Tornadoes · United States · Missouri · 2025
EF1 tornado, Racket to Lincoln, Missouri, May 19, 2025
From Racket to Lincoln, this EF1 tornado ran 4.3 miles across Benton County on May 19, 2025, touching down at 7:28 PM CDT and reaching 500 yards wide. It killed nobody, and did $148,000 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, 2025
- Touchdown
- 7:28 PM CDT (00:28 UTC)
- Lifted
- 7:34 PM CDT (00:34 UTC)
- On the ground
- 6 minutes
- Path length
- 4.3 miles (7.0 km)
- Path width
- 500 yards (457 m)
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $148,000
- County
- Benton County
- Touchdown point
- 38.340, -93.480
- Lift-off point
- 38.370, -93.410
- Record number
- 2505191828-01
The damage survey
56 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS EAX and NWS SGF, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The strongest indicator was rated EF1. The highest wind the damage implies is 110 mph.
- Widespread tree damage throughout Bent Tree Harbor area.
- Trees uprooted. Powerlines down
- Roof gone from outbuilding. Severe damage.
- Boat storage facility destroyed, outbuilding destroyed, trees snapped, campers rolled.
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 pushed into the area during the afternoon of May 19, 2025 and persisted into the evening and overnight hours.�� This system produced 8 tornadoes across the area, along with widespread wind damage and between 1 and 5 inches of rainfall.�� The intense rainfall led to some localized flash flooding, areal flooding and river flooding.
A NWS survey team determined that an EF-1 tornado pushed a mobile home off its block, damaged outbuildings and snapped trees along a track west of Racket just east of the Henry Benton County line. Maximum wind speeds were determined to be 105 mph.
A NWS storm survey confirmed that an EF-1 tornado with maximum winds of 100 mph caused widespread uprooted and snapped trees along with power lines downed. Several barns suffered varying degrees of damage along with the roof of one home.
A NWS storm survey confirmed an EF-1 tornado with maximum wind speeds of 100 mph had uprooted and snapped numerous trees. As the tornado curled near the end of its lifespan it damaged three barns and downed several power poles.
From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.
The warnings
9 minutes of warning. NWS SGF issued a tornado warning for this county at 00:19 UTC, 9 minutes before the tornado touched down, in force until 00:45 UTC.
The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 18:40 UTC and running to 01:50 UTC.
| Issued (UTC) | Expired | Product | Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18:00 UTC | 10:10 UTC | Flood Watch | SGF |
| 18:40 UTC | 01:50 UTC | Tornado Watch | SGF |
| 23:40 UTC | 00:45 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | SGF |
| 00:19 UTC | 00:45 UTC | Tornado Warning | SGF |
| 00:43 UTC | 01:15 UTC | Tornado 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 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 19:52 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), 12:00Z
11.5 hours after it, 165 km from the path. May 20, 2025.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 151 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -271 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 155 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1397 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 68 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 29 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 147 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 270 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.4
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 4.8 K/km
The radar
The Pleasant Hill radar (KEAX), 87 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 00:25 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) | Report | Where | County | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23:05 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 1 Ese Osceola | St. Clair, MO | garage had significant damage due to large tree that fell on it. Neighbors horses were struck by lightning. Delayed report via social media. Time based on radar. |
