Tornadoes · United States · Missouri · 2018

EF1 tornado, Pleasant Hope, Missouri, May 19, 2018

Name: EF1 tornado, Pleasant Hope, Missouri, May 19, 2018
Start: 2018-05-19T23:25:00.000Z
End: 2018-05-19T23:29:00.000Z
Location: Pleasant Hope, Missouri

This EF1 tornado ran 2.3 miles across Polk County on May 19, 2018, touching down at 6:25 PM CDT and reaching 100 yards wide. It killed nobody, and did $20,000 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.

EF065 to 85 mph
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
EF186 to 110 mphthis tornado
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
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.
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.
EF4166 to 200 mph
Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.
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.
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: May 19, 2018
Touchdown: 6:25 PM CDT (23:25 UTC)
Lifted: 6:29 PM CDT (23:29 UTC)
On the ground: 4 minutes
Path length: 2.3 miles (3.7 km)
Path width: 100 yards (91 m)
Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $20,000
County: Polk County
Touchdown point: 37.478, -93.306
Lift-off point: 37.489, -93.262
Record number: 1805191725-01

What the Weather Service recorded

Isolated severe weather impacted the Ozarks Region.

Numerous trees uprooted and large branches broken. One house with roof damage and several outbuildings damaged.

Two barns destroyed. One barn with roof damage. Numerous trees uprooted.

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

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the tornado touched down, 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 tornado touched down at May 19, 6:01 PM CDT, 24 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 19, 6:01 PM CDT, 24 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Springfield MO
601 PM CDT Sat May 19 2018

.SHORT TERM...(This evening through Sunday)
Issued at 227 PM CDT Sat May 19 2018

Strong to severe convection continues in the eastern CWA
primarily along and north of a surface warm front and ahead of a
subtle H5 wave currently moving through the area. Meanwhile...boundary
interactions with the surface front is setting off another round
of convection over north central Oklahoma.

As the larger upper level wave moves out of eastern Colorado
toward the Upper Mississippi Valley...low pressure will develop
and move along the front. This will induce more convection along
the front that will move up and into the area during the overnight
hours. Primary threat with these storms will be wind and
hail...but an isolated tornado cannot be ruled out especially over
extreme southeast Kansas. This convection will continue into
early Sunday.

.LONG TERM...(Sunday Night through Saturday)
Issued at 227 PM CDT Sat May 19 2018

The quasi-stationary surface front meanders back and forth across
central Missouri through most of the week. This will keep slight
chance to chance PoPs in the forecast. In the upper levels..a
trough is situated over the southwestern US with a ridge over the
Central States. As small short waves move out of the southwest
trough and up and over the ridge...rain chances over the area
will increase.

Not too much variability in day-to-day temperatures with highs
generally in the low to mid 80s and lows in the low to mid
60s...or about 5-10 degrees above normal.

&&

.AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Sunday evening)
Issued at 453 PM CDT Sat May 19 2018

Currently...a frontal boundary extends across the area...roughly
from JBR-JLN-PNC...with strong to severe convection occurring
along the boundary. An upper level low...located along the CO/NE
border is forecast to move into eastern SD by the end of the
forecast period. As it does...it will induce an area of low
pressure on the surface front which will move into northeastern
MO by the end of the forecast period.

For the most part...VFR conditions can be expected except in areas
where convection is occurring...which will be MVFR. The convective
activity will affect the KJLN and KSGF terminals most but could
affect KBBG after about 07z. Convection should be out of the
terminal areas by mid to late morning with mainly mid and upper
level clouds present through the remainder of the forecast period.

&&

.SGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MO...NONE.
KS...NONE.
&&

SHORT TERM...Gaede
LONG TERM...Gaede
AVIATION...Gaede

Hazardous weather outlook, May 19, 3:17 PM CDT, 3 hours 8 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Springfield MO
317 PM CDT Sat May 19 2018

KSZ073-097-101-MOZ055>058-066>071-077>083-088>098-101>106-202030-
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-
317 PM CDT Sat May 19 2018

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of the Missouri
Ozarks and extreme southeast Kansas.

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight.

Weather hazards expected...

  Limited tornado risk.
  Elevated hail risk.
  Elevated thunderstorm wind damage risk.
  Limited flooding risk.
  Significant lightning risk.

DISCUSSION...

  A line of strong to severe storms will continue to track east
  across far south central Missouri late this afternoon. The
  strongest storms will be capable of producing hail to the size
  of ping pong balls and damaging winds gusts over 60 mph. This
  activity will spread east of the area by early this evening.

  Thunderstorms are currently developing across north central
  Oklahoma this afternoon. This activity will track northeast
  towards extreme southeastern Kansas and far western Missouri
  this evening. Hail to the size of golf balls and damaging wind
  gusts will be the main risk. An isolated tornado may also be
  possible. Frequent cloud to ground lightning strikes and
  locally heavy rainfall will also occur with this activity.

  Additional showers and storms may then develop and spread into
  the area from the west later tonight into early Sunday morning.
  Cloud to ground lightning and locally heavy rainfall will be
  the main risk, but a few of the stronger storms could be
  capable of penny size hail and winds in excess of 45 mph.

  With the multiple rounds of storms possible today and tonight,
  there will also be the potential for localized minor flooding.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday.

  Additional thunderstorm are possible on Sunday. A few storms
  may become severe across central Missouri if enough instability
  develops.

Additional thunderstorm chances will occur next week.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

  Spotter activation may be needed this afternoon across south
  central Missouri, then this evening across extreme southeastern
  Kansas and western Missouri.

