Tornadoes · United States · Missouri · 2023
EF0 tornado, Meinert to Lockwood, Missouri, February 27, 2023
From Meinert to Lockwood, this EF0 tornado ran 0.4 miles across Dade County on February 27, 2023, touching down at 1:25 AM CST and reaching 200 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.
EF065 to 85 mphthis tornado
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
EF186 to 110 mph
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
- EF0
- Date
- February 27, 2023
- Touchdown
- 1:25 AM CST (07:25 UTC)
- Lifted
- 1:26 AM CST (07:26 UTC)
- On the ground
- 1 minutes
- Path length
- 0.4 miles (0.7 km)
- Path width
- 200 yards (183 m)
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $50,000
- County
- Dade County
- Touchdown point
- 37.372, -94.045
- Lift-off point
- 37.377, -94.041
- Record number
- 2302270125-01
The damage survey
2 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS SGF, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The strongest indicator was rated EF0. The highest wind the damage implies is 74 mph.
Survey points are preliminary and are the raw material the published rating was built from. Source: NWS Damage Assessment Toolkit.
What the Weather Service recorded
A low pressure system intensified rapidly as it moved northeastward across the central Plains into northern Missouri and southern Iowa during the late evening of the 26th and early morning of the 27th. Strong to severe storms developed ahead of the trailing cold front and produced widespread wind damage and three tornadoes over southwest Missouri during the overnight hours. Numerous reports of wind damage were received east of a line from Joplin to Warsaw.
A National Weather Service storm survey concluded that an EF-0 tornado, with maximum wind speeds of 77 mph, heavily damaged a machine barn. Tin was blown in a cyclonic manner. The tornado also broke several tree limbs. The tornado was 1.6 miles long with a maximum width of 200 yards.
From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.
The warnings
No tornado warning for this county appears in the archive as in force at the moment the tornado touched down. One was issued for the county at another hour that day.
| Issued (UTC) | Expired | Product | Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| 00:00 UTC | 18:00 UTC | Wind Advisory | SGF |
| 07:30 UTC | 08:00 UTC | Tornado Warning | SGF |
| 07:42 UTC | 08:01 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | SGF |
| 07:49 UTC | 08:00 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | SGF |
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 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
7.4 hours before the tornado, 57 km from the path. February 27, 2023.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 12 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -208 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 468 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 52 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 41 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 395 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 323 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.8
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 3.5 K/km
Springfield, MO (KSGF), 12:00Z
4.6 hours after it, 57 km from the path. February 27, 2023.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -91689 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1598 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 95 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 50 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 480 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 495 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 4.6 K/km