| 23:45 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Lowry City | St. Clair, MO | Power Outage in Brownington, Lowry City, Deepater. Many reports of power lines down. |
| 23:55 UTC | TORNADO | 2 Sw Lowry City | St. Clair, MO | Tornado began south southwest of Lowry City, continued through the city, and then caused the worst damage along NE 1000 Rd northeast of Lowry City, ending north of the intersection of NE 1000 Rd and NE 401 Rd. In additio |
| 00:00 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 2 Sse Lowry City | St. Clair, MO | roof of barn blocking south bound 13 in Lowry City. also reports significant damage. Time based on radar. |
| 00:10 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 5 Nw Iconium | St. Clair, MO | Iconium Missouri Fire reporting multiple trees down along HH hwy blocking roadways in multiple places. Time based on radar. |
| 00:14 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 2 Ene Brownington | Henry, MO | Social media report and photos of several trees down at a residence east of Deepwater. Time estimated from radar. |
| 00:15 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 8 Ssw Tightwad | Henry, MO | Widespread straight line wind damage with significant tree damage along Route ZZ in far southeastern Henry County. |
| 00:16 UTC | TORNADO | 6 Ssw Tightwad | Henry, MO | Storm survey found evidence of a 3.4 mile long EF-1 tornado in far southeast Henry County. |
| 00:20 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 5 S Tightwad | Henry, MO | Widespread straight line wind damage with significant tree damage along Route Z in far southeastern Henry County. |
| 00:24 UTC | TORNADO | 1 W Racket | Benton, MO | A NWS survey team determined a tornado pushed a mobile home off its block, damaged outbuildings and snapped trees along a track west of Racket just east of the Henry Benton County line. Maximum winds were 105 mph and the |
| 00:25 UTC | TSTM WND GST 75 | Coal | Henry, MO | Media in the area estimated 70 to 80 mph RFD winds. |
| 00:28 UTC | TORNADO | 3 Ssw Palo Pinto | Benton, MO | NWS storm survey confirmed a EF1 tornado caused widespread uprooted and snapped trees along with power lines downed. Several barns suffered varying degrees of damage along with the roof of one home. Max winds were around |
| 00:30 UTC | FLASH FLOOD | Clinton | Henry, MO | Inundation of several roads in Clinton. Also a car was swept into a creek. Time estimated from radar. |
| 00:30 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 4 N Warsaw | Benton, MO | Near Thibaut Boat Ramp area trees down and they witnessed what they thought was a tornado with debris aloft. |
| 00:30 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Lincoln | Benton, MO | Tree damage in Lincoln on Highway 65. Time based in radar. |
| 00:35 UTC | TORNADO | 3 E Palo Pinto | Benton, MO | NWS storm survey confirmed a tornado had uprooted numerous trees and snapping others. As the tornado curled northwest near the end of its lifespan it damaged three barns and down several power poles. |
| 00:42 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 4 Ssw Ionia | Benton, MO | Delayed report via social media. Trees uprooted, damage to out buildings. |
| 00:50 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 1 Se Racket | Benton, MO | Road closed due to trees. time based on radar. |
| 00:52 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 2 Sw Smithton | Pettis, MO | Downed wires and power outages near Muschaney Road. Time estimated from radar. |
| 01:06 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Versailles | Morgan, MO | Multiple trees and power lines down. A house fire due to a lightning strike, and just got reports of a machine shop with heavy damage or destroyed near the house fire. Time based on 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 May 19, 2025
43 more were confirmed in the United States that day.