&&

More detailed information can be accessed at:
http://www.weather.gov/sgf/sitrep

This product in graphical format...along with other weather...
hydrological and climate information...at
http://www.weather.gov/sgf

Wise

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 19, 4:00 PM CDT, 2 hours 25 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
400 PM CDT SAT MAY 19 2018

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0315 PM     LIGHTNING        1 N MOUNTAIN VIEW       37.00N 91.70W
05/19/2018                   HOWELL             MO   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            LIGHTNING STRUCK A TREE WHICH THEN FELL ON
            POWER LINES. POWER WAS REPORTED OUT TO A FEW
            HOMES.

&&

FEH

Local storm report, May 19, 4:51 PM CDT, 1 hour 34 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
451 PM CDT SAT MAY 19 2018

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0440 PM     HAIL             1 W GIRARD              37.52N 94.85W
05/19/2018  E1.00 INCH       CRAWFORD           KS   EMERGENCY MNGR

&&

AF

Local storm report, May 19, 5:01 PM CDT, 1 hour 24 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
501 PM CDT SAT MAY 19 2018

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0442 PM     HAIL             GIRARD                  37.51N 94.84W
05/19/2018  E1.75 INCH       CRAWFORD           KS   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

&&

AF

Special weather statement, May 19, 6:00 PM CDT, 25 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Springfield MO
600 PM CDT SAT MAY 19 2018

MOZ067-068-078>080-089-090-094-192345-
Cedar MO-Dallas MO-Polk MO-Greene MO-Dade MO-Hickory MO-St. Clair MO-
Lawrence MO-
600 PM CDT SAT MAY 19 2018

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHERN HICKORY...DALLAS...
EASTERN CEDAR...POLK...NORTHERN LAWRENCE...NORTHERN GREENE...
SOUTHEASTERN ST. CLAIR AND EASTERN DADE COUNTIES UNTIL 645 PM CDT...

At 559 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from 7 miles east of El Dorado Springs to near
Stockton to 6 miles northeast of Greenfield to 6 miles northwest of
Miller. Movement was east at 50 mph.

Dime size hail and wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with
these storms.

Locations impacted include...
Northwestern Springfield...       Bolivar...
Pomme de Terre Lake...            Stockton Lake...
Pomme De Terre State Park...      Stockton State Park...
Willard...                        Buffalo...
Strafford...                      Stockton...
Ash Grove...                      Fair Grove...
Pittsburg...                      Greenfield...
Humansville...                    Walnut Grove...
Polk...                           Pleasant Hope...
Fair Play...                      Hermitage...

This includes Interstate 44 between mile markers 86 and 89.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If on or near Pomme De Terre Lake, get out of the water and move
indoors or inside a vehicle. Remember, lightning can strike out to
10 miles from the parent thunderstorm. If you can hear thunder, you
are close enough to be struck by lightning. Move to safe shelter
now! Do not be caught on the water in a thunderstorm.

&&

A severe thunderstorm watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CDT for
southwestern and west central Missouri.

LAT...LON 3790 9307 3790 9297 3784 9292 3770 9292
      3749 9301 3748 9307 3731 9307 3727 9309
      3722 9406 3746 9384 3763 9378 3785 9392
      3800 9307
TIME...MOT...LOC 2259Z 252DEG 46KT 3786 9389 3765 9371 3749 9377 3728
9394

Hatch

Local storm report, May 19, 6:05 PM CDT, 20 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
605 PM CDT SAT MAY 19 2018

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0505 PM     TSTM WND DMG     LIBERAL                 37.56N 94.51W
05/19/2018                   BARTON             MO   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

            TREES AND LARGE LIMBS REPORTED DOWNED IN
            LIBERAL.

&&

Local storm report, May 19, 6:23 PM CDT, 2 minutes before

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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), 12:00Z

11.4 hours before the tornado, 79 km from the path. May 19, 2018.

Skew-T log-p

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.

Hodograph

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: 1840 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -44 J/kg
Surface CAPE: 300 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1017 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 29 kt
0-1 km bulk shear: 18 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 78 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 80 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.9
0-3 km lapse rate: 4.8 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

Springfield, MO (KSGF), 00:00Z

0.6 hours after it, 79 km from the path. May 20, 2018.

Skew-T log-p

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.

Hodograph

Mixed-layer CAPE: 1239 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -21 J/kg
Surface CAPE: 3034 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1638 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 40 kt
0-1 km bulk shear: 23 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 149 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 147 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.4
Supercell composite: 10.1
0-3 km lapse rate: 7.8 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The surface observations

Springfield (SGF), 29 km from the path, in the two hours either side.

Time (UTC)	Temp (°F)	Dew point (°F)	Wind	Gust (kt)	Pressure (mb)	Weather
00:00 UTC

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

The radar

The Springfield radar (KSGF), 29 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 23:23 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.

This ground now

The live radar over the track Every 2018 tornado in Missouri Every tornado in Missouri since 1950 Warnings in force in Missouri now The forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of May 19, 2018

5 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
May 19	2:59 PM CDT	EF0	Osage, OK	1.9	100	$2,000
May 19	3:04 PM CDT	EF0	Osage, OK	0.9	100	$5,000
May 19	6:28 PM CDT	EF1	Polk, MO	2.0	100	$20,000
May 19	9:36 PM EDT	EF1	Bedford, VA	1.0	100	$25,000
May 19	12:17 AM CDT	EF0	McClain, OK	7.0	50	$10,000

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.