The reason behind the windy weather earlier this morning
It was a very windy start to the day, but the winds are finally starting to calm down. This is the reason why a Wind Advisory was in effect for much of Central Missouri through the morning hours, as winds were forecasted to reach gusts of up to 50 to 55 mph. Maximum wind speeds were recorded at 47 mph for Columbia and Jefferson City, 45 mph in Sedalia, 40 mph in Lake of the Ozarks, and 41 mph in Moberly.
The main reason behind these gusty northerly winds is that two pressure systems have been working in unison on a large scale. A deep low-pressure system currently positioned over Michigan has already aided in positioning Missouri under northerly flow since Missouri is on the western side of this system. This is because low-pressure systems have a counterclockwise rotation, and being on the western side of low-pressure systems means air is flowing from the north to the south. So, this system has been taking frigid air from Canada and transporting it into the Midwest over the past 24 hours.
A high-pressure system positioned over the panhandle of Oklahoma is the second reason why more intense northerly flow is in place, as Missouri is on the eastern side of this system. High-pressure systems come with clockwise flow, so being on the eastern side of high-pressure systems means that air is also flowing from the north to the south in this region.
The effect of both these systems bringing greater amounts of air from the north is part of the reason why it was so windy this morning, but the pressure gradients between the two systems are the biggest driver in the conditions that were seen. When greater differences in the pressure are observed, higher wind speeds typically come with it. This is because there is a large difference between the two air masses that are in place, so the winds intensify as that significant transition takes place.
These strong wind events that aren't associated with thunderstorms are not frequent in Central Missouri, with the last event like this occurring on March 14th, 2025. A Wind Advisory was issued on this date, and wind gusts were observed to be up to 45 to 60 mph during the day. This led to multiple fire outbreaks across the state during the morning and afternoon hours. This event was also tied to a tornado outbreak later that evening in Eastern Missouri.
These Wind Advisories only occur about 5 to 10 times a year in Central Missouri, with High Wind Warnings being even more rare at 1 to 2 times a year. This time of the year is the most common time to see events like these, and the chance of these occurring lasts through most of the cold seasons. This is because the positioning of the polar jet stream is further south, near Missouri, meaning that larger cyclones or low-pressure systems are often driven toward the state at a more frequent rate.
