30th Street and U Highway was flooded.
State Highway Y was closed at Steinshouer Creek due to flooding.
State Highway E was closed at the Little Niangua River due to flooding.
State Highway P was closed at a low water area due to flooding.
State Highway BB was closed at Dry Auglaize Creek due to flooding.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Missouri in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Missouri, April 2026
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: 1324400, 1331496, 1331494, 1331493, 1331498, 1331504, 1324399, 1331512, 1331491, 1331499, 1331502, 1331513, 1331501, 1331500, 1331514, 1331516, 1331517, 1331507, 1331505, 1331518, 1331506, 1331519, 1331520, 1331521, 1331522, 1331523, 1331525, 1331526, 1331527, 1331528, 1331529, 1331530, 1331531, 1331532.