Monroe County

Monroe County, MO

Data available through 1/1/2013

Date

Time (CST)

F/EF-Scale

Length (Miles)

Maximum Width (Yards)

Killed

Injured

Property Damage

Source*

3/10/1876

n/a

F4

n/a

n/a

5

14

n/a

G

A tornado moved ENE, cutting a "devasting swath" from "Elizabethtown" (6 miles SW of Monroe City) passing 4 miles S of Monroe City (near Hassard), then through Ralls and Marion Counties before crossing the Mississippi River into Adams County, Illinois.  Five deaths and 15 injuries occurred at Elizabethtown as the village was destroyed.

12/9/1879

3:30 PM

F3

n/a

n/a

0

n/a

n/a

G

A tornado touched down 9 miles S of Shelbina.  Five farm homes and at least that many barns were destroyed.  Some homes were almost leveled to the ground.  Tornado moved into Shelby County and dissipated.

4/30/1954

3:15 PM

F2

90

100

0

0

n/a

NCDC

7/2/1956

5:38 PM

F1

1.5

100

0

0

n/a

NCDC

10/4/1959

7:40 PM

F0

0.2

10

0

0

n/a

NCDC

6/12/1966

5:30 PM

F1

0.2

15

0

0

>$500

NCDC

Small tornado damaged farm on County Route JJ, 5 miles north of Madison.  

7/26/1967

8:45 PM

F0

0.1

10

0

0

n/a

NCDC

Brief touchdown.

7/4/1995

6:05 PM

F1

n/a

24

0

0

$4,500

NCDC

This is a continuation of the tornado that tracked through Moberly, MO. It continued its NE movement and entered western Monroe County southwest of Duncans Bridge around 605 pm CST. Several farm buildings were damaged in this area, including a barn, grain bin, machine shed, and power lines. The tornado crossed into southern Shelby County about 8 miles south of Clarence at 612 pm CST.  There were no known injuries. 

5/10/2003

5:19 PM

F0

0

40

0

0

N/A

NCDC

A supercell that eventually spawned 3 tornadoes created its first in Monroe County along Highway FF near the small community of North Folk (10 miles southwest of Monroe City). Several large trees were either uprooted or snapped off at the base of the trunk. Nearby machine sheds and homes sustained little if any damage. The total damage path of this tornado was one quarter mile in length and 40 yards wide. Tornado damage was rated F0 over this area. 

5/10/2003

5:30 PM

F3

14.5

200

0

0

N/A

NCDC

The Monroe County supercell spawned its second tornado near the southwest city limits of Monroe City at approximately 6:30 pm CDT. The tornado moved northeast across the northern part of town. Twenty-five homes sustained varying degrees of roof damage due to downed trees and large tree limbs broken by the tornado. The width of the damage area was 50 yards and damage intensity was rated F0 over this area.   The tornado moved northeast across the corner of Marion County at the Monroe/Marion/Ralls County border. The tornado downed a few trees and power lines in this part of Marion County before crossing the extreme northwest corner of Ralls County at the Monroe/Marion/Ralls County border. The tornado moved across open farmland and did little damage other than to some trees before crossing  back into Marion County southwest of Ely. Approximately one mile north of Ely, three farmsteads sustained varying degrees of damage including damaged or destroyed machine sheds, grain bins, and barns. The garage attached to a home one mile north of Ely was completely destroyed while the farm house sustained roof and side damage and was moved off its foundation. A relatively new home 200 yards to the east experienced severe damage with the roof of the home tossed over 1/3 mile to the northeast. Much of the south, and parts of the east and west walls of the home were destroyed. A nearby barn located 30 yards to the northwest was completely destroyed with debris tossed 1/4 mile to the north-northeast. Several two-by-four wood planks were driven into the ground at 45 to 60 degree angles and were located from 50 to 150 yards downwind from the home. The damage intensity over these areas were rated high-end F2 and low-end F3. The width of the damage area was over 200 yards. The tornado continued on a northeast path and damaged several machine sheds and homes on two additional farmsteads northwest of the town of West Ely (or 7-8 miles south-southwest of Palmyra Missouri). Numerous trees were damaged or destroyed in the path of the tornado. The width of the damage varied from 50 to 100 yards while the damage area was rated F1. The tornado traveled across U.S. Highway 61/24 and dissipated about four miles south southeast of Palmyra. One semi-tractor trailer was overturned on Highway 61/24. The damage path of the tornado at this point was less than 50 yards and rated F0 intensity. 

