The impacts from Monday’s storms and when severe weather could arrive next

Although storms have been in the forecast today, Tuesday, it's been a much quieter day than the activity seen just a day ago. If you got a severe thunderstorm that seemingly came out of the blue, you aren't alone, as these storms rapidly evolved and quickly became widespread with time. Central Missouri was in the center of a volatile weather setup that caused many forms of damage across the area. From the early morning hours into the end of the night, a series of powerful storm cells swept through the region, leaving behind a trail of property damage, hail, and significant flooding.

Damaging winds were one of the main impacts, with many reports of downed trees, tree limbs, and scattered debris due to the 60 mph winds these storms produced. Almost all storms were warned for 60 mph winds throughout the entire period, but some storms were able to get even stronger.

But, these weren't the only impacts being observed, as many photos were sent in of large hail that was enough to cause property damage. Hail reports from areas like Eugene, Stover, Columbia, and Otterville ranged anywhere from quarter-sized to almost baseball-sized, likely causing damage to cars parked outside. On top of all this, heavy downpours led to noticeable flooding in areas like Strawn Road and Discovery Parkway, as rain totals in Columbia got up to almost 2".

There were multiple tornado warnings throughout the day as well, and the National Weather Service has been assessing areas where tornadoes potentially touched down. It was hard to get confirmation the day of the storm, as many of the areas of rotation were wrapped in rain, so it was difficult to achieve a visual. One of the areas, Monroe County, has started to have reports coming in, and it has been found that EF-1 damage occurred during the morning round of storms on Monday.

So, do we get a break from all these storms? The short-term answer is yes. For the rest of the week, cooler temperatures can be expected, and we'll see a real window for cleanup on Friday and Saturday as sunny, dry conditions are expected. The atmosphere has essentially "worked itself out" for the time being, so a much more stable atmosphere will be in place. However, keep the gear ready, as although it is quiet now, our long-range forecast suggests that there's still more potential to observe severe weather for the rest of the spring season. Warmer temperatures and moisture will inevitably make a return, and along with that, will come a greater risk for strong to severe storms.