EF1 tornado in Barry County, Missouri

This is the continuation of the tornado that touched down and tracked from five miles southwest of Rocky Comfort in McDonald County to five miles northeast of Wheaton, Missouri in Barry County. A National Weather Service survey confirmed an EF-1 tornado that tracked a total of 12 miles from five miles southwest of Rocky Comfort to five miles northeast of Wheaton, Missouri. The tornado was on the ground for approximately 22 minutes along its total track with maximum wind speeds estimated at 110 mph. After tracking across northeastern McDonald County the tornado then caused substantial damage to a commercial farming operation as it moved into Barry County near the intersection of Highways 76 and 86. While multiple large barns were heavily damaged, the most striking damage at this location was the destruction of a two story home, though it appeared that the lower walls had collapsed as the second story remained largely intact. Wind speeds associated with the home were reduced due to the lack of damage to nearby trees and power lines. The tornado continued to cause mainly roof damage to a number of homes as it crossed through the southern section of Wheaton. Clusters of more intense and a cyclonic tree fall pattern involving hundreds of trees were noted east of Wheaton interspersed with sections of limited damage as the tornado tracked northeast along portions of Highway W, through rural areas along Shoal Creek. Tree damage continued across Farm Roads 1035, 1040, Highway HH, and 1045 before the last visible damage to trees was noted north of Farm Road 2095.

Very moist and unstable conditions developed over the Missouri Ozarks ahead of an intense low pressure system over the southern Plains. Widespread severe storms developed over Oklahoma and eastern Kansas during the early morning hours and tracked eastward into the Springfield county warning area during the afternoon and evening. Very heavy rainfall, hail to tennis ball size, damaging winds in excess of 70 mph and 27 tornadoes occurred with this system as storms tracked repeatedly over the region. Four injuries were reported as a result of severe storms. One injury was near Mountain Grove and three were in southeastern Greene County were an EF-2 Tornado tracked. The resulting rainfall led to widespread flash flooding, which continued into the morning of May 1st, on head water streams and low water crossings. One live was lost when a camper along Hunter Creek in Douglas County drowned as the campground flooded.