Tornadoes · United States · Missouri · 2025

EF1 tornado, Leeds to Spring Branch, Missouri, June 3, 2025

From Leeds to Spring Branch, this EF1 tornado ran 3.7 miles across Jackson County on June 3, 2025, touching down at 2:35 PM CDT and reaching 50 yards wide. It killed nobody.

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
June 3, 2025
Touchdown
2:35 PM CDT (19:35 UTC)
Lifted
2:44 PM CDT (19:44 UTC)
On the ground
9 minutes
Path length
3.7 miles (6.0 km)
Path width
50 yards (46 m)
Deaths
0
Injuries
0
County
Jackson County
Touchdown point
39.082, -94.390
Lift-off point
39.103, -94.326
Record number
2506031335-01

The damage survey

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

  • Video showed tornado. Minor tree limb debris.
  • Report from Storm Spotter. NWS Survey Team identified additional sporadic tree damage within this area consistent with straight line winds.

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

During the afternoon hours of June 3rd, 2025, storms brought widespread heavy rain, flash flooding, damaging wind gusts, and a couple tornadoes to portions of Missouri. Two tornadoes impacted Jackson County, with an EF-0 near the Truman Sports Complex and an EF-1 in Independence.

Storm survey found evidence of a 0.9 mile long EF-0 tornado near the Truman Sports Complex.

Storm survey found evidence of a 3.7 mile long EF-1 tornado in Jackson County in the Independence area. Essentially all of the damage was uprooted trees and large tree branches snapped.

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

The warnings

27 minutes of warning. NWS EAX issued a tornado warning for this county at 19:08 UTC, 27 minutes before the tornado touched down, in force until 19:45 UTC.

The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 18:38 UTC and running to 21:20 UTC.

Issued (UTC)ExpiredProductOffice
12:00 UTC03:56 UTCFlood WatchEAX
18:38 UTC21:20 UTCTornado WatchEAX
19:07 UTC20:00 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningEAX
19:08 UTC19:45 UTCTornado WarningEAX
19:16 UTC00:00 UTCFlash Flood WarningEAX
19:24 UTC20:00 UTCTornado WarningEAX
19:38 UTC00:24 UTCFlash Flood WarningEAX
19:53 UTC20:45 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningEAX
19:55 UTC20:07 UTCTornado WarningEAX
20:28 UTC21:15 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningEAX

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 Marginal Risk, with a 0.02 chance of a tornado within 25 miles. The outlook in force was issued at 16:27 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.

Topeka, KS (KTOP), 12:00Z

7.6 hours before the tornado, 111 km from the path. June 3, 2025.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Topeka, KS at 12:00Z on 2025-06-03Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 5 joules per kilogram, CIN -193, lifted condensation level 978 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, Topeka, KS at 12:00Z on 2025-06-03The 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 101 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 25 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
5 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-193 J/kg
Surface CAPE
71 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
978 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
25 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
27 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
101 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
66 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0
0-3 km lapse rate
4.8 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

Topeka, KS (KTOP), 00:00Z

4.4 hours after it, 111 km from the path. June 4, 2025.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Topeka, KS at 00:00Z on 2025-06-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 3 joules per kilogram, CIN 0, lifted condensation level 464 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 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, Topeka, KS at 00:00Z on 2025-06-04The 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 95 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 48 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
3 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
0 J/kg
Surface CAPE
3 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
464 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
48 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
11 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
95 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
164 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0
0-3 km lapse rate
3.4 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The radar

