Tornadoes · United States · Missouri · 2025

EF0 tornado, Boston to Milford, Missouri, April 20, 2025

From Boston to Milford, this EF0 tornado ran 19.8 miles across Barton County on April 20, 2025, touching down at 2:29 PM CDT and reaching 300 yards wide. It killed nobody, and did $3.4 million 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
April 20, 2025
Touchdown
2:29 PM CDT (19:29 UTC)
Lifted
2:50 PM CDT (19:50 UTC)
On the ground
21 minutes
Path length
19.8 miles (31.8 km)
Path width
300 yards (274 m)
Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$3.4 million
County
Barton County
Touchdown point
37.390, -94.370
Lift-off point
37.610, -94.140
Record number
2504201329-01

The damage survey

13 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS SGF, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The strongest indicator was rated EF1. The highest wind the damage implies is 90 mph.

  • Small debris on south and east face of home.
  • Metal barn roofing also scattered northward
  • Roofing thrown northeast with nearby trees uprooted north
  • Roof and attached deck torn off, trees uprooted. Home owner reported heavy rain falling at time of tornado

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 strong storm system moved through the area on Sunday April 20th, 2025. This system brought tornadoes, damaging wind, large hail and heavy rain. The heavy rainfall led to flooding as the area had already received heavy rainfall from storms earlier in the week. Multiple area rivers reached minor to moderate flood stage due to heavy runoff.

An EF-0 tornado touched down in south-central Barton County in Missouri at 2:29 PM on April 20, 2025, tracking northeast through the city of Lamar before finally lifting northeast of Milford at 2:50 PM. The majority of damage from this tornado was in the city of Lamar, where it caused light to moderate damage to around 200 homes and businesses. Eyewitness accounts report a rain-wrapped tornado, and much of the debris field left behind consisted of light debris like leaf litter pressed to multiple sides of impacted structures by the rain. Straight line wind damage was also found to the east of the path in Lamar.

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

The warnings

8 minutes of warning. NWS SGF issued a tornado warning for this county at 19:21 UTC, 8 minutes before the tornado touched down, in force until 19:45 UTC.

The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 17:03 UTC and running to 20:33 UTC.

Issued (UTC)ExpiredProductOffice
15:39 UTC23:58 UTCFlood AdvisorySGF
17:03 UTC20:33 UTCTornado WatchSGF
17:55 UTC00:00 UTCFlood AdvisorySGF
18:54 UTC20:00 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningSGF
19:04 UTC23:56 UTCFlash Flood WarningSGF
19:21 UTC19:45 UTCTornado WarningSGF
19:37 UTC20:17 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningSGF
19:42 UTC19:59 UTCTornado WarningSGF
23:54 UTC06:00 UTCFlood AdvisorySGF

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 0.10 chance of a tornado within 25 miles, in the hatched area where significant tornadoes were expected. The outlook in force was issued at 16:29 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

4.5 hours after it, 78 km from the path. April 21, 2025.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Springfield, MO at 00:00Z on 2025-04-21Temperature 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 -82932, lifted condensation level 1255 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 00:00Z on 2025-04-21The 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 -143 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 71 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-82932 J/kg
Surface CAPE
8 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1255 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
71 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
29 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-143 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-93 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0
0-3 km lapse rate
6.0 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The radar

