Severe Weather Outbreak Hits Missouri, Tornado Confirmed in St. Louis

April 3,2014

 

 

 

 

Severe weather swept across the Midwest and into Missouri Thursday evening, bringing with it reports of tornadoes, damaging winds and quarter-sized hail. The second round of severe weather came just hours after a confirmed tornado in a St. Louis suburb.
The severe weather outbreak stretched as far south as Texas, where reported tornadoes produced significant damage around the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
A possible tornado was reported just after 7 p.m. CDT near Washington, Mo., but there were no reports of damage or injuries so far.
Thursday's severe weather threat began early in the St. Louis morning with a tornado that left damage scattered across roads and yards in University City.
The National Weather Service relayed reports of twisted trees as well as damage to roofs and fences, and initial damage surveys rated the tornado at EF1. The survey also found the tornado was approximately 100 yards wide and left a damage path about a half-mile long.
The St. Louis Office of Emergency Management said approximately 100 homes suffered damage from the storm.
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Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon declared a state of emergency due to the severe weather threat, activating the state's Emergency Operations Center and Plan.
“With the continued significant risk of severe storms and flooding, I urge Missourians to closely monitor weather conditions, so they can take shelter or move to higher ground if needed,” he said in a release. “The state of Missouri will continue to work closely with local officials to help protect lives and property from these storms.”
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According to a KMOV-TV broadcast, University City residents were reporting a smell of gas in the air after the storm passed. Officials suspected gas was leaking and evacuated residents while they investigated.
The tornado was spotted on radar with a debris signature just before 5:30 a.m. local time Thursday morning. No injuries were immediately reported after the damaging storm hit University City, and thousands were without power.
More than five inches of rain fell in portions of Johnson County, Mo., and the Associated Press reports the heavy rain led to water rescues and home evacuations.

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In this photo courtesy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, damage from severe weather is seen near the St. Louis metro area on April 3, 2014. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Christian Gooden)