Tornadoes · United States · Missouri · 2017

EF0 tornado, Thayer, Missouri, May 19, 2017

This EF0 tornado ran 0.8 miles across Oregon County on May 19, 2017, touching down at 3:12 AM CDT and reaching 300 yards wide. It killed nobody, and did $50,000 of property damage.

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 mphthis tornado

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

  2. EF186 to 110 mph

    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
EF0
Date
May 19, 2017
Touchdown
3:12 AM CDT (08:12 UTC)
Lifted
3:13 AM CDT (08:13 UTC)
On the ground
1 minutes
Path length
0.8 miles (1.2 km)
Path width
300 yards (274 m)
Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$50,000
County
Oregon County
Touchdown point
36.531, -91.544
Lift-off point
36.536, -91.535
Record number
1705190212-01

What the Weather Service recorded

Multiple rounds of severe thunderstorms over a two day period produced numerous weak tornadoes and wind damage reports across the Missouri Ozarks. Training of storms led to localized heavy rainfall and minor flooding reports.

An EF-0 tornado touched down on the northeast side of Thayer. Numerous trees were uprooted and damage. Some homes had minor damage. Estimated maximum winds were up to 85 mph.

From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.

The warnings

11 minutes of warning. NWS SGF issued a tornado warning for this county at 08:01 UTC, 11 minutes before the tornado touched down, in force until 08:45 UTC.

The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 05:58 UTC and running to 09:33 UTC.

Issued (UTC)ExpiredProductOffice
05:58 UTC09:33 UTCTornado WatchSGF
08:01 UTC08:45 UTCTornado WarningSGF
00:01 UTC01:00 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningSGF

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 Slight Risk. The outlook in force was issued at 06:00 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.

Springfield, MO (KSGF), 00:00Z

8.2 hours before the tornado, 206 km from the path. May 19, 2017.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Springfield, MO at 00:00Z on 2017-05-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 2055 joules per kilogram, CIN -4, lifted condensation level 1439 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°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, Springfield, MO at 00:00Z on 2017-05-19The 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 44 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 33 knots.193958Sfc1 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
2055 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-4 J/kg
Surface CAPE
3169 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1439 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
33 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
12 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
44 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
52 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.2
Supercell composite
2.4
0-3 km lapse rate
7.2 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

Springfield, MO (KSGF), 12:00Z

3.8 hours after it, 206 km from the path. May 19, 2017.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Springfield, MO at 12:00Z on 2017-05-19Temperature 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 -80475, lifted condensation level 968 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°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, Springfield, MO at 12:00Z on 2017-05-19The 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 -97 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 35 knots.19395878Sfc1 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
-80475 J/kg
Surface CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
968 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
35 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
29 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-97 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
118 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0
0-3 km lapse rate
4.3 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The surface observations

West Plains (UNO), 50 km from the path, in the two hours either side.

Time (UTC)Temp (°F)Dew point (°F)WindGust (kt)Pressure (mb)Weather
06:15 UTC160° 6 kt1012.9
06:20 UTC150° 6 kt1012.9
06:25 UTC160° 6 kt1012.9
06:30 UTC160° 7 kt1012.5
06:40 UTC150° 6 kt1012.5
06:45 UTC150° 7 kt1012.2
06:50 UTC160° 5 kt1012.2
06:53 UTC7368160° 7 kt1012.2
06:55 UTC160° 7 kt1012.2
07:00 UTC170° 7 kt1012.5
07:05 UTC170° 7 kt1012.5
07:10 UTC160° 6 kt1012.2
07:20 UTC170° 7 kt1012.2
07:25 UTC170° 8 kt1012.2
07:30 UTC180° 8 kt1012.5
07:40 UTC170° 11 kt1012.9
07:50 UTC190° 8 kt1012.9
07:53 UTC7367180° 8 kt1012.5
07:55 UTC180° 9 kt1012.5
08:00 UTC220° 11 kt171013.5
08:05 UTC7064220° 23 kt311015.2VCTS -RA
08:10 UTC 1015.2-RA
08:15 UTC250° 14 kt1015.9+RA
08:25 UTC270° 12 kt1015.6-RA BR
08:30 UTC280° 10 kt161015.2-RA
08:31 UTC6461280° 12 kt161015.2-TSRA
08:35 UTC280° 13 kt1015.2-RA
08:40 UTC280° 8 kt1014.6-RA
08:45 UTC280° 6 kt1014.2-RA
08:50 UTC290° 7 kt1013.9-RA
08:53 UTC6361290° 6 kt1013.9-RA
09:00 UTC260° 5 kt1014.2
09:05 UTC260° 3 kt1013.9
09:10 UTC230° 4 kt1013.9
09:15 UTC230° 5 kt1014.2
09:20 UTC220° 5 kt1013.9
09:25 UTC220° 5 kt1013.9
09:30 UTC220° 5 kt1013.9
09:35 UTC220° 7 kt1014.2
09:40 UTC210° 6 kt1013.9
09:45 UTC220° 5 kt1013.5
09:50 UTC200° 3 kt1012.9
09:53 UTC63610° 0 kt1012.5
09:55 UTC0° 0 kt1012.5
10:05 UTC0° 0 kt1012.5
10:10 UTC0° 0 kt1012.2

