UPDATE ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON: The National Weather Service in Springfield says its survey teams have found that the damage from yesterday’s overnight storms in southwest Missouri’s Aurora and Monett were caused by straight-line winds, not tornadoes. NWS meteorologist Megan Terry tells Missourinet the storms caused barn and roof damage. The NWS in Springfield issued at least 11 tornado warnings during the storms.
ORIGINAL STORY FROM FEBRUARY 7, 2019 IS BELOW:
The National Weather Service (NWS) in Springfield has survey teams in southwest Missouri’s Aurora and Monett Thursday afternoon, investigating possible overnight tornadoes. The NWS in Springfield issued at least 11 tornado warnings last night, into the early-morning hours.
The National Weather Service in Springfield issued at least 11 tornado warnings on February 6-7, 2019 (map courtesy of NWS Springfield Twitter page)
NWS meteorologist Megan Terry says there is barn and roof damage in the Aurora and Monett areas, which are southwest of Springfield.
“We had a line of strong to severe thunderstorms move across our area and sometimes we can get little spinups on those,” Terry says.
She says there are also downed trees and power lines in and near Springfield, from the storms.
The NWS in Springfield is also warning that “black ice” is possible Thursday afternoon and evening across the Ozarks. Ms. Terry says it will get cold tonight throughout southwest Missouri.
“We expect temperatures to fall into the single digits and teens tonight, so if there’s any residual water on roads it could freeze,” says Terry.
Black ice is difficult to see and is more common on bridges and overpasses.
The NWS also says the flood watch for Springfield, Branson and West Plains has expired. Terry tells Missourinet that much of the Ozarks has seen big two-day rainfall totals.
“Over in the eastern Ozarks around Montauk State Park (near Salem) 2.88 inches, near Houston, Texas County, about 2.7 inches,” Terry says.
She says there has been flooding in low lying areas, especially near creeks and streams.
Meantime, the National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill has issued a wind chill advisory for far northern Missouri, until Friday morning at 9.
The wind chill advisory will impact the entire Highway 36 corridor and everything north, including St. Joseph, Chillicothe, Macon, Kirksville and Hannibal.
The NWS says wind chill values in those communities will be as cold as -20 degrees.
The ice storm warning issued by the NWS in Pleasant Hill has expired. The ice storm warning area included a large section of northern and western Missouri, including Chillicothe, Kansas City and Sedalia.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson (R) met with members of his emergency management team Wednesday night at the State Emergency Management Operations Center in Jefferson City. The governor is urging you to continue to pay close attention to your local forecast.
