GOES East captured this view of the severe weather outbreak across parts of Missouri and Oklahoma on May 22, 2019, at 10 p.m. CDT as the storms were beginning to ramp up.
A violent tornado touched down in Jefferson City, Mo. on Wednesday just before midnight, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) in St. Louis. In the aftermath of the storm, first responders are going door-to-door to make sure everyone is accounted for, but the Missouri Department of Public Safety said at least nine people were hospitalized due to storm-related injuries. This was just one of more than two dozen tornadoes reported across parts of Missouri and Oklahoma overnight, including several that prompted tornado emergencies.
Three people were killed when a suspected tornado struck Golden City, according to a tweet from Missouri’s Department of Public Safety. This area is no stranger to deadly tornado outbreaks. Eight years ago on May 22, 2011, an EF-5 tornado struck Joplin, which is located southwest of Golden City, killing more than 100 people and causing $2.8 billion in damages.
This imagery shows the storm system moments before spawning the tornado, estimated to have struck shortly before 6:00 pm CST on May 22, 2011.
As rain continues to fall in areas where the ground is already saturated, the NWS said significant flash flooding will become a concern.