4:55 p.m. UPDATE: Severe Thunderstorm Warning is in effect until 5:15 p.m. for SE Ozark County & Southern Howell County. National Weather Service indicates the storm is moving NE at 75 miles per hour. 60 mile per hour winds and quarter size hail are possible.
Thunderstorms will develop in the Ozarks Friday morning and move through the area quickly through the afternoon, with the highest risk for severe weather east of a line from Osage Beach to West Plains. The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Watch until 8 p.m. Friday for the eastern Ozarks, including Webster, Dallas, Douglas, Hickory, Howell, Laclede, Ozark, Taney, and Wright Counties. Conditions are favorable for the development of tornadoes in and around the watch area. This is a particularly dangerous situation!
In addition, a Severe Thunderstorm Warning is in effect until 1:00 p.m. for southeastern Ozark and Howell Counties. 60 mile per hour wind gusts and quarter size hail are possible with these storms as they move through Bakersfield, West Plains and Mountain View.
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning is in effect until 5:15 p.m. for southeastern Ozark County and southern Howell County. The National Weather Service says the storm is moving northeast at 75 miles per hour. 60 mile per hour winds and quarter size hail are possible.
Near Airport Drive in Jasper County, a 71 mile per hour wind gust has been reported. Trees have been reported down, as well as power lines, electric poles and telephone poles across roads from Asbury to Carthage due to high winds. Golden City, Neosho and Sarcoxie have also reported trees uprooted or snapped and roofs blown off.
Outside of any thunderstorms, wind gusts could reach dangerous levels in parts of southwest Missouri Friday. Areas west of Springfield are under a “High Wind Warning” through Saturday morning, with maximum wind gusts as high as 45 to 60 miles per hour. With winds that high, loose objects will be blown around and scattered power outages are expected. The entire Ozarks is under a Wind Advisory. Use caution if traveling in high profile vehicles. Stay alert and be prepared for sudden gusts while on the road.