The Pleasant Hill radar (KEAX), 32 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 19:33 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
19:09 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 Ese Platte CityPlatte, MODowned wires and power outages east of Platte City. Time estimated from radar.
19:12 UTCTSTM WND DMG5 E FerrelviewClay, MODowned tree limbs and wires near Walnut Street. Time estimated from radar.
19:19 UTCTSTM WND DMG7 W RaytownJackson, MODowned tree and wires near 70th Street. Time estimated from radar.
19:23 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 N Houston LakePlatte, MODowned wires near Robinhood Lane. Time estimated from radar.
19:23 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 S Lake WaukomisPlatte, MODowned tree limbs and wires near 66th Street. Time estimated from radar.
19:23 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 Sse Kansas CityJackson, MODowned tree and wires near Quincy Avenue. Time estimated from radar.
19:25 UTCTORNADO3 Nnw RaytownJackson, MOConfirmed tornado via radar and video footage.
19:26 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 N RaytownJackson, MODowned tree onto a vehicle near 47th and Maywood. Time estimated from radar.
19:26 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 Nnw RaytownJackson, MOSemi blown over near I-435 and Raytown Road. Multiple trees down east of this location. Time estimated from radar.
19:27 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 Nw RaytownJackson, MOMultiple reports of tree limbs and wires down in the Raytown area. Time estimated from radar.
19:30 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 Ese IndependenceJackson, MOSeveral downed or snapped trees near Lees Summit Road. Time estimated from radar.
19:30 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 Ne GladstoneClay, MODowned wires near Askew Avenue. Time estimated from radar.
19:30 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 Se RaytownJackson, MODowned wires and power outages near Crisp Avenue. Time estimated from radar.
19:30 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 Ssw IndependenceJackson, MOEM relayed images of large tree snapped/down just NE of intersection of 35th and Crysler. Time estimated from radar.
19:30 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 S MaywoodJackson, MOMultiple reports of downed trees between Independence and Raytown. Time estimated from radar.
19:34 UTCTSTM WND GST 682 Nnw SmithvilleClay, MOPrivate weather sensor.
19:35 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 E IndependenceJackson, MOEM relayed images of multiple trees snapped, downed over roadway, or on homes. Time estimated from radar.
19:37 UTCTORNADO2 E IndependenceJackson, MOStorm survey team has noted damage consistent with a tornado. More information to come.
19:40 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 E IndependenceJackson, MOSeveral downed trees near Truman Road east of Route 291. Time estimated from radar.
19:40 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 Se CourtneyJackson, MODowned tree onto a boat at a residence near Jackson Drive. Time estimated from radar.
19:40 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 Sse LibertyClay, MODowned wires near Current Street. Time estimated from radar.
19:40 UTCTSTM WND DMG4 E IndependenceJackson, MOSocial media report and photo of downed tree damaging a vehicle near Alexander Road. Time estimated from radar.
19:40 UTCTSTM WND DMG4 Se CourtneyJackson, MOSocial media photos and reports of trees down on Jones Road. Time estimated from radar.
19:44 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 W Missouri CityClay, MODowned tree limbs and wires near Missouri City Road. Time estimated from radar.
19:45 UTCTSTM WND DMG5 Wsw BucknerJackson, MORelayed report of severe large tree limbs down across Highway 7. Time estimated from radar.
19:47 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 Wsw Missouri CityClay, MODowned wires near Scott Avenue. Time estimated from radar.
19:47 UTCTSTM WND DMG5 Wsw BucknerJackson, MOSocial media report of downed power lines and bent over power poles near Indian Trails Elementary. Time estimated from radar.
19:51 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 Wnw Unity VillageJackson, MODowned wires and power outages near Military Club Road. Time estimated from radar.
19:54 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 Nnw Excelsior SpringsClay, MODowned tree and wires near Ley Street. Time estimated from radar.
19:55 UTCTSTM WND DMGBucknerJackson, MODowned wires and power outages near Central Street. Time estimated from radar.
19:59 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 N Lake TapawingoJackson, MOSeveral reports of downed trees north of Lake Tapawingo. Time estimated from radar.
19:59 UTCTSTM WND DMG5 Sw BeltonCass, MODowned wires and power outages near 203rd Street. Time estimated from radar.
20:00 UTCFLASH FLOODPlattsburgClinton, MOMultiple reports of street flooding in Plattsburg. Time estimated from social media posts.
20:06 UTCTSTM WND DMG4 N FlemingRay, MODowned wires and power outages near Route EE. Time estimated from radar.
20:10 UTCFLASH FLOOD1 N GrandviewJackson, MOReport from mPING: Street/road flooding; Street/road closed; Vehicles stranded.
20:15 UTCFLASH FLOOD2 Ssw RaytownJackson, MOSocial media photo of street flooding near 79th and Blue Ridge. Time estimated from radar.
20:23 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 Ene Pleasant HillCass, MODowned tree and wires near Merle Road. Time estimated from radar.
20:27 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 E LexingtonLafayette, MOmPING report of downed tree limbs in the Lexington area. Time confirmed from radar.
20:36 UTCTSTM WND DMGOdessaLafayette, MODelayed report of downed limbs and a couple of wires near Odessa. Time estimated from radar.
20:42 UTCTSTM WND DMGNorborneCarroll, MODowned wires and power outages reported in the Norborne area. Time estimated from radar.

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 June 3, 2025

18 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
June 32:24 PM CDTEF0Jackson, MO0.840
June 33:45 PM CDTEF0Grant, OK0.230
June 33:49 PM CDTUnratedNoble, OK0.120
June 34:35 PM CDTEF0Canadian, OK0.620$3,000
June 34:37 PM CDTEF0Wright, MO0.4100$8,000
June 35:00 PM CDTEF1McClain, OK2.8125$60,000
June 35:39 PM CDTEF1Garvin, OK2.4150$10,000
June 35:58 PM CDTEF0Lee, IA0.5100
June 36:10 PM CDTUnratedArcher, TX0.150
June 36:39 PM CDTEF1Mercer, IL1.6175
June 36:42 PM CDTEF1Mercer, IL10.8250
June 36:46 PM CDTEF1Warren, IL7.850
June 36:57 PM CDTEF0Rock Island, IL1.225
June 36:57 PM CDTEF1Rock Island, IL14.4300
June 36:59 PM CDTEF1Mercer, IL3.8100
June 37:06 PM CDTEF1Rock Island, IL12.4300
June 38:28 PM CDTEF0Atoka, OK4.5100
June 39:05 PM CDTEF0Boone, IL0.375

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.