3/12/2006

9:33 PM

F2

9

300

0

0

n/a

NCDC

The tornado that hit Randolph County continued northeast into Monroe County southwest of Middle Grove. The tornado moved through rural areas damaging farm structures and trees. The tornado continued northeast causing tree damage to near Madison. Two miles south of Madison a mobile home was destroyed and a two story home was damaged. The damage was rated F2 at this location. The tornado destroyed another mobile home 2 miles southeast of Madison before dissipating. As this tornado dissipated, another formed just to the southeast.

3/12/2006

9:43 PM

F4

29

500

0

0

n/a

NCDC

As the first Monroe County tornado dissipated, another formed just to the southeast. The two tornadoes traveled parallel for about 100 yards. The second tornado damaged a home shortly after forming and then continued northeast causing tree, barn and farm outbuilding damage and as it moved through rural areas near Holliday and then to Paris. About 1 mile north of Paris the tornado destroyed 2 homes, one very well built, near the Highway 15 Spur. A pickup truck was tossed over 100 yards into the living room of one home. This home had one wall that remained standing while the other was completely leveled. Debris from one home was found over a half mile to the northeast. The damage was rated F4 and was about one quarter mile wide. The tornado moved northeast and destroyed 2 mobile homes and damaged 2 other homes near US 24. Numerous trees were also either snapped or uprooted. The tornado continued through rural areas and moved into Monroe City. Several mobile homes were destroyed on the west side of town. A church sustained considerable roof and wall damage and other buildings suffered roof damage. The tornado dissipated over the northeast side of town.

3/12/2006

10:57 AM

F0

0

50

0

0

n/a

NCDC

A tornado briefly touched down in a field and blew down several trees. No structural damage or injuries were reported.

3/1/2007

1:30 AM

EF0

2

50

0

0

n/a

NCDC

A tornado first touched down along Highway K one mile west of Highway 151. A machine shed was completely destroyed with the debris field extending some 300 yards to the south and southeast. Some pieces of the debris damaged the roof of a farm home and another machine shed on Highway K. The tornado then lifted and touched down again at the intersection of Highway 151 and County Road 136 causing slight roof damage to a home and blowing down several large tree limbs. The tornado made a third and final touch down at the intersection of County Roads 136 and 117. Several large pine trees were blown down at this location before the tornado lifted and dissipated.A warm front extended from a strong surface low west of Columbia, Missouri to just south of St. Louis and across Southern Illinois. Unseasonably warm, moist, and unstable air was moving north towards central Missouri while cooler moist air was present north of the warm front. This helped to trigger severe thunderstorms along and north of the warm front, including a severe bow echo system. The storms began to develop during the evening hours of February 28th and persisted into the late morning hours of March 1st.

3/1/2007

1:40 AM

EF1

3

60

0

0

n/a

NCDC

A second tornado touched down in Monroe County about 1.5 miles west of the intersection of County Roads 182 and 169 completely destroying a machine shed. The debris area stretched approximately half a mile to the northeast from the original location. Four cows were killed by the flying debris. As the tornado moved to the northeast, it briefly touched down a second time on County Road 211 damaging trees and a pole barn. Debris from the pole barn was thrown over 100 yards. The tornado then lifted and dissipated.A warm front extended from a strong surface low west of Columbia, Missouri to just south of St. Louis and across Southern Illinois. Unseasonably warm, moist, and unstable air was moving north towards central Missouri while cooler moist air was present north of the warm front. This helped to trigger severe thunderstorms along and north of the warm front, including a severe bow echo system. The storms began to develop during the evening hours of February 28th and persisted into the late morning hours of March 1st.

