National Weather Highlight for 10 / 8 / 09: Flash flooding widespread in Missouri

A widespread Midwestern flash flooding event on Thursday 10 / 8 began with flood reports from near Fulton, MO before daybreak.

Persistent heavy thunderstorms have yielded flash flooding across much of Missouri Thursday 10 / 8. Reports up to 6:00pm CDT include:

3 to 4 inches of water covered Tennyson Road, just west of Highway C, near Fulton, Callaway County at 5:30am local time. A quick 1.59" of rain had fallen in the area.
At 6:30am local time, flash flooding and water rescues were occurring just south of Murray, Boone County. One rescue took place on Highway Z just north of Interstate 70.
At 6:45am local time, a flash flood was reported near Montgomery City, Montgomery County. Water was flowing across several portions of Highway 161 and Highway 19.
Also at 6:45am, a total of 2.5" of rain had fallen in less than three hours at Boonville, Cooper County. Water was covering Highway U one mile south of Interstate 70. Additional flooding was beginning on Highway 87 near Clarks Fork Road.
At 6:50am local time, flooding was quickly evolving around Foley, Lincoln County. Several roads were covered in water - including the intersection of Highway Y and Highway EE.
By 6:55am, 6 to 8 inches of water was flowing across roads near Fulton, Callaway County.
Just after 7am local time, measurements of 1.25" of rain came from near Pittsburg, Hickory County and 1.12" from Flemington, Polk County.
At 7:40am local time, a flash flooding report came from eastern Kansas: In Girard, Crawford County, water was reported over 40th Street and along Highway 47.
Just after 7:40am, water was flowing over K Highway near Nevada, Vernon County.
At 8:50am local time, significant flooding was occurring around Winfield, Lincoln County. On the east side of town, flooding had rendered many roads impassable. On the west side of town, four inches of water was moving over Highway 79 and Cardinal Road.
Around 9:05am, storm total rain of 2.36" was reported near St. Paul, St. Charles County, including 1.4" in just one hour's time. Marthasville, in the same county, had received 1.26" of rain between midnight and just after 9am.
A heavy rain measurement of 2.62" came from El Dorado Springs, Cedar County, at 9:15am.
At 9:17am local time, a report of 3.10" of storm total rain came from Old Lincoln, Monroe County.
At 9:44am, O'Fallon, St. Charles County, had received a storm total 1.28" of rain in this event.
Just before 10am local time, a storm spotter relayed a midnight - 9am rain total of 3.95" at Rhineland, Montgomery County. The spotter also noted that heavy rain was still falling.
Medora, Macoupin County, IL had received 2.07" of rain from the event by 10am local time.
At 10:10am local time, flooding was occurring at a low water crossing on County Road 700 near Highway 30 near Walnut, Crawford County.
At 10:14am, a flash flood was occurring near Cottleville, St. Charles County. Six inches of water was flowing over the entrance of Colonial Green Subdivision and two inches of water was ponding on Highway N.
At 10:20am, a report came to the National Weather Service indicating that at 9am, flooding was occuring on Highway C at Horse Creek in Milford, Barton County.
At 10:27am, 2.35" of storm total rain had fallen near Gravois Falls, Morgan County.
At 10:30am, another report of flooding - this from 9:45 - indicated that flooding was occurring south of Preston, Hickory County on Highway D (MODOT). Sheriffs also indicated that near nearby Wheatland had flooding on Highway O.
At 10:30am, heavy rain was still falling on Mexico, Audrain County. A storm spotter measured 2.25" so far with water covering area roads.
At 10:36am, early morning rain reports were released from Crawford County. 3+" had fallen at both Girard and Walnut.
Through 10:51am local time, 5 inches of rain had fallen near Wheatland, Hickory County.
Through 11:10am local time, 5.50" of rain had fallen on the day at Camdenton, Camden County.
Also at 11:10am, Sanborn Field at the University of Missouri (Columbia, Boone County) had recorded 3.82" of rain so far in the day. Later, the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers will visit for a football match-up! Area road closures include Route E and Twin Bridges.
By 11:40am, O'Fallon's rain total had swelled to 2.89" for the day.
As of 11:50am, Festus, Jefferson County, had 1.50" of rain on the day.
At 12:00pm local time, a report indicated that seven inches of flowing water had closed Route F near Vandalia, Audrain County early in the day (around 10:40).
At 12:02pm local time, Highway 83 just north of Highway PP and also Highway V was impassable from flooding (near Humansville, Polk County).
