Marshfield Archives - Missourinet

Severe storms/hail possible Saturday in southern Missouri’s Springfield, Joplin and West Plains (AUDIO)

November 13, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

The National Weather Service (NWS) says some strong to severe storms are possible Saturday afternoon and evening across southwest and south-central Missouri.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Springfield says strong to severe storms are possible Saturday afternoon and evening across southwest and south-central Missouri (November 13, 2020 map courtesy of NWS Springfield Twitter)

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:

$10 million grant awarded to Missouri for highway/rail improvements in Webster County; 32 deaths there since 1975 (AUDIO)

October 13, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

The federal government has awarded Missouri a $10.3 million grant for major improvements on a 22-mile stretch of Highway 60 in southwest Missouri, an area that’s seen numerous fatalities. This is in Webster County, east of Springfield.

This undated photo from the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) shows the proximity between Highway 60 in Webster County and the BNSF railroad in Diggins, which is east of Springfield (photo courtesy of MoDOT and the FRA)

Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) deputy administrator Quinton Kendall tells Missourinet that there have been more than 600 highway crashes in the past eight years in that area, resulting in 38 serious injuries and 17 deaths.

“And since 1975, there have been 44 incidents where cars and trains have collided, resulting in 15 injuries and 15 unnecessary fatalities,” Kendall says.

He says 20,000 vehicles travel that stretch of Highway 60 daily, and that there are also 30 BNSF trains daily along the right-of-way. The rail line is just 65 feet from the highway in some spots.

The 22-mile stretch of Highway 60 has 49 road intersections and 26 road and rail crossings.

“The ultimate plan here that the study revealed is to reduce the number of opportunities for collisions between cars, and cars and trains,” says Kendall.

He says the plan is to close or upgrade 23 highway-rail crossings and upgrade Highway 60 to a limited-access freeway, with six rail overpasses

Kendall describes it as a critical rail safety project.

“MoDOT plans on closing eight highway intersections and nine highway-rail crossings, as well as rebuilding an elevated highway A to cross the railroad tracks in the highway just west of Diggins,” Kendall says.

Diggins, a small town of about 300 residents, is south of Marshfield and is about 30 miles east of Springfield. Kendall also says Webster County officials held 12 listening sessions, and that 72 percent of residents support the plan.

He describes the project as a true public-private partnership, with funding coming from the FRA, the state Department of Transportation (MoDOT), Webster County and BNSF (Burlington Northern Sante Fe).

Mr. Kendall also emphasizes it’s a priority for the Trump Administration, and that it’s important that the project be done right. He says there are environmental studies that will need to be completed. He expects the project to start in 2023 or 2024.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) deputy administrator Quinton Kendall, which was recorded on September 29, 2020:

National Weather Service warns of possible tornadoes and flash flooding in southern Missouri tonight (AUDIO)

May 22, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Springfield says severe weather is possible again late Wednesday afternoon and tonight across parts of the Ozarks, including Joplin and Nevada.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Springfield says tornadoes, tennis ball-sized hail and flooding are possible tonight in the Ozarks (map courtesy of NWS Springfield Twitter page)

NWS Springfield meteorologist Cory Rothstein tells Missourinet all modes of severe weather are possible, including tornadoes.

“Primarily looking at some supercell thunderstorms developing this afternoon and evening, mainly along and northwest of a line from Neosho to Osage Beach,” Rothstein says.

He says Lamar and Stockton are also included in the “moderate” category, which is the fourth-highest of five categories.

“We’re looking at a strong tornado to even possible with these supercells, large hail up to the size of tennis balls and damaging wind gusts to 70 miles per hour,” says Rothstein.

The NWS also warns that significant flash flooding is possible tonight in the Ozarks. They remind you that 12 inches of water can sweep a car off the road.

Meanwhile, NWS survey crews have confirmed that a tornado struck southwest Missouri’s Marshfield on Tuesday. Mr. Rothstein says there were no injuries in the Marshfield tornado.

“That one was an EF-1 tornado that was confirmed,” Rothstein says. “There was damage to a roof on a house and then multiple trees as well.”

The NWS says the Marshfield tornado began two miles west of Mansfield and was on the ground for 23 minutes on Tuesday, from 3:17 to 3:40 p.m. Its peak winds were 110 miles per hour.

The tornado’s path length was almost 22 miles.

The NWS is also confirming this was the tornado that struck the Town and Country Supermarket in Hartville, the town’s only grocery store.

The supermarket’s storefront has collapsed and the back of the store has blown in. The ceiling has also fallen in, and store owners have been working to remove debris.

There was no deaths nor serious injuries reported in any of Tuesday’s tornadoes or storms in southwest Missouri.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with National Weather Service (NWS) Springfield meteorologist Cory Rothstein, which was recorded on May 22, 2019:

Multiple tornado warnings have been issued across southwest Missouri (AUDIO)

May 21, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Springfield has already issued multiple tornado warnings on Tuesday afternoon across the Ozarks. Tornado warnings have been issued for towns such as Mansfield, Hartville, Niangua and Marshfield.

The small towns of Plato and Competition are also under a tornado warning.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Springfield has issued a tornado watch across the Ozarks, which is in effect until 7 p.m. (map courtesy of NWS Springfield Twitter page)

The NWS’ tornado watch goes until 7 this evening for 14 southwest Missouri counties, including the cities of Springfield, Branson and Ava.

Meantime, the National Weather Service (NWS) in St. Louis has issued a tornado watch for much of central, eastern and southeast Missouri until 10 this evening. Cities in the tornado watch area include St. Louis, Jefferson City, Columbia, Troy, Farmington and Poplar Bluff.

NWS Springfield meteorologist Cory Rothstein says West Plains is also in the watch area. He says the watch area there is primarily along, south and east of the I-44 corridor.

Rothstein says golf-ball sized hail and 70 mile-per-hour winds are possible, along with additional flooding.

Mr. Rothstein warns motorists and truck drivers about the additional flooding.

“The main concern also with this will be additional flooding of upwards of two inches on a localized basis, in addition to the two to five inches we saw yesterday with yesterday’s storms,” Rothstein says.

Rothstein says the ground is already saturated across the Ozarks, because of heavy May rainfall.

“So far to date we’ve actually gotten about six inches here in the Springfield area, which is about two-and-a-half inches above normal,” says Rothstein.

The NWS in Pleasant Hill says Kansas City has already received 7.46 inches of rain in May. NWS notes the normal rainfall amount for the entire month of May in Kansas City is about five inches, and today is only May 21.

The NWS in Pleasant Hill also warns that isolated tornadoes are possible today across a large section of Missouri, including Kansas City.

The state Department of Transportation’s (MoDOT) traveler map says about 300 state roads are closed.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s interview with National Weather Service Springfield meteorologist Cory Rothstein, which was recorded on May 21, 2019: