F4 Tornado — Barton, Missouri

2003-05-04 · near Liberal, Barton, Missouri

Wider weather episode

An F-4 tornado tracked over the Kansas-Missouri state line and into west central Barton County. The tornado destroyed several farm houses and outbuildings prior to dissipating one mile north of Liberal. Ten injuries and one fatality can be accounted for from this large tornado. Rex Smith age 88, was in his frame house two miles west of Liberal when the tornado approached. He was deceased from flying debris. While this tornado was dissipating, a second tornado had formed one mile east of Liberal. This feature then tracked 23 miles through mainly rural farm land of central and northeast Barton County, and eventually through Cedar, Polk, Hickory, and Dallas counties. Altogether there were approximately 50 homes and outbuildings that were destroyed from the twisters.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (37.5667, -94.6167)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5358087. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.