Hail in Greene County, Missouri

A hail swath from a mile to 3 miles wide began southwest of Republic and continued to the northeast across Greene County. Hail from quarters to 4.75 inches in size fell along a path from Republic to northwestern Springfield to Fair Grove as an intensifying left moving supercell moved to the northeast across the County. Along the storms path, numerous homes, vehicles, businesses, equipment, crops, livestock and other structures were damaged by hail before the storm passed into northwestern Webster County.

As the storm moved across northwestern Springfield, it moved over the Springfield-Branson National Airport where 4 commuter jets, two cargo jets and up to 25 general aviation aircraft were on the TARMAC. Over 1200 vehicles were in the short and long term parking lot. The storm them moved over the Springfield Zoo killing an Emu and injuring another. At least two dozen people were injured by hail by being outside during the hail.

Several supercells formed across southeast Kansas moved into and across southwest Missouri, bringing very large hail to the area. The most prolific hail-producing storm was a left-moving supercell that split as it moved into Barry County in Missouri, tracking north-northeast through Lawrence, Christian, Greene, Dallas, Webster, Laclede, and Camden counties, producing severe hail for two hours and twenty minutes.

This storm reached peak intensity as it reached Aurora and tracked across northwest Springfield, bringing a large swath of significant severe hail the size of baseballs (2.75 inches) to as large as 4.75 inches (slightly larger than a grapefruit, or around the size of a CD) across the Springfield metropolitan area. Hail was retrieved and measured at 4 inches in diameter at the NWS Springfield office, even after 30 minutes of melting. Widespread damage across the path of this storm was reported to vehicles, homes, businesses, vegetation, and utility infrastructure, including significant damage around the Springfield-Branson National Airport. An emu at Dickerson Park Zoo was killed by the hail, with another animal left in veterinary care, and numerous people were treated in area hospitals for injuries sustained from the hail.