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 19 | 2:46 PM CDT | EF1 | Hughes, OK | 4.4 | 600 | $30,000 | ||
| May 19 | 2:53 PM CDT | EF0 | Hughes, OK | 1.8 | 40 | $2,000 | ||
| May 19 | 5:03 PM CDT | EF1 | Cherokee, OK | 2.6 | 600 | $20,000 | ||
| May 19 | 5:29 PM CDT | EF1 | Dodge, NE | 1.7 | 70 | |||
| May 19 | 5:37 PM CDT | EF1 | Atoka, OK | 1.0 | 400 | |||
| May 19 | 5:44 PM CDT | EF3 | Pittsburg, OK | 16.0 | 3,000 | 1 | $500,000 | |
| May 19 | 5:50 PM CDT | Unrated | Pawnee, NE | 2.1 | 50 | |||
| May 19 | 6:02 PM CDT | Unrated | Cooke, TX | 0.1 | 30 | |||
| May 19 | 6:14 PM CDT | EF1 | Pittsburg, OK | 11.1 | 1,500 | $150,000 | ||
| May 19 | 6:22 PM CDT | EF1 | Muskogee, OK | 9.5 | 900 | $85,000 | ||
| May 19 | 6:31 PM CDT | EF1 | Pittsburg, OK | 0.3 | 100 | |||
| May 19 | 6:42 PM CDT | EF0 | Wabaunsee, KS | 0.4 | 40 | |||
| May 19 | 6:44 PM CDT | EF1 | Cherokee, OK | 12.3 | 1,100 | $50,000 | ||
| May 19 | 6:47 PM CDT | EF1 | Cherokee, OK | 10.4 | 1,300 | |||
| May 19 | 6:55 PM CDT | EF1 | Adair, OK to AR | 16.7 | 2,200 | $50,000 | ||
| May 19 | 6:55 PM CDT | EF1 | St. Clair, MO to OK, AR | 4.6 | 50 | $150,000 | ||
| May 19 | 7:11 PM CDT | EF1 | Adair, OK to AR | 8.2 | 1,000 | |||
| May 19 | 7:15 PM CDT | EF1 | Henry, MO | 3.5 | 200 | |||
| May 19 | 7:20 PM CDT | EF1 | Washington, AR | 11.6 | 900 | $100,000 | ||
| May 19 | 7:21 PM CDT | EF1 | Washington, AR | 1.0 | 500 | |||
| May 19 | 7:21 PM CDT | EF1 | LeFlore, OK | 11.9 | 1,100 | |||
| May 19 | 7:24 PM CDT | EF1 | Benton, MO | 1.3 | 500 | $115,000 | ||
| May 19 | 7:29 PM CDT | EF2 | Washington, AR | 13.6 | 1,100 | $1.0 million | ||
| May 19 | 7:34 PM CDT | EF1 | Sebastian, OK to AR | 21.4 | 1,000 | $1.5 million | ||
| May 19 | 7:35 PM CDT | EF1 | Benton, MO | 4.4 | 300 | $160,000 | ||
| May 19 | 7:54 PM CDT | EF1 | Madison, AR | 14.3 | 900 | $100,000 | ||
| May 19 | 7:56 PM CDT | EF1 | Madison, AR | 2.4 | 550 | $60,000 | ||
| May 19 | 8:02 PM CDT | Unrated | Jefferson, MO | 2.4 | 1 | |||
| May 19 | 8:11 PM CDT | EF1 | Carroll, AR | 7.2 | 2,300 | |||
| May 19 | 8:21 PM CDT | EF1 | Carroll, AR | 4.2 | 1,000 | $30,000 | ||
| May 19 | 8:32 PM CDT | EF0 | Buchanan, MO | 4.3 | 20 | |||
| May 19 | 8:56 PM CDT | EF1 | Washington, MO | 2.8 | 50 | |||
| May 19 | 10:18 PM CDT | EF1 | Dent, MO | 6.4 | 50 | $30,000 | ||
| May 19 | 10:20 PM CDT | EF0 | Dent, MO | 1.0 | 75 | $80,000 | ||
| May 19 | 10:20 PM CDT | EF0 | Fannin, TX | 1.4 | 75 | |||
| May 19 | 10:21 PM CDT | EF0 | Dent, MO | 4.3 | 50 | $55,000 | ||
| May 19 | 10:28 PM CDT | EF0 | Dent, MO | 1.9 | 50 | $25,000 | ||
| May 19 | 10:39 PM CDT | EF0 | Washington, MO | 2.2 | 140 | |||
| May 19 | 10:40 PM CDT | EF0 | Reynolds, MO | 1.6 | 50 | |||
| May 19 | 10:50 PM CDT | EF1 | Crawford, MO | 1.0 | 270 | $60,000 | ||
| May 19 | 11:31 PM CDT | EF1 | Saint Francois, MO | 4.2 | 500 | $30,000 | ||
| May 19 | 12:02 AM CDT | EF0 | Sainte Genevieve, MO | 1.3 | 25 | |||
| May 19 | 12:21 AM CDT | EF1 | Randolph, IL | 0.5 | 25 | $30,000 |
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.