3/1/2007

1:43 AM

EF1

6

100

0

0

n/a

NCDC

A third tornado touched down in Monroe County about three quarters of a mile south of the intersection of County Roads 284 and 215. A metal shed, a pole barn and a house were damaged in this location. The tornado then traveled to the northeast damaging numerous structures, automobiles and trees along County Road 284. One house had the entire corner of the roof and walls removed while a mobile home suffered extensive damage with one half of the structure being completely destroyed as it was flipped over. Further northeast along County Road 239 another farm sustained damage. A machine shed was partially destroyed with missile debris observed in a camper that was parked on the property. The debris field stretched for 100 yards to the northeast. Further along the path another pole barn was destroyed and a large grove of cedar trees...most of which were 1 foot in diameter...were snapped off. Just north of the intersection of Highway 15 and County Road 386, more power poles were snapped off and a pole barn sustained minor damage to the siding and roof. The tornado continued to the northeast and crossed into Shelby County near the intersection of County Roads 398 and 307.A warm front extended from a strong surface low west of Columbia, Missouri to just south of St. Louis and across Southern Illinois. Unseasonably warm, moist, and unstable air was moving north towards central Missouri while cooler moist air was present north of the warm front. This helped to trigger severe thunderstorms along and north of the warm front, including a severe bow echo system. The storms began to develop during the evening hours of February 28th and persisted into the late morning hours of March 1st.

10/2/2007

3:45 PM

EF2

5

100

0

1

$60,000

NCDC

The tornado first touched down briefly about a mile north northeast of Woodlawn on CR 1109 knocking down a few trees. It lifted and continued to move to the northeast, touching down again on Highway A, just south of the intersection of CR 182 and CR 284. It damaged more trees as it travelled to the northeast. It then struck a residence just northwest of the intersection of Highway 15 and Highway CC. The house had half of its roof removed with debris and insulation blown 100 yards northeast, into a grove of trees. Numerous trees were damaged at this location, including a 5 foot diameter tree that was twisted and snapped off five feet above the ground. The tornado briefly lifted again before touching down near CR 317, between CR 394 and CR 390. As it travelled to the northeast, it produced its greatest damage when it struck a single wide mobile home just east of Highway PP, approximately 1.7 miles south of US Highway 36. The mobile home was completely destroyed and the 85 year old male occupant of the mobile home suffered severe injuries. The tornado then lifted and dissipated.A strong cold front moved through the region, triggering showers and thunderstorms. Several low-topped supercells produced 8 tornadoes and straight line wind damage from central and northeast Missouri to west central Illinois during the evening of October 2nd.

10/17/2007

10:55 PM

EF0

4

40

0

0

n/a

NCDC

The tornado initially touched down at a farmstead near the intersection of Highway 151 and Highway M. A machine shed and several trees were damaged. A corn field to the north was flattened by the tornado as well. The tornado moved northeast causing minor damage to a second machine shed near the intersection of CR 85 and CR 99. It then crossed CR 82 damaging a barn and several more trees. The tornado lifted and dissipated about a quarter of a mile northwest of the intersection of CR 82 and CR 81.Elevated convection developed north of a warm frontal boundary that extended from just southwest of Kansas City to just south of Columbia then into southern Illinois near Sparta. Numerous reports of wind damage were received as well as 4 tornadoes.

