National Weather Service shortens tornado track from April 17th storms
The National Weather Service in St. Louis has updated a tornado track that previously stretched tens of miles from eastern Cole County through southern Boone and deep into Callaway County.
The original 23-mile path was shortened to two separate tracks: a 3.5-mile path near Marion and Hartsburg, and a 2.27-mile track southwest of Fulton in Callaway County.
The tornado had maximum winds of up to 85 mph as it left tree damage in Cole County before it crossed the Missouri River and left behind some more tree damage in Hartsburg.
The tornado then lifted the roof of a hangar at the Fulton Airport on the southwest side of town before dissipating around 8:33 p.m.
This tornado was the 6th confirmed from Friday, after NWS Springfield survey crews found two tornadoes in Benton County and three in Morgan County.
Crews with the NWS spent Monday surveying storm damage in Moniteau, Cole, Callaway and Boone counties, including a stop in Fulton. A spokesman for the NWS said overall damage reports were limited on Monday afternoon, but added that they still had yet to visit multiple counties.
Callaway County EMS Director Charles Anderson said impacts were relatively minimal despite the length of the tornado’s track.
“A few trees falling down here and there but nothing that impacted our response time or anything like that,” Anderson said.
In Boone County, emergency management officials also reported only minor damage within populated areas.
“As far as from citizens and public safety reports, we only had one report come in as a large tree down inside the actual city limits of Hartsburg,” Boone County Director of Emergency Management, Chris Kelly, told ABC 17 News.
Even with minimal reports, survey teams continue to examine even small indicators of tornado activity.
“They’re still looking at outcomes, even looking at minuscule any kind of signs of tornadic damage,” Kelly explained.
At the same time, the storm served as the first real-world test of Boone County’s automated outdoor warning system, CommanderOne, which was adopted in May 2025.
Outdoor warning sirens were activated four times on Friday evening, at 7:43 p.m., 8:02 p.m., 8:18 p.m., and 8:42 p.m., as multiple tornado warnings moved through the area.
The system allows sirens to be triggered based on National Weather Service warning polygons, targeting only areas under threat.
“Our old way was three districts or three zones, one in the north, one in the central, and one in the south county. That wasn’t precise because us as humans have to look ‘Where is the polygon? Alright, this is the north and central zone.’ So at that point you’re warning areas that are not impacted by the warning, and so this is very precise,” Kelly explained. “You want to alert with precision the areas under threat.”
Kelly also emphasized that outdoor warning sirens are designed to alert people who are outside and should not be relied upon as the sole source of warnings.
“Outdoor warning sirens are for folks that are outside, do not rely just on weather sirens. Likely, most people this was forecasted. They're inside. They're not meant to be heard inside. They're meant for the people that are outside working, recreating to go inside, seek information from local media, news, or website.”
Boone County emergency management officials said residents should have multiple ways to receive alerts, including wireless emergency notifications, NOAA Weather Radio and local media, as the severe weather season continues.