The surface observations
Joplin (JLN), 47 km from the path, in the two hours either side.
| Time (UTC) | Temp (°F) | Dew point (°F) | Wind | Gust (kt) | Pressure (mb) | Weather |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05:25 UTC | 20 kt | 29 | 995.9 | -RA | ||
| 05:40 UTC | 170° 24 kt | 30 | 993.6 | -RA | ||
| 05:45 UTC | 170° 22 kt | 32 | 992.9 | RA | ||
| 05:50 UTC | 160° 20 kt | 31 | 992.2 | RA | ||
| 05:53 UTC | 64 | 58 | 160° 22 kt | 40 | 991.9 | RA |
| 06:00 UTC | 170° 27 kt | 37 | 992.6 | -RA | ||
| 06:05 UTC | 160° 23 kt | 33 | 991.9 | |||
| 06:10 UTC | 170° 26 kt | 38 | 991.9 | -RA | ||
| 06:15 UTC | 170° 27 kt | 32 | 991.9 | -RA | ||
| 06:20 UTC | 170° 24 kt | 31 | 991.9 | -RA | ||
| 06:25 UTC | 170° 22 kt | 29 | 991.5 | RA | ||
| 06:30 UTC | 160° 24 kt | 36 | 991.2 | RA | ||
| 06:35 UTC | 160° 22 kt | 35 | 990.9 | -RA | ||
| 06:40 UTC | 27 kt | 34 | -RA | |||
| 06:53 UTC | 63 | 58 | 180° 19 kt | 41 | 990.9 | -RA |
| 06:55 UTC | 200° | 41 | 992.6 | -RA | ||
| 07:00 UTC | 210° | 46 | 992.9 | +RA | ||
| 07:05 UTC | 210° 29 kt | 993.9 | RA | |||
| 07:10 UTC | 43 | 993.9 | RA | |||
| 07:20 UTC | 200° 20 kt | 31 | 992.6 | -RA | ||
| 07:25 UTC | 200° 23 kt | 30 | 992.9 | -RA | ||
| 07:30 UTC | 190° 22 kt | 31 | 992.6 | -RA | ||
| 07:35 UTC | 190° 27 kt | 35 | 992.2 | -RA | ||
| 07:40 UTC | 190° 28 kt | 991.5 | -RA | |||
| 07:50 UTC | 200° 22 kt | 31 | 992.6 | -RA | ||
| 07:53 UTC | 57 | 47 | 200° 26 kt | 38 | 992.6 | -RA |
| 07:55 UTC | 190° 20 kt | 30 | 991.9 | -RA | ||
| 08:00 UTC | 200° 26 kt | 33 | 992.6 | -RA | ||
| 08:05 UTC | 27 kt | 32 | 992.2 | -RA | ||
| 08:15 UTC | 200° 26 kt | 35 | 991.5 | -RA | ||
| 08:20 UTC | 200° 28 kt | 39 | 991.5 | -RA | ||
| 08:25 UTC | 200° 28 kt | 38 | 991.5 | |||
| 08:30 UTC | 200° 23 kt | 30 | 991.9 | |||
| 08:35 UTC | 200° 28 kt | 40 | 991.5 | |||
| 08:45 UTC | 200° 28 kt | 35 | 991.9 | |||
| 08:50 UTC | 210° 24 kt | 991.9 | HZ | |||
| 08:53 UTC | 54 | 40 | 210° 25 kt | 46 | 991.9 | HZ |
| 08:55 UTC | 200° 26 kt | 39 | 991.9 | HZ | ||
| 09:00 UTC | 210° 26 kt | 992.2 | HZ | |||
| 09:10 UTC | 200° 26 kt | 38 | 991.9 | HZ | ||
| 09:15 UTC | 210° 22 kt | 30 | 991.9 | HZ | ||
| 09:20 UTC | 210° 24 kt | 31 | 992.2 | HZ |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.
The radar
The Springfield radar (KSGF), 59 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 07:23 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.
What was reported nearby
Local storm reports within 60 km of the path, in the three hours either side.
| Time (UTC) | Report | Where | County | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05:34 UTC | NON-TSTM WND GST 55 | 1 Ne Airport Drive | Jasper, MO | ASOS STATION KJLN JOPLIN ASOS. |
| 06:19 UTC | NON-TSTM WND DMG | 3 S Carthage | Jasper, MO | TREE DOWN AT ELM ROAD AND GRAND AVE. |
| 06:56 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Webb City | Jasper, MO | DOWNED TREES AND UTILITY POLES. |
| 06:56 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Webb City | Jasper, MO | VIA SOCIAL MEDIA REPORT OF LARGE DIAMETER TOPS OF TRESS BROKEN OFF. TIME ESTIMATE BASED ON RADAR. DELAYED REPORT. |
| 07:04 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Diamond | Newton, MO | TREE DOWN ON A HOME. |
| 07:14 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 1 W Maple Grove | Jasper, MO | AVILLA FIRE DEPT IS REPORTING PIECES OF A BARN (DEBRIS) IS ON A FENCE AND POWER LINES DOWN JUST TO THE EAST OF COUNTY ROAD 50 AND NUTMEG IN JASPER COUNTY. |