10/17/2007

11:05 PM

EF2

4

90

2

0

$50,000

NCDC

The tornado touched down and destroyed a mobile home just south of Highway F, about a third of a mile east of CR 419. The entire base frame of the mobile home was tossed a third of a mile to the north from it original location into a soybean field. Two occupants of the mobile home were thrown several hundred feet to the north and killed by the tornado. Approximately 100 yards to the north northeast of the mobile home, a large barn and machine shed were destroyed. Debris from the barn, machine shed and mobile home could be found along a path that stretched up to 4 miles from the intial touchdown point of the tornado. Residences within the 4 mile corridor identified clothing, insulation, pieces of furniture and metal. Isolated tree damage was found further along the path before the tornado lifted and dissipated just north of the intersection of Highway 15 and State Highway J.Elevated convection developed north of a warm frontal boundary that extended from just southwest of Kansas City to just south of Columbia then into southern Illinois near Sparta. Numerous reports of wind damage were received as well as 4 tornadoes.

10/17/2007

11:07 PM

EF0

2

50

0

0

n/a

NCDC

A tornado touched down just south of the intersection of CR 393 and CR 414. The tornado knocked down a number of trees along its path as it moved to the north and crossed CR 392. The tornado continued to the north and crossed Highway CC, damaging a number of trees and a machine shed just north of the highway before lifting and dissipating.  Elevated convection developed north of a warm frontal boundary that extended from just southwest of Kansas City to just south of Columbia then into southern Illinois near Sparta. Numerous reports of wind damage were received as well as 4 tornadoes. 

5/15/2009

3:47 PM

EF0

n/a

n/a

0

0

$0

NCDC

 A tornado briefly touched down in an open field 6 miles south southeast of Holliday.  No damage was reported.

5/15/2009

4:00 PM

EF0

n/a

n/a

0

0

$0

NCDC

A tornado briefly touched down in an open field and traveled to the east from 5 miles west northwest of Santa Fe to 2 miles south southwest of Strother. It bent one power pole, blew down several large tree limbs and a couple of trees before lifting and dissipating.

2/27/2011

6:48 PM

EF0

1

20

0

0

n/a

NCDC

A quasi-stationary frontal boundary was the main focusing mechanism for a round of significant severe weather over the forecast area. A strong shortwave moved along the boundary triggering widespread showers and thunderstorms. Numerous reports of large hail, damaging winds and 22 tornadoes occurred with this system The tornado initially touched down just southwest of the intersection of Highway 15 and Route WW, in far north central Monroe County, damaging several metal machine sheds and tossing debris over a quarter of a mile downwind. The tornado continued moving east-northeast crossing into far southern Shelby County. The damage was rated EF0, with a maximum wind speed around 80 mph and a width of 20 yards. The total overall length of the tornado for both Monroe and Shelby counties was 2 miles.

6/27/2011

12:05 AM

EF1

0.4

40

0

0

n/a

NCDC

 A powerful complex of thunderstorms, known as a bow echo, moved across Missouri and Illinois during the late evening hours of June 26th and early morning hours of June 27th. The line, which raced east at 60 to 70 mph, produced widespread winds of 40 to 60 mph along and north of Interstate 70. Storm assessment teams from the National Weather Service in St. Louis evaluated the most intense damage which occurred over northeast Missouri and west central Illinois. From the extreme damage that occurred in localized areas, it appears that wind speeds reached 70 to 100 mph. The extensive nature of the damage caused power outages to at least 55,000 customers. Some did not have power return until Tuesday night. Also, there were several reports of flash flooding, especially over northeastern Missouri due to the already saturated soils from previous rains over the past week. A tornado touched down about 3.5 miles south of Monroe City on the west side of U.S. Highway 24 and travelled to the southeast, crossing the highway before lifting and dissipating along County Road 591. There was significant tree damage along the path. Trees were 60 to 80 feet tall with trunk diameters of 3 to 4 feet. Some of the trees were snapped a third to half way up. Other large trees were uprooted. Some of the large tree limbs were tossed 50 to 70 yards to the east southeast. The total path length was four tenths of a mile and the max width was 40 yards. The tornado was rated an EF1.

*Sources

G - Grazulis, T. P., 1993: Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991.  A Chronology and Analysis of Events. Environmental Films, Tornado Project, St. Johnsbury, VT.

NCDC - National Climatic Data Center U.S. Local Storms Events Data (www.ncdc.noaa.gov)