The Springfield radar (KSGF), 81 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 19:25 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
18:57 UTCFLOOD2 Wsw BostonBarton, MOMO 126 closed from I 49 to SW 15th Ln at the North Fork Spring River westbound and eastbound due to flooding.
19:06 UTCFLOOD3 E StocktonCedar, MOState Highway M closed due to flooding.
19:07 UTCTSTM WND DMGCarl JunctionJasper, MOA large 20x30 pavilion collapsed.
19:10 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 Ne Carl JunctionJasper, MOA row of power poles snapped at Ivy and County Road 275 in Carl Junction.
19:10 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 Ne Carl JunctionJasper, MOA roof off a house on County Lane 265 and highway 96.
19:10 UTCTSTM WND DMGCarl JunctionJasper, MOCorrects previous tstm wnd dmg report from Carl Junction. Early reports coming in of several trees and powerlines down in Carl Junction. Some building damage as well. Possible tornado.
19:17 UTCTSTM WND DMGCarl JunctionJasper, MOEarly reports coming in of several trees and powerlines down in Carl Junction. Some building damage as well. Possible tornado.
19:20 UTCTSTM WND GST 511 Ne Airport DriveJasper, MOASOS station KJLN Joplin ASOS measured a 51mph wind gust.
19:23 UTCTSTM WND DMG4 Nne Neck CityJasper, MOTrees downed and a damage to a barn.
19:24 UTCTSTM WND DMG5 Se NashvilleJasper, MOHouse and barn damage on County Road 210 between thorn road and redbud road.
19:24 UTCTSTM WND DMG5 W JasperJasper, MObarn is down west of Jasper at Highway H and Highway O.
19:25 UTCTSTM WND DMG4 S OaktonBarton, MOBarn destroyed and multiple power lines down. Tornado possible.
19:29 UTCTORNADO5 Ssw OaktonBarton, MOAn EF 0 tornado touched down in south-central Barton County in Missouri at 229 PM on April 20, 2025, tracking northeast through the city of Lamar before finally lifting northeast of Milford at 250 PM. The majority of dam
19:38 UTCTSTM WND DMGLamarBarton, MOEarly reports coming in of trees and powerlines down in Lamar. Damage assessment ongoing. Power out in town. Damage extends to the northeast of town. Possible tornado.
19:39 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 E LamarBarton, MOLarge tree and branches down on a house. Powerlines down. Tornado possible.
19:39 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 Ese LamarBarton, MORoofs off storage buildings in East Lamar. Possible tornado.
19:39 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 Se LamarBarton, MOTornado siren was blown down. Tornado possible.
19:39 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 Se LamarBarton, MOTrees uprooted, power poles down and broken, 3 inch limbs broken. Tornado possible.
19:50 UTCTSTM WND DMGMilfordBarton, MOTrees and powerlines down. Tornado possible.
19:53 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 Nw Jerico SpringsCedar, MODelayed report, time estimated from radar. Damage to outbuilding structure and uprooted trees.
19:53 UTCTSTM WND DMG5 Nne MilfordVernon, MODelayed report, time estimated from radar. Roof removed from barn or outbuilding.
19:56 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 W SarcoxieJasper, MODelayed report, time estimated from radar. 4 to 6 inch diameter tree limbs broken.
19:56 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 W SarcoxieJasper, MODelayed report, time estimated from radar. Tree 2 ft diameter uprooted, tree limbs 4 to 6 inches in diameter broken and penetrated through roof into home.
19:56 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 W SarcoxieJasper, MODelayed report, time estimated from radar. Tree limbs of unknown diameter broken.
19:56 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 Wsw SarcoxieJasper, MODelayed report, time estimated from radar. 8 to 10 inch diameter tree limbs broken and fallen to the north.
19:56 UTCTSTM WND DMGSarcoxieJasper, MODelayed report, time estimated by radar. 4 to 6 inch diameter tree limbs broken, porch roof damage.
19:56 UTCTSTM WND DMGSarcoxieJasper, MODelayed report, time estimated from radar. 10 to 12 inch diameter tree limbs broken.
19:56 UTCTSTM WND DMGSarcoxieJasper, MODelayed report, time estimated from radar. Trampoline flipped.
19:56 UTCTSTM WND DMGSarcoxieJasper, MODelayed report, time estimated from radar. Tree roughly 2 ft in diameter uprooted.
19:57 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 Sw SarcoxieJasper, MOUprooted tree around two feet in diameter. Tree fell to the east. Delayed report, time estimated from radar.
19:57 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 W SarcoxieJasper, MOFence blown in, fallen to the northwest. Delayed report, time estimated by radar.
19:57 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 W SarcoxieJasper, MOTree roughly 2 feet in diameter snapped at base, fallen to the east. EM reports neighbor stated tree swirled then fell. Delayed report, time estimated from radar.
19:57 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 Wsw SarcoxieJasper, MODelayed report. 8 to 10 inch diameter tree limbs damaged, fallen to north. Time estimated from radar.
19:57 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 Wsw SarcoxieJasper, MOTree limb 8 to 10 inches in diameter broken, fallen to the east. Delayed report, time estimated from radar.
19:57 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 Wsw SarcoxieJasper, MOTree limbs 10 to 12 inches in diameter snapped. Delayed report, time estimated from radar.
19:57 UTCTSTM WND DMGSarcoxieJasper, MO6 to 8 inch diameter tree limbs snapped and fallen to the east. Delayed report, time estimated by radar.
19:57 UTCHAIL 12 Ssw WentworthNewton, MOUp to quarter size hail just south of Wentworth.
20:00 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 Ssw OlympiaCedar, MODelayed report, time estimated from radar. Outbuildings and barns damaged, with metal debris scattered across property.
20:00 UTCTSTM WND DMGOlympiaCedar, MOUprooted trees at state highway 97 and state highway cc.
20:00 UTCTSTM WND DMGOlympiaCedar, MOBarn/shed destroyed.

