EF0 tornado in Montgomery County, Missouri

A weak tornado touched down just northwest of Wellsville east of Highway 19 where it broke several power poles. It then moved northeast toward the intersection of Morgan School Road and Route A and traveled northeast to Orchard Road. Minor tree damage and flattened corn was observed. The width of the tornado was around 50 yards, and the damage was rated EF-0. Interestingly, the WSR-88D identified debris (lowering correlation coefficient), likely from the lofted corn stalks. Overall, the tornado was rated EF0 with a path length of 4.27miles and max path width of 50 yards. No deaths or injuries were reported.

Numerous severe thunderstorms formed ahead of an approaching cold front during the late afternoon and evening of Friday December 10th, 2021. Large hail, damaging winds and five tornadoes occurred across central and eastern Missouri as well as south central Illinois. Unfortunately two of the tornadoes were very strong (rated EF-3 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale) and responsible for 7 fatalities (one near Defiance, Missouri and six at an Amazon Facility near Edwardsville, Illinois). The Defiance, MO tornado tracked within one mile of the NWS St. Louis office in the Missouri Research Park near Weldon Spring, MO leading to the staff sheltering while NWS Kansas City provided service backup. This is only the third time in the office's existence that the staff had to shelter. The damage from the Defiance, MO EF3 tornado was estimated at $684,186 and is unknown for the remaining tracks at this time but early estimates are well into the millions due to the damage sustained at the Amazon facility near Edwardsville, IL.