After first being published at 9:40 a.m., this report has been updated with additional information from community institutions like City Utilities and the Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Management.
Highway Patrol says resident dies after tree fall
A 20-year-old Springfield woman has died following severe weather Sunday afternoon in Springfield. The Missouri State Highway Patrol says the woman was killed just southwest of Springfield when a large tree blew over on top of her vehicle. Highway Patrol crash reports say the driver was pronounced deceased shortly before 5 p.m. last night and that next of kin were notified.
Hazardous weather outlook issued for Monday, June 30
Following last night’s severe weather, early this morning the National Weather Service in Springfield issued another hazardous weather outlook for today. The Monday hazardous weather outlook covers 37 counties in the Missouri Ozarks, including Greene, Christian and Taney.
NWS says there’s a 40 to 60 percent chance for scattered showers and storms across portions of the area today. There’s marginal risk of hail, localized flash flooding and thunderstorm wind damage up to 50 to 60 miles per hour, and an elevated risk of excessive rainfall.
If a line of storms develops, wind gusts up to 60 to 70 miles per hour would be possible, says National Weather Service.
Sunday storm prompts widespread damage, comes just 8 weeks after April 29 storm
Sunday’s stormy weather brought winds of at least 63 miles per hour along with rain and hail. The storm toppled trees and power lines across Springfield and other locations in the Ozarks. This latest storm to significantly disrupt the Springfield area’s power grid comes just weeks after a similar round of severe weather struck the area.
In the initial aftermath of Sunday night's storm, City Utilities said power was knocked out for some 37,000 customers. At least 90 lineworkers worked overnight to restore power, with mutual aid crews and tree crews arriving in Springfield today. Just before 11 a.m., CU told Ozarks Public radio that some 9,000 customers remained without electricity service.
As of 9:30 a.m. today, outage numbers had declined significantly from their peak just after the storm, according to a midday news release by the Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Management.
• City Utilities: 9,000 outages
• Ozark Electric: 5,000 outages
• Webster Electric: (no report)
• Southwest Electric: 0 outages
Liberty Utilities told Ozarks Public Radio around noon that they currently have roughly 660 customers remaining without power, down from 10,000 outages shortly after the storm arrived in the area. "We expect to have power restored to all customers who can receive it by this evening," a Liberty spokesperson told KSMU in a text message.
Based in Mount Vernon, Ozark Electric Cooperative said this morning their crews and contractors continued working to restore power, with mutual aid crews arriving from at least three other regional electric cooperatives.
Last night, CU officials warned the power outage could be a “multi-day event” for some customers but said all available resources have been mobilized to respond to the weather emergency.
Early this morning, CU said they expect service to be "substantially restored to customers who can accept power" by Thursday, July 3.
How to report power outages in Springfield
CU customers with power outages are being asked to report them by calling 888-863-9001, visiting cityutilities.net or using the MyAccount app.
CU warned everyone to stay clear of downed power lines. Always assume a downed power line is energized and dangerous. CU also asked everyone to allow property access for CU crews making repairs to the power grid.
CU said in a midday news release that they've been receiving reports of natural gas odors and possible leaks. If you smell gas or suspect a gas leak, leave the area immediately and call 911 or City Utilities at 417-863-9000. Do not use electrical switches, phones, or anything that could create a spark.
They also urged everyone to check your weatherhead. If your home is without power, inspect the weatherhead where power lines connect to your building for damage. CU workers can’t reconnect electricity until damaged weatherhead equipment is repaired by a licensed electrician.
Monday morning, the Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Management asked everyone to call OEM with storm damage reports to structures or cars to submit for additional aid requests. "Our assessment teams will be deployed starting today to document the damage," the local OEM office said on social media. Call 417-829-6200 with the exact location and the extent of the damage, along with your contact information.
Regional communities respond to widespread storm damage, power outages
On Monday morning, Springfield residents and businesses reacted to downed trees and power lines, with some companies saying they would be open today but without internet access for at least part of the day. Some organizations delayed opening on Monday, like the Library Center off South Campbell Avenue, which reported a power outage.
CoxHealth said on social media around 9:30 a.m. on Monday that a few of its locations were closed due to power outages. They include 3525 E. Battlefield, 2750 S. Campbell Ave. and 1819 S. National Ave.
Sunday’s storm took place eight weeks after a similar storm that included severe straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding on April 29. That April 29 storm prompted President Donald Trump to sign a major disaster declaration earlier this month.
OEM says some Greene County storm sirens offline
Following Sunday's stormy weather, several outdoor warning sirens are offline at locations across Greene County, says the county Office of Emergency Management.
Some of the sirens are damaged and some are without power, OEM said. Crews were actively assessing and repairing sirens on Monday.
OEM said with the potential for more severe weather on Monday, siren repair personnel will not be deployed if lightning or high winds are reported in the area in order to maintain safety for the crews.
OEM urged residents not to rely on outdoor warning sirens as their only warning for severe weather.
Severe weather warning options include these suggestions from OEM:
• NOAA Weather Radio: Provides continuous broadcasts of weather information and alerts, even if the power goes out.
• Wireless Emergency Alerts: Enabled on most cell phones to receive pertinent National Weather Service warnings.
• Local Media: Monitor weather coverage from trusted TV and radio stations like KSMU Ozarks Public Radio.
• Weather Apps: Use reputable weather apps that provide push notifications for severe weather alerts.
