This is a developing story. More updates will be provided over the next several hours.
Updated on 04/28/26 at 2:02 p.m.
Around 1:35 p.m. Tuesday, the National Weather Service issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch, and it remains in effect until 9 PM for southeast MO, far southwest IL, and western Kentucky. Large hail is the main threat, but some severe wind gusts are also possible. The tornado risk is slim to none.
Updated on 04/28/26 at 9:31 a.m.
Multiple tornado and severe storm warnings were issued beginning late Monday afternoon and well into the night. On Tuesday morning, just after 9 a.m. Ameren Missouri reported about 20,000 customers without power, with most outages starting around Farmington and extending farther north into the St. Louis area.
Further south, in the eastern Ozarks, Missouri Cooperative customers' outages were more sporadic, with most in the Black River Electric Cooperative area:
- Madison Co. (MO): 46
- Iron, Co. (MO): 27
- Wayne, Co. (MO): 4
- Reynolds, Co. (MO): 14
Flood warnings are now the major threat for the region, especially for cities along the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers.
This warning is for the Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau, affecting Alexander, Scott, Perry, Union, Jackson, and Cape Girardeau Counties.
Recent heavy rainfall upstream along the Mississippi River, combined with additional heavy rain over the next 24 to 36 hours, will cause river levels to rise.
Cape Girardeau is forecast to rise above flood stage on Thursday evening, April 30th, cresting around 35 feet this weekend.
Original story on 04/27/26
Since late Sunday morning, the National Weather Service has been predicting a widespread outbreak of severe weather, which is expected to impact the area from early Monday evening to Tuesday.
A Tornado Watch, issued around 2:45 PM by the National Weather Service office in Paducah, KY, extended the threat of tornadic storms until 11 PM Monday, and now includes most of the quad-state area.
Around 1 PM on Monday, Justin Gibbs, Lead Forecaster with the National Weather Service in Paducah, Kentucky, gave an update on the increased severe weather risk in the Southeast Missouri, Southern Illinois, and Western Kentucky region.
The risk has increased in Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois since the first forecast. An area stretching from as far north as the St. Louis metro area and Mid-Missouri to as far south as the Missouri-Arkansas border.
The main impact with tornadoes, some strong, very large hail in excess of 2 inches in diameter, and damaging winds is still expected to move towards the east through the entire region this evening into the overnight hours, from around 7 PM to 2 AM.
In addition, there is some potential for severe storms to develop this afternoon. Any storms on Monday afternoon could also produce large hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes.
