Thunderstorm Wind in Mississippi County, Missouri

In the base of an approaching upper-level trough, strong mid and upper-level jets overspread the middle Mississippi Valley on the afternoon of the 30th. Steep mid-level lapse rates contributed to rapid destabilization, as well, setting the stage for a widespread severe thunderstorm event. As the cold front approached, thunderstorms rapidly intensified and quickly formed into line segments upon reaching southeast Missouri in the mid-afternoon. Large hail was common with many locations reporting quarter size up to golf ball size hail. However, one storm produced an EF-1 tornado over southeast Ripley that moved east into southwest Butler County. It mainly damaged trees and a few outbuildings along its path. This same storm went on to produce baseball size hail in Qulin. The Cape Girardeau Regional Airport (KCGI) measured a 58 mph gust with another storm that went on to produce an EF-1 tornado just across the Mississippi River in Alexander County Illinois.