Tornadoes · United States · Missouri · 2017

EF1 tornado, Saint Charles County, Missouri, March 6, 2017

This EF1 tornado ran 3.1 miles across Saint Charles County on March 6, 2017, touching down at 11:51 PM CST and reaching 100 yards wide. It killed nobody and injured 3.

The rating scale

Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Enhanced Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.

  1. EF065 to 85 mph

    Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.

  2. EF186 to 110 mphthis tornado

    Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.

  3. EF2111 to 135 mph

    Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.

  4. EF3136 to 165 mph

    Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.

  5. EF4166 to 200 mph

    Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.

  6. EF5over 200 mph

    Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.

  7. Unrated

    The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.

The record

Rating
EF1
Date
March 6, 2017
Touchdown
11:51 PM CST (05:51 UTC)
Lifted
11:54 PM CST (05:54 UTC)
On the ground
3 minutes
Path length
3.1 miles (5.1 km)
Path width
100 yards (91 m)
Deaths
0
Injuries
3
County
Saint Charles County
Touchdown point
38.805, -90.909
Lift-off point
38.811, -90.850
Record number
1703062351-01

The damage survey

39 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS LSX, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The strongest indicator was rated EF1. The highest wind the damage implies is 100 mph.

  • numerous trees snapped or uprooted, minor roof damage

Survey points are preliminary and are the raw material the published rating was built from. Source: NWS Damage Assessment Toolkit.

The warnings

No tornado warning for this county appears in the archive as in force at the moment the tornado touched down.

The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 02:54 UTC and running to 07:10 UTC.

Issued (UTC)ExpiredProductOffice
02:54 UTC07:10 UTCTornado WatchLSX
06:08 UTC07:00 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSX
17:00 UTC01:00 UTCRed Flag WarningLSX
17:00 UTC10:00 UTCFire Weather WatchLSX

Every warning and watch covering the touchdown point that day, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service products. Lead time is measured from the issue of the warning in force to the touchdown time in the database, both of which were recorded to the minute by different people.

The forecast that day

The Storm Prediction Center had this point in a Enhanced Risk, with a 0.05 chance of a tornado within 25 miles. The outlook in force was issued at 00:54 UTC.

SPC's Day 1 convective outlook as it stood when the tornado began, read at the touchdown point. The same archive is on the radar archive.

The air that afternoon

The radiosonde launches on either side of the tornado, from the nearest station that was launching then, drawn and analyzed the way Storm Lab does: the same diagram, the same parcel and shear definitions SPC's mesoanalysis uses.

Lincoln, IL (KILX), 00:00Z

5.9 hours before the tornado, 246 km from the path. March 7, 2017.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Lincoln, IL at 00:00Z on 2017-03-07Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 4 joules per kilogram, CIN -285, lifted condensation level 651 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.
HodographHodograph, Lincoln, IL at 00:00Z on 2017-03-07The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers as a curve, rings every 10 meters per second labeled in knots. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 475 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 51 knots.1939587897Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.
Mixed-layer CAPE
4 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-285 J/kg
Surface CAPE
60 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
651 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
51 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
44 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
475 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
484 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0
0-3 km lapse rate
5.1 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

Lincoln, IL (KILX), 12:00Z

6.1 hours after it, 246 km from the path. March 7, 2017.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Lincoln, IL at 12:00Z on 2017-03-07Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 0 joules per kilogram, CIN -104948, lifted condensation level 1244 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.
HodographHodograph, Lincoln, IL at 12:00Z on 2017-03-07The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers as a curve, rings every 10 meters per second labeled in knots. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -40 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 78 knots.1939587897117Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-104948 J/kg
Surface CAPE
4 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1244 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
78 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
16 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-40 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-190 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0
0-3 km lapse rate
4.9 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The surface observations

St. Louis/Spirit (SUS), 26 km from the path, in the two hours either side.

