Overview
Thunderstorm clusters moved east/southeastward across southeast Missouri during the afternoon hours on May 4th, entering Carter and Ripley Counties around 3 PM and exiting into northwest Tennessee by 6 PM. Several areas received extensive wind damage from these storms, including Carter, Ripley, Butler, and New Madrid Counties. Damage surveys confirmed an EF-0 tornado occurred south of Grandin, MO in Carter County. Two macrobursts also occurred with this event, one south of the Grandin, MO tornado in portions of Carter and Ripley Counties and the other in the Gideon, MO area of New Madrid County. The highest winds were associated with the Gideon, MO macroburst with peak winds estimated at 110 mph. Flash flooding also occurred due to repeated thunderstorm activity over Carter and Ripley Counties.
Tornadoes:
Tornado - Grandin, Missouri
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The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories:
EF0 Weak 65-85 mph |
EF1 Moderate 86-110 mph |
EF2 Significant 111-135 mph |
EF3 Severe 136-165 mph |
EF4 Extreme 166-200 mph |
EF5 Catastrophic 200+ mph |
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Wind:
Macroburst - Grandin, Missouri
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Macroburst - Gideon, Missouri
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Photos
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Damage in Gideon, MO via Highway Patrol | Damage in Gideon, MO via Highway Patrol | Powerlines down 5 miles south of Gideon, MO via Ameren Missouri | Lightning via Mike Hall |
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Damage in Qulin, MO via Derek Masters | Damage in Qulin, MO via Derek Masters | Mammatus clouds at sunset after rain ended at NWS Paducah via Greg Meffert |
Radar
Here are 30 minute snapshots of the thunderstorm clusters from 3 to 5:30 PM as they progressed across southern portions of southeast Missouri before diving southeastward into northwest Tennessee. North of the severe thunderstorms, widespread moderate rain occurred with embedded thunderstorms across much of the area. (Click on the images to enlarge)
3 PM Radar Reflectivity | 3:30 PM Radar Reflectivity | 4 PM Radar Reflectivity |
4:30 PM Radar Reflectivity | 5 PM Radar Reflectivity | 5:30 PM Radar Reflectivity |
Storm Reports
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 647 PM CDT MON MAY 4 2020 ..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 0331 PM TSTM WND DMG 6 SSW FREEMONT 36.87N 91.19W 05/04/2020 CARTER MO LAW ENFORCEMENT TREES DOWN ACROSS J HIGHWAY SIX MILES SOUTH OF US 60. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR. 0404 PM TSTM WND DMG 5 SW CHICOPEE 36.93N 91.06W 05/04/2020 CARTER MO EMERGENCY MNGR CORRECTS PREVIOUS TSTM WND DMG REPORT FROM 5 SW CHICOPEE. TREES DOWN ACROSS C HIGHWAY SOUTH OF US 60. CORRECTED TIME. 0405 PM HAIL FREEMONT 36.95N 91.16W 05/04/2020 M0.70 INCH CARTER MO EMERGENCY MNGR WIND GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH AND POWER OUTAGES ALSO REPORTED. 0420 PM TSTM WND GST 10 W GRANDIN 36.80N 90.99W 05/04/2020 M63 MPH RIPLEY MO PUBLIC LARGE TREES UPROOTED AS WELL. 0426 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 S GRANDIN 36.80N 90.82W 05/04/2020 RIPLEY MO TRAINED SPOTTER SEVERE TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN INCLUDING A TREE ON A HOUSE. 0426 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 SW GRANDIN 36.82N 90.83W 05/04/2020 CARTER MO TRAINED SPOTTER LARGE TREES DOWN NEAR HIGHWAY 21 SOUTH OF GRANDIN IN CARTER COUNTY. 0448 PM HAIL 2 NNW ROMBAUER 36.87N 90.29W 05/04/2020 E1.00 INCH BUTLER MO TRAINED SPOTTER 0451 PM HAIL HARVIELL 36.67N 90.47W 05/04/2020 E1.00 INCH BUTLER MO BROADCAST MEDIA BROADCAST MEDIA RELAYED A VIEWER REPORT OF ONE INCH HAIL. 0451 PM TSTM WND GST HARVIELL 36.66N 90.47W 05/04/2020 E70 MPH BUTLER MO BROADCAST MEDIA BROADCAST MEDIA RELAYED A VIEWER REPORT OF ESTIMATED 70 MPH WINDS. SEVERAL TREES DOWN IN THE AREA. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR. 0451 PM TSTM WND DMG HARVIELL 36.66N 90.47W 05/04/2020 BUTLER MO TRAINED SPOTTER LARGE TREE DOWN. RELAYED VIA TWITTER. 0500 PM TSTM WND GST 5 W ASH HILL 36.77N 90.32W 05/04/2020 M58 MPH BUTLER MO ASOS ASOS STATION KPOF POPLAR BLUFF MO. 0500 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 W GLENNONVILLE 36.59N 90.19W 05/04/2020 BUTLER MO EMERGENCY MNGR SHOP BUILDING DESTROYED 3 MILES EAST OF QULIN, MO IN BUTLER COUNTY. 0505 PM FLOOD POPLAR BLUFF 36.77N 90.41W 05/04/2020 BUTLER MO BROADCAST MEDIA PONDING OF LOW-LYING STREETS IN POPLAR BLUFF. 0512 PM FLOOD 2 W HARVIELL 36.66N 90.50W 05/04/2020 BUTLER MO TRAINED SPOTTER WATER PARTIALLY COVERING ROADS WEST OF HARVIELL. 0518 PM TSTM WND GST 4 SW DEXTER 36.75N 90.01W 05/04/2020 E50 MPH STODDARD MO TRAINED SPOTTER
0525 PM TSTM WND DMG GIDEON 36.45N 89.91W 05/04/2020 NEW MADRID MO EMERGENCY MNGR AT LEAST 3 HOMES AND A BUSINESS SUSTAINED MAJOR ROOF DAMAGE IN TOWN AND A LARGE FARM BUILDING NEAR HIGHWAY 162 LOST PORTIONS OF ITS ROOF AND WALLS. POWER LINES WERE ALSO BLOWN DOWN. 0525 PM TSTM WND DMG GIDEON 36.45N 89.91W 05/04/2020 NEW MADRID MO EMERGENCY MNGR SEVERAL HOMES DAMAGED ON ANDERSON STREET IN GIDEON. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR. 0600 PM FLASH FLOOD 3 S GRANDIN 36.79N 90.81W 05/04/2020 RIPLEY MO LAW ENFORCEMENT FLOODING ON MANY LOW WATER CROSSINGS IN NORTHERN RIPLEY COUNTY. 0600 PM FLASH FLOOD 3 ESE FREEMONT 36.93N 91.12W 05/04/2020 CARTER MO EMERGENCY MNGR NUMEROUS LOW-WATER CROSSINGS FLOODED ACROSS THE COUNTY.