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

The radar

The Springfield radar (KSGF), 183 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 08:14 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
08:12 UTCTORNADO1 Nnw ThayerOregon, MOEF-0 TORNADO WITH WINDS OF 85 MPH TOUCHED DOWN ON THE NORTHEAST SIDE OF THAYER. THE TORNADO WAS ABOUT 300 YARDS WIDE AND THREE-QUARTERS OF A MILE LONG. NUMEROUS TREES WERE UPROOTED OR DAMAGED IN A CONCENTRATED AREA ACROS

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 May 19, 2017

43 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
May 191:04 AM CDTEF0Barry, MO0.1100$50,000
May 191:28 AM CDTEF0Taney, MO0.3751$10,000
May 191:30 AM CDTEF1Taney, MO8.7200
May 191:54 AM CDTEF0Greene, MO2.5200$100,000
May 192:00 AM CDTEF0Christian, MO3.0500$100,000
May 192:15 AM CDTEF1Webster, MO2.0300$10,000
May 193:00 AM CDTEF0Wright, MO0.350$5,000
May 194:15 AM CDTEF1Callaway, MO1.650
May 194:23 AM CDTEF0Montgomery, MO4.075
May 192:55 PM CDTEF1McDonald, MO2.010$50,000
May 193:10 PM CDTEF0Newton, MO4.1300$50,000
May 194:22 PM EDTEF1Crawford, IN0.250$250,000
May 193:23 PM CDTUnratedRunnels, TX0.030
May 193:37 PM CDTEF0Barber, KS0.450
May 193:42 PM CDTEF1Lawrence, MO4.2300$50,000
May 193:53 PM CDTEF0Barber, KS3.0150
May 193:57 PM CDTEF0Lawrence, MO1.0100$5,000
May 194:05 PM CDTEF0Dade, MO0.9100
May 194:11 PM CDTEF0Pratt, KS2.250
May 194:12 PM CDTEF0Dade, MO0.575
May 194:14 PM CDTEF0Pratt, KS4.575
May 194:19 PM CDTEF0Polk, MO0.6100$5,000
May 194:22 PM CDTEF0Kingman, KS0.250
May 194:53 PM CDTEF0Kingman, KS0.350
May 195:10 PM CDTEF0Kingman, KS0.350
May 195:32 PM CDTEF0Reno, KS0.750
May 195:37 PM CDTEF0Reno, KS0.650
May 196:00 PM CDTUnratedArcher, TX0.550
May 196:27 PM CDTEF1Cole, MO0.975
May 197:15 PM CDTEF0Clay, KS0.020
May 197:22 PM CDTUnratedCarter, OK0.250
May 197:24 PM CDTUnratedCarter, OK0.250
May 197:27 PM CDTUnratedColeman, TX0.125
May 197:31 PM CDTUnratedCarter, OK0.250
May 197:47 PM CDTUnratedCarter, OK2.0400
May 197:48 PM CDTEF0Chase, KS0.250
May 198:09 PM CDTEF0Morris, KS0.025
May 198:25 PM CDTEF1Chase, KS0.860
May 198:38 PM CDTEF0Lyon, KS0.025
May 199:32 PM CDTUnratedJohnston, OK1.550
May 199:44 PM CDTUnratedJohnston, OK2.050
May 199:56 PM CDTUnratedJohnston, OK6.050
May 1910:13 PM CDTUnratedCoal, OK3.050

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.