Excessive rainfall across Mid-Missouri: daily record set in Columbia

Widespread flooding was reported in central Mid-MO on Thursday due to excessive rainfall from training thunderstorms throughout the early morning and early afternoon. Nearly a half foot of rain was reported across several counties along Interstate 70.

Radar-estimated rain totals reveal a corridor of heavy rainfall along I-70, where 3 to nearly 6 inches of rain fell across Boone and Howard counties. Most other areas saw at least 1 to 2 inches.

The National Weather Service in St. Louis reported a new daily rainfall record was set at the Columbia Regional Airport: 3.28 inches of rain fell on August 6th, 2026, breaking the previous record of 2.50" on that day in 1995.

Some local rain gauges came in even higher, with totals above 4 inches south of Columbia, and viewer reports east of Fulton up to 5 inches. Most of the reports from the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network range between 2 and 5 inches along the I-70 corridor.

The deluge resulted in more than 60 calls for Columbia and Boone Fire, including a morning water rescue in Columbia. The Hinkson Creek at Columbia came within half an inch of major flood stage, peaking at over 19 feet deep around 3 p.m. Thursday afternoon.

If you happen to run into a flooded roadway, the most important thing to remember is: turn around, don't drown. It only takes 6" of moving water to sweep away a full-grown adult, and 12" of flowing water to sweep away a vehicle. In these conditions, it doesn't take long for a roadway to quickly become impassible.