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

This ground now

The live radar over the trackEvery 2025 tornado in MissouriEvery tornado in Missouri since 1950Warnings in force in Missouri nowThe forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of April 20, 2025

39 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
April 201:24 AM CDTEF0Love, OK0.530
April 201:31 PM CDTEF2Callaway, MO2.61001$125,000
April 201:57 PM CDTEF1Cherokee, KS to MO24.1250$1.0 million
April 202:41 PM CDTEF1Washington, AR3.0250$750,000
April 204:21 PM CDTEF0Christian, MO1.350$15,000
April 204:30 PM CDTEF0Morgan, MO0.775$20,000
April 204:35 PM CDTEF0Douglas, MO2.850$100,000
April 204:46 PM CDTEF0Webster, MO1.130$100,000
April 204:59 PM CDTEF0Wright, MO1.850$25,000
April 205:08 PM CDTEF1Wright, MO2.1400
April 205:18 PM CDTEF1Boone, MO3.3100
April 205:21 PM CDTEF1Perry, AR7.7350
April 205:33 PM CDTEF1Boone, MO2.3100$22,000
April 205:56 PM CDTEF1Audrain, MO0.350$60,000
April 206:01 PM CDTEF0Shannon, MO1.5250
April 206:19 PM CDTEF0Pike, MO0.325$15,000
April 206:48 PM CDTEF0Adams, IL4.225$20,000
April 206:55 PM CDTEF1Faulkner, AR14.2500
April 207:04 PM CDTEF0Adams, IL8.2100$120,000
April 207:37 PM CDTEF1McDonough, IL7.0150$6,000
April 207:45 PM CDTEF0Mercer, IL0.925
April 207:47 PM CDTEF1McDonough, IL3.0100$16,000
April 207:57 PM CDTEF0Warren, IL4.025
April 208:00 PM CDTEF1Monroe, IL7.3100$75,000
April 208:13 PM CDTEF1Monroe, IL0.3100$15,000
April 208:14 PM CDTEF0Saint Clair, IL0.8100$10,000
April 208:25 PM CDTEF1Randolph, IL1.375$10,000
April 208:35 PM CDTEF0Henry, IL2.275$1,000
April 208:39 PM CDTEF1Knox, IL16.5150
April 208:41 PM CDTEF1Knox, IL4.4120
April 208:49 PM CDTEF1Tazewell, IL14.5100
April 208:54 PM CDTUnratedHenry, IL0.310
April 208:57 PM CDTEF0Henry, IL0.250
April 208:58 PM CDTEF0Henry, IL1.150
April 208:58 PM CDTEF1Henry, IL7.325$1,000
April 208:58 PM CDTEF1Henry, IL7.2100
April 209:12 PM CDTEF0Rock Island, IL0.750$1,000
April 209:26 PM CDTEF1Bureau, IL1.050$8,000
April 209:42 PM CDTEF1Jackson, IL1.725$125,000

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.