***UPDATED SATURDAY AT 10:40 AM***

Unfortunately, we didn't escape the morning showers and thunderstorms. A pesky little line developed to the northwest of the Springfield and moved through the city shortly after sunrise.

Additional thunderstorms are expected for the rest of the morning and into the afternoon in most areas south of Highway 54. I expect the showers and thunderstorms to push south of the state line by early evening. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect until 3 PM for a few far southwest Missouri counties and a few far northwest Arkansas counties. Large hail, damaging winds, and torrential rains are the main threat.

WE SET ANOTHER MONTHLY RECORD as overnight rain pushed the June rainfall total to at least 12.42". That beats the old record of 12.27" set back in 1928. Additional rainfall is still expected throughout the day. I'll have a brand new post later this evening and will be monitoring severe thunderstorms this afternoon.

Josh

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previous post at 2:30 AM

Thunderstorms continue across the Missouri Ozarks. The area of greatest concern is ahead of a bowing thunderstorm structure that just crossed the Missouri state line. Winds ahead of the cell will be near 70 miles per hour. Hail up to quarter size can also be expected. Locations in the path of that particular cell include towns and cities in Barton, Jasper, Dade, and Lawrence counties within the next hour.

An outflow boundary from the line of storms will push into the Springfield metro area around 3 AM. Expect brief gusty winds as it moves through.

In addition, within the circled blue area, strong thunderstorms will continue to develop out ahead of the main line which is pushing south and east around 30 miles per hour. Torrential rain as well as nearly continuous cloud to ground lightning can be expected with the overnight storms.

Some tree damage has been reported with some of the storms across the Ozarks.

Josh

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previous post from 1:20 AM

Numerous Severe Thunderstorm Warnings are in effect for counties along a line from Nevada to Osage Beach. Individual thunderstorms are moving east, while the line of storms is slowly drifting south. This will allow thunderstorms to train over the same areas overnight and could lead to a somewhat more enhanced flash flood threat until the line gets an extra push south. Radar estimates that up to 2 inches of rain have already fallen in parts of Vernon and Benton Counties.

I expect the line to push into the Springfield area around 3 AM. Expect gusty winds, torrential rain, and vivid and dangerous lightning with the storms. The rain should exit the area around sunrise.

Leave us your reports in the comments section about what you experienced when the line of storms moved through!

Josh

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previous post at 12:20 AM

Hello bloggers. Strong to at times severe thunderstorms have developed to our north. One particularly strong areas stretches from Ottawa, KS to Warrensurg, MO to Jefferson City (as of this writing) and will continue to drop south through the overnight hours. In addition, scattered thunderstorms are developing out ahead of that main line.

As the low level jet increases overnight, shower and thunderstorm activity will become fairly widespread across the Ozarks. I am not particularly concerned with our overnight severe weather chances, but some large hail and damaging winds are possible in some of the stronger storms. These reports should be fairly isolated. The Storm Prediction Center has most of the region along and north of Highway 60 under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch including the Springfield metro area through 7 AM. I will be up throughout the night monitoring the situation and if needed will open the chat room.

While flooding will not be a huge problem tonight, some low-lying areas may gather water. Of greater interest is the fact that enough rain may fall overnight tonight that Springfield will break the record for the wettest June. This will be the third time this year that a monthly record has fallen! I'll have an update tomorrow afternoon if this happens.

Josh

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previous post from 1:30 PM

Good afternoon everyone. I had a great time on vacation, bit it is good to be back on the blog and weather circuit! Another active weather day looks to be on top here today. A morning complex of thunderstorms has decreased instability levels in many places early this afternoon, but as temperatures warm and we see more sun, instability should increase area-wide over the next few hours. Notice the area of lower CAPE (a measure of instability) from areas along and west of Highway 65.

Along and to the east of the highway, CAPE values are higher and combined with a disturbance passing to the north, severe thunderstorms are a possibility. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for those areas until 8:00 tonight. Large hail up to the size of quarters and winds in excess of 60 miles per hour will be possible with these storms.

That's not all. Later this evening an approaching cold front will interact with an increasingly unstable atmosphere and additional severe thunderstorm development is possible area-wide. With these thunderstorms winds in excess of 70 miles per hour and golfball size hail will be possible. In additional torrential rain will be possible leading to isolated areas of flash flooding.

And we certainly do no need any additional rainfall.

We have received 11.81 inches of rain at the airport this month - that is nearly 7.5" above normal or 200% of normal. Notice in the image above some parts of Kansas have received more than 300 percent of their normal June rainfall. We only need .46" of rain to break the record for the wettest June ever in Springfield. We may break the record today! If we do, that would be the third wettest month record we have set this year!!!

SATURDAY FORECAST

There are a lot of activities that will be taking place tomorrow. So here is what we expect throughout the day. The cold front that will provide our chance of severe weather overnight will stall along or near the I-44 corridor. This means a chance of showers and thunderstorms throughout the day.

7 AM- Expect cloudy skies for the Sifford 5K run. Some spotty showers are possible with temperatures near 70 degrees.

NOON- Showers and thunderstorms will become more numerous from noon on as afternoon temperatures rise. Some could be strong with heavy rain. Temperatures in the low 80s.

EVENING- Scattered showers. Cooler. Temperatures in the middle 70s.

I'll keep the blog updated throughout the day with the latest on any storms that develop. Check back often for the latest. Thanks for stopping by and have a good afternoon.

Josh deBerge