Discover the recent destructive tornado in St. Louis, MO, originating from a powerful supercell storm. Learn about the storm’s path through Clayton, Forest Park, and the north city, metro east, and the damages caused.
Images from St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department:
As history has shown, St. Louis, MO, has long been no stranger to powerful supercell storms and tornadoes. Yesterday afternoon’s destructive storm was no exception. According to many sources the tornado was spotted in Clayton, heading east to Forest Park, causing damages, then ripped through parts of the west end, and ultimately detonating destruction in most of the north city of St. Louis.
Among the damages, one that was especially close to my heart was to The Harlem Tap Room in the historic Ville neighborhood. I’ve long praised the tavern for its more than 60 years of contributions to the community, and it was heartbreaking to see it affected by the storm.
I found a report in my mail about the devastation not only in Missouri, but across the nation. But before we go there, check out the last devastating tornado outbreak even worst than the one we had last year.
Recent destructive storms:
The tornadoes associated with the Good Friday outbreak occurred on April 10, 2020, which was Good Friday. In the St. Louis, Missouri area, the severe weather produced multiple tornadoes and damaging thunderstorms.
Key details include:
- The outbreak was part of a larger severe weather event across the Midwest and Southeast.
- The National Weather Service issued numerous tornado warnings for the region.
- In the St. Louis area, several tornadoes caused damage to homes, businesses, and infrastructure.
- Fortunately, there were no reported fatalities in the immediate aftermath, but injuries and property damage were significant.
The event highlighted the importance of staying alert to weather warnings during severe storms, especially on holidays like Good Friday when people might be less prepared for such emergencies.
You Tube/Fox 2 St. Louis
Special report from Yahoo News:
At least 21 people were killed when severe weather, including possible tornadoes, swept through parts of Missouri and Kentucky from Friday into Saturday morning, authorities said.
Fourteen were dead in Kentucky, Governor Andy Beshear said on X Saturday morning. “Sadly, this number is expected to grow as we receive more information,” he added.
Laurel County, Kentucky, Sheriff John Root, reported “numerous severe injuries.” He said a tornado touched down late Friday night and that the search for survivors continued.
In Missouri, five were killed in St. Louis County, and two others in Scott County, according to officials.
Speaking at a news conference Friday night, St. Louis officials said over 5,000 homes may have been affected by the outbreak of severe weather.
A spokesperson for both St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Barnes-Jewish Hospital said the facilities have received at least 35 patients in total, with the children’s facility getting 15 and Barnes-Jewish seeing at least 20, possibly 30 who were injured as a result of the severe weather.
The spokesperson said all but two patients at the children’s facility were expected to be released Friday night; one was reported earlier to be in critical condition. Some of those at Barnes-Jewish were to be released, while others were said to be in serious condition, the spokesperson said.
At the Friday night news conference, Mayor Cara Spencer announced that the number of fatalities has risen from four to five. She had said earlier that two of the dead were killed in North City, where a vortex was reported.
Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson said severe weather hit about 20 square blocks of the city.
St. Louis police spokesperson Mitch McCoy said search-and-rescue operations were carried out with the help of the Missouri State Highway Patrol and surrounding county first responders.
“It’s all hands on deck to rescue as many people as we can and save lives,” he told NBC affiliate KSDK of St. Louis Friday.
The station reported that a man was rescued from the rubble of a home after an hourslong operation. The residence was most likely smashed by a tornado or the severe weather’s associated potent winds in the area Friday, the station said.
In conclusion, the Argus Newspaper and its subsidiaries extend our heartfelt prayers for those who have lost loved ones and for the homes and businesses that have been affected. As a community rooted in faith and resilience, we believe we will overcome this challenge together.
Courtesy of Food City STL/Facebook
Tornadoes are caused by a combination of atmospheric conditions that lead to the development of rotating columns of air within thunderstorms. The primary factors involved include:
- Thunderstorm Formation: Tornadoes typically originate from severe thunderstorms, especially supercell thunderstorms, which have a rotating updraft called a mesocyclone.
- Wind Shear: Significant changes in wind speed and direction with height (wind shear) create horizontal rotating air. When this horizontal rotation is tilted vertically by the storm’s updraft, it can develop into a mesocyclone.
- Updrafts: Strong, sustained updrafts within a thunderstorm lift and organize the rotating air, intensifying the rotation and potentially leading to a tornado.
- Instability: Warm, moist air at the surface combined with cooler, drier air aloft creates unstable atmospheric conditions, providing the energy necessary for thunderstorms to grow and sustain intense updrafts.
- Low-Altitude Wind Changes: Sharp variations in wind speed and direction near the surface can help stretch and intensify the rotation, increasing the likelihood of tornado formation.
In summary, tornadoes form when a combination of atmospheric instability, wind shear, and strong thunderstorms interact to produce a rotating column of air that extends from a thunderstorm to the ground.
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People making a difference profile
Delores A. Hardwick, of the Arthritis Foundation, donated care packages to the mildly hit West End, after learning residents were recovering from power outages. There were tree damages there, but the power outage was enough to cause distress.
Image by Argus Staff
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