Excessive rainfall across Mid-Missouri: updated rain totals

Heavy, persistent downpours have been observed due to training thunderstorms that began overnight and continued into the early morning hours, with showers persisting as we approach the afternoon. The main line of thunderstorms has set up along I-70, as shown in the current radar-estimated rainfall totals. The highest estimated totals over the past 12 hours are currently in Columbia and Boonville at 3", but locally higher totals have been observed.

This has led to localized flooding, and even resulted in a water rescue earlier this morning in Columbia.

It can be seen in the airport weather stations where the most persistent storms have been, as totals drop off significantly moving to the north and south of Columbia. At Columbia Regional, over 2" of rain has been observed over the past 24 hours, but most of that has fallen in the past 12 hours.

The observed rain totals from rain gauges by local reporters are even higher, with some reports breaching 4" south of Columbia, and viewer reports to the east of Fulton up to 5". Most of the reports from the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network are on average around 3" along the I-70 corridor.

Due to the expected continuation of these high rainfall rates over the same area, areal flood watches, advisories, and warnings have been extended until at least 1 PM. This includes areas mainly along and south of I-70, as these storms are beginning to take a southeasterly track, still moving over places where rainfall has been present all morning.

Currently, a flash flood warning is in effect for Cooper, Howard, and Saline Counties until 1:15 PM because of the high rainfall rates that have already been observed and are expected to continue to be observed over the next couple of hours.

A flash flood warning has also been issued for Boone County until 1:30 PM today due to increased confidence that hazardous conditions could arise.

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.