April’s weather wrap-up for the Ozarks

Spring in the Ozarks means wild weather and April did not disappoint. While the major tornadoes have stayed to our west, severe weather did give us an active month.

Over April, the Springfield National Weather Service office has issued 21 tornado warnings. On the night of April 1, 2024, five confirmed tornadoes touched down in the Ozarks. The strongest was an EF-1 tornado that touched down near Fair Grove, Mo.

By the end of the month, flash flooding became an issue. Over 5 days, some places received more than a foot of rain. The Springfield National Weather Service office issued 13 flash flood advisories in April.

During the April 1st event, straight-line winds caused damage in Carthage . Winds were estimated to be near 100 mph at the peak of the thunderstorm.

By the end of the month, heavy rainfall began falling and didn’t let up for five days. Numerous high-water rescues were conducted. Four kayakers were rescued from the James River in Christian County on Saturday. Tuesday, four additional people were rescued from the James River near Galena.

Finally, on April 28, 2024, two additional tornadoes were confirmed in Stone and Morgan counties.

Historically, May is the most active month for severe weather. With the current weather pattern, we will likely continue to see severe weather for the next few weeks.

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