Time (UTC)Temp (°F)Dew point (°F)WindGust (kt)Pressure (mb)Weather
03:54 UTC7060190° 21 kt401003
04:00 UTC 1003.4
04:05 UTC 1003.4
04:10 UTC 321003.4
04:15 UTC 321003.4
04:20 UTC 351003.4
04:25 UTC 1003.4
04:30 UTC200° 16 kt1003.7
04:35 UTC 1003.7
04:40 UTC 1003.7
04:45 UTC 281003.7
04:50 UTC190° 22 kt1004.1
04:54 UTC7060200° 14 kt321004.1
05:00 UTC210° 16 kt1004.4
05:05 UTC190° 14 kt1004.4
05:10 UTC 201004.4
05:15 UTC 231004.1
05:20 UTC 291004.1
05:25 UTC 1004.1
05:30 UTC 1004.1
05:35 UTC 1003.7
05:40 UTC 1003.7
05:45 UTC190° 13 kt181004.1
05:50 UTC 1004.1
05:54 UTC7060190° 13 kt301003.7
05:55 UTC 1003.7
06:00 UTC 1003.7
06:05 UTC 1004.1
06:10 UTC 221004.7
06:15 UTC6959290° 38 kt491006.4VCTS SQ
06:20 UTC 331008.5RA SQ
06:23 UTC5855280° 23 kt491008.5VCTS +RA BR SQ
06:30 UTC 211008.8+RA BR
06:35 UTC260° 11 kt1008.8+RA BR
06:38 UTC5553260° 16 kt221009.1+TSRA BR
06:40 UTC250° 16 kt1009.1+RA BR
06:49 UTC53.653.6280° 9 kt1009.1+TSRA BR
06:50 UTC280° 10 kt191009.1+RA BR
06:54 UTC5452270° 10 kt201009.1TSRA BR
06:55 UTC260° 9 kt1009.1RA BR
07:00 UTC280° 9 kt1009.1RA BR
07:05 UTC270° 7 kt1009.1-RA BR
07:10 UTC280° 7 kt1008.8-RA
07:15 UTC300° 7 kt1008.8RA
07:20 UTC300° 10 kt1008.8-RA
07:25 UTC300° 10 kt1008.5-RA
07:30 UTC290° 10 kt1008.8RA
07:32 UTC5351290° 9 kt1008.8RA
07:35 UTC290° 7 kt1008.8RA BR
07:40 UTC270° 7 kt1009.1RA BR
07:45 UTC260° 7 kt1009.5RA
07:50 UTC260° 9 kt1009.8RA

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.

The radar

The St Louis radar (KLSX), 21 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 05:51 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment, over the track

Reflectivity and velocity, decoded from the Level II archive in the browser. Volumes take a few seconds to open the first time.

What was reported nearby

Local storm reports within 60 km of the path, in the three hours either side.