Rain Reports
Flash flooding occurred in Ripley and Carter Counties in Missouri due to heavy rainfall from the afternoon storms. Portions of southeast Missouri along the Arkansas border picked up 1 to 2 inches of rain during the afternoon. Another batch of thunderstorms developed overnight producing rainfall totals of 1 to 2 inches across the Wabash River Valley of southeast Illinois into southwest Indiana.
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PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 1008 AM CDT TUE MAY 5 2020 ...24 HOUR PRECIPITATION REPORTS ENDING AT 9 AM MAY 5, 2020... LOCATION AMOUNT TIME/DATE PROVIDER DONIPHAN 14.5 NW 2.09 IN 0700 AM 05/05 COCORAHS NEW HARMONY 1.5 E 1.94 IN 0700 AM 05/05 COCORAHS POSEYVILLE IN 2.9 SSE 1.89 IN 0700 AM 05/05 COCORAHS WADESVILLE 1.80 IN 0952 AM 05/05 CWOP EVANSVILLE IN 10 NW 1.78 IN 0700 AM 05/05 COCORAHS POSEYVILLE IN 2.8 NW 1.71 IN 0700 AM 05/05 COCORAHS SANTA CLAUS IN 1 WSW 1.70 IN 0515 AM 05/05 COCORAHS EVANSVILLE IN 1.59 IN 0954 AM 05/05 ASOS BOONVILLE IN 4.5 WSW 1.51 IN 0700 AM 05/05 COCORAHS 1.0 N CARMI 1.45 IN 0630 AM 05/05 HADS FAIRDEALING MO 6 W 1.41 IN 0500 AM 05/05 COCORAHS POPLAR BLUFF MO 1.28 IN 0953 AM 05/05 ASOS CHICOPEE MO 1.28 IN 0922 AM 05/05 RAWS OWENSBORO KY 3 WNW 1.23 IN 0700 AM 05/05 COCORAHS EVANSVILLE IN 5.9 WNW 1.21 IN 0700 AM 05/05 COCORAHS DONIPHAN MO 1.20 IN 0853 AM 05/05 RAWS 2.8 N WALTONVILLE 1.18 IN 0900 AM 05/05 HADS 0.6 NW CHICOPEE 1.16 IN 0830 AM 05/05 HADS POPLAR BLUFF MO 4 NW 1.15 IN 0845 AM 05/05 COCORAHS FISK 1.12 IN 0600 AM 05/05 HADS EVANSVILLE IN 3.5 ENE 1.10 IN 0800 AM 05/05 COCORAHS OWENSBORO KY 4.9 S 1.05 IN 0700 AM 05/05 COCORAHS BELLE RIVE IL 1 NNE 1.02 IN 0638 AM 05/05 COCORAHS ELLSINORE MO 4.8 WNW 1.01 IN 0700 AM 05/05 COCORAHS NEWBURGH IN 1.7 ENE 1.00 IN 0800 AM 05/05 COCORAHS MCLEANSBORO IL 0.8 SSW 0.99 IN 0600 AM 05/05 COCORAHS 2.0 W EVANSVILLE 0.93 IN 0830 AM 05/05 COOP EVANSVILLE 3.5 ESE 0.93 IN 0730 AM 05/05 COCORAHS HENDERSON KY 0.4 SSW 0.93 IN 0700 AM 05/05 COCORAHS OWENSBORO KY 0.92 IN 0956 AM 05/05 AWOS SCHELLER 0.92 IN 0954 AM 05/05 CWOP NEWBURGH 0.92 IN 0946 AM 05/05 CWOP NORRIS CITY, IL 7 NW 0.89 IN 0830 AM 05/05 COCORAHS NEWBURGH IN 0.88 IN 0950 AM 05/05 CWOP EVANSVILLE 4.1 ESE 0.87 IN 0900 AM 05/05 COCORAHS MOUNT VERNON 5.2 SSW 0.87 IN 0800 AM 05/05 COCORAHS HENDERSON 5 E 0.85 IN 0950 AM 05/05 KYMN2 DEXTER MO 2 W 0.81 IN 0800 AM 05/05 COCORAHS DEXTER 0.6 WNW 0.77 IN 0600 AM 05/05 COCORAHS OBSERVATIONS ARE COLLECTED FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES WITH VARYING EQUIPMENT AND EXPOSURES. WE THANK ALL VOLUNTEER WEATHER OBSERVERS FOR THEIR DEDICATION. NOT ALL DATA LISTED ARE CONSIDERED OFFICIAL.
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