The National Weather Service (NWS) says some strong to severe storms are possible Saturday afternoon and evening across southwest and south-central Missouri.
NWS Springfield meteorologist Cory Rothstein describes it as a conditional risk, depending on what happens with showers earlier on Saturday afternoon.
“If those showers do clear up by the early to mid-afternoon hours, we could see the potential for some severe weather, at least on a scattered basis during the afternoon and evening,” Rothstein says.
He says residents in Joplin, Springfield, Branson, Carthage, Marshfield, Ava and West Plains could see damaging wind gusts of up to 60 miles per hour on Saturday. Rothstein cannot rule out a tornado threat, but says it will be limited in nature.
The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) says there’s a slight risk of severe weather Saturday afternoon and evening across the Ozarks. The NWS says quarter-sized hail will be possible with a few of the stronger storms.
“The main threat for these damaging winds, quarter-sized hail, would be primarily during about the 4 pm into the evening rush hour (on Saturday) and maybe lingering into about the 8 to 10 o’clock timeframe as it moves southeast across portions of southwest Missouri,” says Rothstein.
He’s also urging you to have multiple ways to receive weather warnings.
Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s interview with National Weather Service (NWS) Springfield meteorologist Cory Rothstein, which was recorded on November 13, 2020:
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