Time (UTC)ReportWhereCountyRemark
05:17 UTCTORNADORhinelandMontgomery, MOA NWS STORM SURVEY TEAM DETERMINED AN EF-1 TORNADO BEGAN IN RHINELAND AND MOVED EAST-NORTHEAST ACROSS SOUTHWEST WARREN COUNTY LIFTING AROUND 2 MILES SSE OF WARRENTON. THE PATH LENGTH WAS 21 MILES WITH A MAXIMUM WIDTH OF
05:27 UTCTORNADO5 N BergerWarren, MOEF1 TORNADO SURVEYED WITH MAXIMUM WINDS OF 100 MPH. THE TORNADO WAS 21 MILES LONG AND 150 YARDS WIDE. THE TORNADO DID MOSTLY TREE DAMAGE....BUT DID ALSO DO SOME STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO HOMESTEADS AND FARM BUILDINGS FROM RHI
05:49 UTCTSTM WND GST 60TroyLincoln, MO
05:51 UTCTSTM WND DMGWentzvilleSt. Charles, MO*** 2 INJ *** FIVE MOBILE HOMES BLOWN OVER... ANOTHER ONE HAD A TREE FALL ON IT IN WENTZVILLE NEAR WEST MAIN STREET AND HILLTOP DRIVE. TWO PEOPLE TRAPPED AT THIS TIME. GAS LEAK IN AREA. TWO MINOR INJURIES.
05:51 UTCTSTM WND DMGWentzvilleSt. Charles, MODEBRIS ON BOTH SIDES OF I-70 NEAR CHURCH STREET/HWY Z EXIT. TRACTOR TRAILER BLOW OVER IN PARKING LOT OF SUPER 8 MOTEL. STRUCTURAL COLLAPSE OF WENTZVILLE MILLS WORKS. NO INJURIES REPORTED.
05:51 UTCTSTM WND DMGWentzvilleSt. Charles, MOMOBILE HOME BLOWN OVER IN WENTZVILLE.
05:51 UTCTSTM WND DMGWentzvilleSt. Charles, MOTWO MOBILE HOMES BLOWN OVER IN WENTZVILLE NEAR WEST MAIN STREET AND HILLTOP DRIVE. TWO PEOPLE TRAPPED AT THIS TIME. GAS LEAK IN AREA.
05:51 UTCTSTM WND DMGWentzvilleSt. Charles, MOSEVERAL BUSINESSES SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE ON SOUTH END OF WENTZVILLE PARKWAY...SOUTH OF I-70.
05:51 UTCTORNADO1 W WentzvilleSt. Charles, MO*** 3 INJ *** EF-1 TORNADO WAS SURVEYED WITH MAXIMUM WINDS OF 100 MPH. THE TORNADO WAS 3 MILES LONG AND 100 YARDS WIDE. THIS TORNADO DID DAMAGE TO A NUMBER OF HOMES AND BUSINESSES ALONG INTERSTATE 70...WHICH IT CROSSED 3
05:51 UTCTORNADO3 W WentzvilleSt. Charles, MO*** 3 INJ *** A NWS STORM SURVEY TEAM DETERMINED AN EF-1 TORNADO BEGAN 3 MILES WEST OF WENTZVILLE AND MOVED EAST-NORTHEAST INTO DOWNTOWN WENTZVILLE. THE PATH LENGTH WAS 3 MILES WITH A MAXIMUM WIDTH OF 100 YARDS.
05:51 UTCTORNADOWentzvilleSt. Charles, MO*** 3 INJ *** FIVE MOBILE HOMES BLOWN OVER... ANOTHER ONE HAD A TREE FALL ON IT IN WENTZVILLE NEAR WEST MAIN STREET AND HILLTOP DRIVE. TWO PEOPLE TRAPPED AT THIS TIME. GAS LEAK IN AREA. THREE MINOR INJURIES.
05:52 UTCTSTM WND GST 481 Wsw Moscow MillsLincoln, MO
06:03 UTCTSTM WND GST 60Lake St. LouisSt. Charles, MO
06:05 UTCTSTM WND DMGSt. PetersSt. Charles, MOSIDING BLOWN OFF AN APARTMENT COMPLEX AT EXECUTIVE PARKWAY AND INTERSTATE 70
06:15 UTCTSTM WND GST 563 W ChesterfieldSt. Louis, MO
06:18 UTCTSTM WND GST 634 Nne Orchard FarmsSt. Charles, MO
06:29 UTCTORNADO3 Sw DittmerJefferson, MOEF0 TORNADO WITH A PATH LENGTH OF 2.6 MILES AND WIDTH OF 80 YARDS. MAXIMUM WIND SPEED OF 85 MPH.
06:34 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 S DittmerJefferson, MODAMAGE PATH INCLUDED UPROOTED 100-YEAR OLD OAK TREES... EXTENDING FROM ABOUT A HALF MILE EAST OF HIGHWAY 30 ALONG RIDGE ROAD TO NEAR LAKE ADELLE. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
06:36 UTCTSTM WND DMGCedar HillJefferson, MOPOWER LINES DOWN ON HWY 30 NEAR CEDAR HILL.
06:40 UTCTSTM WND DMGHouse SpringsJefferson, MOSHEET METAL ROOF TORN FROM 4 BY 8 FOOT SECTION OF BARN ROOF AND A 3 BY 6 FOOT SECTION TORN OFF THE FRONT OF THE BARN ON THE WEST SIDE.

