St. Louis, Missouri – Residents across Missouri should use the next two days to prepare for a potentially dangerous round of severe weather expected Wednesday afternoon through the overnight hours as a powerful cold front pushes into the region.
According to the National Weather Service in St. Louis, showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop Wednesday, with at least some storms likely becoming severe. Forecasters warn that all severe weather hazards are possible, including damaging winds, large hail and tornadoes.
The greatest threat window currently appears to be from Wednesday afternoon through late Wednesday night, impacting communities from St. Louis and Columbia to Jefferson City, Rolla, Quincy and surrounding areas. Exact storm timing and locations will become clearer as Wednesday approaches, but confidence continues to increase that severe weather will affect parts of the region.
This threat comes as forecasters across the Midwest monitor a broader severe weather setup stretching from Missouri into Illinois, Indiana and portions of the Ohio Valley. The Storm Prediction Center has highlighted parts of the region for an increased risk of severe thunderstorms capable of producing significant impacts.
Residents should ensure wireless emergency alerts are enabled, identify a safe shelter location and have multiple ways to receive warnings, especially overnight when tornado warnings can be harder to receive while sleeping.
Outdoor activities, sporting events and travel plans may need adjustments Wednesday as storms rapidly intensify. Emergency managers stress that preparedness before storms develop is critical.
Additional outlooks, watches and possible warnings are expected as confidence increases in the severe weather threat heading into June 17.