| 07:25 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 3 Ne Pierce City | Lawrence, MO | AN NWS SURVEY REVEALED THAT STRAIGHT-LINE WIND GUSTS CAUSED ROOF DAMAGE TO A TURKEY FARM. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR. |
| 07:25 UTC | TORNADO | 3 Ese Golden City | Dade, MO | A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM SURVEY CONCLUDED THAT AN EF-0 TORNADO, WITH MAXIMUM WIND SPEEDS OF 77 MPH, HEAVILY DAMAGED A MACHINE BARN. TIN WAS BLOWN IN A CYCLONIC MANNER. THE TORNADO ALSO BROKE SEVERAL TREE LIMBS. T |
| 07:27 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 1 Ese Monett | Barry, MO | THREE SEPARATE REPORTS OF POWERLINES DOWN IN SOUTHEAST MONETT NEAR MAPLE, KYLER AND SUMMIT STREETS. |
| 07:27 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 3 S Monett | Barry, MO | DELAYED REPORT. BARNS DOWN AND TREES DOWN OFF 37 HIGHWAY. POWERPOLE ALSO BROKEN NEAR THIS LOCATION. A CABLE WAS DOWN IN THE ROADWAY JUST SOUTH OF THIS LOCATION AT HIGHWAY 37 AND HIGHWAY BB. |
| 07:30 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 3 E Monett | Barry, MO | DELAYED REPORT: 3 TRAILER HOMES LOST ROOFS AT THIS LOCATION OFF FARM ROAD 2000. |
| 07:30 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 3 Ene Monett | Lawrence, MO | STRAIGHTLINE WINDS CAUSED A BARN TO COLLAPSE. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR. |
| 07:35 UTC | TSTM WND GST 55 | 3 Ssw Pierce City | Barry, MO | AWOS STATION KHFJ MONETT AWOS. |
| 07:40 UTC | TSTM WND GST 50 | 2 Wnw Hoberg | Lawrence, MO | MESONET STATION MOA21 MT. VERNON. |
| 07:47 UTC | TORNADO | 1 Nw Bona | Dade, MO | A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM SURVEY CONCLUDED THAT AN EF-0 TORNADO, WITH MAXIMUM WIND SPEEDS OF 76 MPH, UPROOTED A FEW WEAK TREES WITH LARGE BRANCHES ALSO BROKEN OFF. THE TORNADO PATH WAS 1.2 MILES LONG WITH A MAXIMU |
| 07:49 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Everton | Dade, MO | PUBLIC SENT IN PICTURES OF LARGE TREE LIMBS DOWN. |
| 07:52 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Fair Play | Polk, MO | SMALL GREENHOUSE PICKED UP AND THROWN 100 YARDS. METAL PIPES BENT TO A 90 DEGREE ANGLE. |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.
This ground now
The live radar over the trackEvery 2023 tornado in MissouriEvery tornado in Missouri since 1950Warnings in force in Missouri nowThe forecast where you are
The other tornadoes of February 27, 2023
15 more were confirmed in the United States that day.
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 27 | 1:02 AM CST | EF1 | Newton, MO | 0.8 | 200 | $550,000 | ||
| February 27 | 1:47 AM CST | EF0 | Dade, MO | 1.3 | 100 | |||
| February 27 | 8:43 AM CST | EF0 | Champaign, IL | 1.1 | 30 | |||
| February 27 | 8:55 AM CST | Unrated | Champaign, IL | 1.5 | 25 | |||
| February 27 | 9:15 AM CST | Unrated | Ford, IL | 1.6 | 50 | |||
| February 27 | 9:41 AM CST | EF0 | Kendall, IL | 2.2 | 100 | |||
| February 27 | 9:52 AM CST | EF0 | DuPage, IL | 1.4 | 30 | |||
| February 27 | 1:28 PM EST | EF1 | Hancock, IN | 5.2 | 50 | $200,000 | ||
| February 27 | 1:37 PM EST | EF1 | Hancock, IN | 0.3 | 50 | $50,000 | ||
| February 27 | 2:37 PM EST | EF1 | Butler, OH | 4.2 | 150 | $500,000 | ||
| February 27 | 3:00 PM EST | EF0 | Van Wert, OH | 0.6 | 75 | $30,000 | ||
| February 27 | 3:19 PM EST | EF1 | Clark, OH | 2.3 | 300 | $250,000 | ||
| February 27 | 12:24 PM PST | Unrated | Mendocino, CA | 0.1 | 10 | |||
| February 27 | 4:03 PM EST | EF0 | Pickaway, OH | 1.4 | 100 | $150,000 | ||
| February 27 | 4:41 PM EST | EF0 | Licking, OH | 0.3 | 90 | $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.