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.

This ground now

The live radar over the trackEvery 2017 tornado in MissouriEvery tornado in Missouri since 1950Warnings in force in Missouri nowThe forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of March 6, 2017

53 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
March 65:04 PM CSTEF1Faribault, MN9.3200
March 65:23 PM CSTEF0Webster, IA2.430
March 65:28 PM CSTEF1Webster, IA2.950$70,000
March 65:35 PM CSTEF0Geary, KS0.150
March 65:36 PM CSTEF0Wabaunsee, KS16.150
March 65:37 PM CSTEF0Pottawatomie, KS0.025
March 65:37 PM CSTEF0Wabaunsee, KS0.150
March 65:38 PM CSTEF1Freeborn, MN11.9300
March 65:39 PM CSTEF1Sherburne, MN8.8300
March 65:59 PM CSTEF0Wabaunsee, KS1.950
March 66:13 PM CSTEF0Shawnee, KS5.250
March 66:27 PM CSTEF0Boone, IA17.985$125,000
March 66:30 PM CSTEF0Nodaway, MO5.825
March 66:58 PM CSTEF1Hardin, IA6.3300$25,000
March 67:05 PM CSTEF0Butler, KS0.150
March 67:19 PM CSTEF1Warren, IA4.8100$80,000
March 67:24 PM CSTEF2Clay, MO19.61,000
March 67:29 PM CSTEF1Marion, IA5.3120$50,000
March 67:35 PM CSTEF1Marion, IA6.880$20,000
March 67:38 PM CSTEF1Franklin, KS3.050
March 67:40 PM CSTEF1Mercer, MO10.3100
March 67:47 PM CSTEF0Marion, IA5.565$25,000
March 67:51 PM CSTEF0Johnson, KS0.3100
March 68:03 PM CSTEF0Jackson, MO2.325
March 68:11 PM CSTEF3Jackson, MO17.740012
March 68:16 PM CSTEF2Wayne, IA14.9250$2.0 million
March 68:30 PM CSTEF1Appanoose, IA8.060$40,000
March 68:33 PM CSTEF2Appanoose, IA9.790$750,000
March 68:34 PM CSTEF1Lafayette, MO1.850
March 68:40 PM CSTEF0Carroll, MO6.0100
March 68:46 PM CSTEF1La Crosse, WI2.6200$290,000
March 68:56 PM CSTEF1Chariton, MO19.8100
March 69:10 PM CSTEF0Pettis, MO3.925
March 69:17 PM CSTEF0Henry, MO7.825
March 69:40 PM CSTEF0Cooper, MO17.4400
March 69:40 PM CSTEF1Shelby, MO18.51501
March 69:44 PM CSTEF1Adair, OK6.1650$100,000
March 69:50 PM CSTEF0Dubuque, IA5.725$5,000
March 69:56 PM CSTEF2Louisa, IA0.3150
March 610:00 PM CSTEF1Hickory, MO0.8100$5,000
March 610:05 PM CSTEF2Muscatine, IA1.82003$100,000
March 610:13 PM CSTEF2Muscatine, IA25.31,000$52,000
March 610:18 PM CSTEF1Cedar, IA16.6100$110,000
March 610:19 PM CSTEF2Scott, IA34.7200
March 610:24 PM CSTEF1Camden, MO2.04001$100,000
March 610:36 PM CSTEF0Morgan, MO0.350$100,000
March 610:40 PM CSTEF0Clinton, IA4.450
March 610:51 PM CSTEF1Washington, AR6.4400$40,000
March 610:53 PM CSTEF1Whiteside, IL1.510
March 611:03 PM CSTEF1Osage, MO7.375
March 611:17 PM CSTEF1Montgomery, MO20.9150
March 611:38 PM CSTEF2Newton, AR36.67001$400,000
March 611:52 PM CSTEF1Mason, IL6.8150$150,000

What this means

Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. Tornado counts rise through the record as reporting improved, so a year in the 1950s is not comparable with one today except for the strongest tornadoes, which were always noticed.

Sources

NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.