Eminence, Missouri – Residents in Shannon County are getting a clearer picture of Sunday evening’s severe weather after a National Weather Service damage survey confirmed an EF0 tornado touched down near Eminence and carved a 2.7-mile path through rural areas of the county.
According to the National Weather Service office in Springfield, the tornado occurred between 8 p.m. and 8:03 p.m. Sunday, June 21. Survey teams determined the tornado reached estimated peak winds of 80 mph and expanded to a maximum width of 200 yards. No injuries or fatalities were reported.
The tornado initially touched down in a wooded area at the west end of County Road H-522, southeast of Eminence. Investigators found damage to a barn before the tornado continued across the landscape, snapping and uprooting trees as it crossed Highway H.
The circulation then tracked along Highway NN toward the Rocky Falls Shut-In area near County Road NN-526. Survey crews documented additional tree damage along the route before the tornado dissipated.
While the tornado ranked at the lower end of the Enhanced Fujita Scale, the survey highlights how even weaker tornadoes can cause structural damage and create hazardous travel conditions in heavily wooded areas. Residents cleaning up storm debris should remain cautious around damaged trees, downed limbs and unstable structures.
The National Weather Service may release additional storm survey information if further damage assessments are completed across southern Missouri.