At 12:05pm, in Williamsburg, Callaway County, CR 180 and Old Highway 40 were shut down with six inches of water over the roads.
Back in Fulton - as of noon - 5 to 8 inches of water now rendered Veterans Park Street, St. Louis Street, and Ewing Streets closed.
At 12:06pm, a section of North Main Street in Joplin, Jasper County was flooded and closed.
A 12-hour rain total of 1.70" came from St. Peters, St. Charles County, just after noon.
At 12:13pm local time, a flash flood rendered a section of Upper Prarie Road impassable near Macks Creek, Camden County.
At 12:20pm, a Thursday rain total of 2.50" came from Litchfield, Montgomery County (western Illinois).
As of 12pm, the midnight-to-present rain total at Vandalia, Audrain County had swelled to 2.82".
Tragic side note to flooding: A fatal lightning strike occurred just northwest of Phillipsburg, Laclede County at 9:30am local time (report published by National Weather Service at 12:20pm).
Through 12:29pm local time, the storm total at Dorchester, Macoupin County, IL was 3.5".
Moderate to heavy rain was still falling at Ballwin, St. Louis County at 12:36pm. 1.56" had already fallen on the day.
Grafton, Jersey County (western IL) received a drenching storm total of 4.70" as of 12:30pm local time.
A 12:48pm updated storm total for Mexico, Audrain County: 2.70". Ponding was happening in low-lying areas.
At 12:50pm, State Route BB was forced closed in a flash flood northeast of Urbana, Dallas County.
A report from 1:30pm local time indicated that, at 11:30 in the morning, several low water crossings were flooded across Miller County (including areas near Tuscumbia).
Steelville, Crawford County received 2" of rain since midnight (report from 1:50pm).
At 2:04pm local time, the National Weather Service issued the following statement concerning Cherokee County: THE CHEROKEE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR OBSERVED FLOODING OVER A SECTION OF SW 70TH ROAD WEST OF COLUMBUS. THE CREEK THAT IS FLOODING IS CALLED THE DENNY BRANCH OF CHERRY CREEK.
As of 2:10pm local time, the storm total rainfall had swelled to 3.80" at Williamsburg, Callaway County.
As of 2:28pm local time, the storm total rainfall had swelled to 4.09" for El Dorado Springs (mentioned earlier in this post).
Columbia's rainfall total had ballooned to 4.49" as of 1:09pm local time (report came later).
Lebanon, Laclede County received 3" of rain between 8am and 1pm.
Three miles west-northwest of Ashland, Boone County, Highway DD was forced closed with high water around noon local time (report from 3:00pm).
As of 3:02pm, O'Fallon's storm total had swelled to over 4".
At 3:07pm, a report indicated that at 2:14pm local time, Highway Y was closed with flooding east of Ashland near the Boone - Callaway County line.
As of 3:15pm, the rain total was 3.15" for the day at Lake St. Louis, St. Charles County.
Just northeast of Columbia, Hinkson Creek Road was closed with flooding as of 2:14pm (report from 3:15pm).
At 3:35pm, flash flooding was affecting the larger city of Springfield, Greene County. Water covered Battlefield and National Streets.
The 3:35pm updated rain total for Gravois Mills was up to 3.25" for this rain event.
A report from just prior to 4pm local time indicated that, seven miles west of Rhineland, 4" of rain was casuing ponding along Highway 94 near the Callaway - Montgomery County line.
Also as of 3:35pm local time, Stone County emergency officials report that Highway 413 is impassable with floodwaters between Galena and Crane.
Columbia has smashed its daily record rainfall (previous record 1.05" in 1993). As of 4:52pm local time, rainfall was already 3.69" on the day.
Two midnight-to-4pm Franklin County rainfall reports came through the National Weather Service at 5:12pm. One indicated that 2.5" of rain fell at Pacific. Also, 2.73" inches had fallen at New Haven.
At 5:26pm, the National Weather Service confirmed daily rainfall records at three other cities. 2.37" had already fallen at Springfield (old record: 1.83" in 1994). 3.59" at Joplin smashed the old daily record of 1.65" in 1970. In Vichy / Rolla, 1.84" of rain was healthy enough to beat thre previous record of 1.23" (1994).
At 5:44pm, a truck was reported almost completely submerged in water in a parking lot adjacent to Fassnight Creek, Springfield.

Drivers must exercise extreme caution in these areas Thursday night 10 / 8 into Friday morning 10 / 9. Find an alternate route if you come upon a water-covered road! Also, follow the following links for additional updates / storm reports into the evening and night.

For more information on today's National Weather Highlight, visit the National Weather Service St. Louis, MO home page, or the National Weather Service Kansas City / Pleasant Hill, MO home page, or the National Weather Service Springfield, MO home page.