Spring 2017 was certainly one for the books across the bi-state. With meteorological spring coming to a close on Thursday (June 1), we took a look back at all of the active weather we had around the St. Louis area since March 1.
Spring came roaring in like a lion with our first severe weather outbreak of the season on March 6. It came on the heels of the Perryville EF-4 tornado, which devastated the town just days before on February 28.
7 tornadoes touched down on March 6, along with widespread wind damage and power outages as a roung of severe storms pummeled the area into the overnight hours.
March 6 tornadoes:
EF-1 in Rhineland (Montgomery Co., MO)
EF-1 in Berger (Warren Co., MO) 21 mile path and 100 mph max winds
EF-1 in Benld (Macoupin Co., IL) 105 mph max winds
EF-1 in Wentzville (St. Charles Co., MO) 3 were injured, peak winds at 100 mph
EF-0 in Dittmer (Jefferson Co., MO) 85 mph max winds
EF-0 in Hillsboro (Jefferson Co., MO) 80 mph max winds
EF-1 in Witt (Montgomery Co., IL) 100 mph max winds
Later in the month, severe weather struck parts of the region on March 29 and 30, with an EF-1 tornado touching down near Short Bend in Dent Co., MO.
March was quite warm with an average temperature of 49.9°, which is 3.6°F above average. Lambert airport picked up 4.24" of rain, about 0.92" above normal.
We pressed on into April with little problem, until the 10th when we had a few storms that dropped hail around the area.
The middle of the month was fairly quiet until we got to the last week of April, when severe weather and historic flooding rocked the region.
It all started on the 25th when storms caused trees to knock trees and power lines down in Warren County. The next day several areas recorded 60-70 mph winds, and there was damage to clean up.
On the 29th, two tornadoes touched down, and heavy rain kept falling into the next few days. An EF-0 tornado touched down near Kampville in St. Charles County, causing some damage to boats. Another tornado touched down across the river in Jersey County, IL near Station and was rated EF-1, reaching a max wind speed of 90 mph.
April's average temperature was 62.3°F, a whopping 5°F warmer than average, with 10.37" of rain for the month. Most of that fell over the last few days of the month, giving us a total 6.68" above average.
Historic flooding then began into the first week of May.
Several top 5 crests on area rivers came in those first days of the month.
Historic crests:
#1 highest crest on Meramec River at Eureka: 46.11 feet on 5/3
#1 highest crest on Meramec River at Arnold: 45.62 feet on 5/3
#1 highest crest on Meramec River at Steelville: 28.71 feet on 5/1
#1 highest crest on Meramec River at Sullivan: 36.52 feet on 5/1
#2 highest crest on Meramec River at Valley Park: 43.31 feet on 5/3
#2 highest crest on Big River at Byrnesville: 30.02 feet on 5/1
#2 highest crest on the Meramec River at Fenton: 41.88 feet on 5/3
#3 highest crest on the Bourbeuse River at Union: 29.33 feet on 5/2
#3 highest crest on the Black River at Annapolis: 23.23 feet on 4/30
#5 highest crest on the Kaskaskia River at Vandalia: 27.65 feet on 5/1
The flood waters settled and the next couple of weeks were quiet, until the morning of the 18th when our next round of severe weather swept in with the sunrise that morning. A tornado was reported in Montgomery Co. near New Florence when a semi was overturned on I-70 and shut down the interstate for several hours.
More than 60,000 people were left without power that morning as damaging 60-80 mph winds moved through. Several trees were downed and damage was left behind.
The next evening into the morning of the 19th, heavy rain fell across Illinois and left localized flash flooding through the afternoon.
The 27th was marked by a severe weather outbreak that brought 5 tornadoes to the state near the Lake of the Ozarks, and a swath of large hail and wind damage reports. Gusts between 80-95 mph were reported in the southern part of the 5 On Your Side viewing area.
With one day left in the month, May has averaged 68.4°F, 2° above average, with 6" of rain; 1.61" above average so far.
Taking a look ahead into summer, our temperatures look to be near or slightly above average, with average precipitation.
