Storms, hail keep Sedalia on alert Tuesday night

Many Sedalians stayed closed to their cell phones, Facebook or TV Tuesday night as a swath of storms moved into Pettis County. With the prediction of torrential rain, damaging hail, 60 mph winds and possible tornadoes many wanted to be prepared.

Although the storm wasn’t as destructive as predicted by the National Weather Service, it did bring much needed rain to the area.

Sedalia-Pettis County Emergency Management Agency Director David Clippert told the Democrat Wednesday morning that he had not heard of any damage due to Tuesday night’s storm.

“I have not seen anything that caused any damage,” he noted. “I’m sure there are some minor damages, because we did have, in some spots, we had some ping-pong sized hail, in different spots throughout the county. But, it wasn’t a widespread thing.”

He noted that most of the hail that fell was pea- to marble-sized, although there were reports of quarter-sized and even baseball-sized in one area of the county.

Clippert said Pettis County fared better than some of the other areas hit by the storm.

“What happened was the cold front of the storm was actually behind the storm, and it was pushing it,” he added. “That is why we really didn’t get a lot of tornado warnings or anything like that. We were expecting to get 60 mile-per-hour winds, but we never had any reports of 60 mile-per-hour winds. I got like 30 and 35 …”

According to the Associated Press, several vehicles were blown off of Interstate 55 near Perryville, 65 miles southeast of St. Louis. A man in one of those vehicles died, Missouri State Highway Patrol Cpl. Justin Wheatley told AP. The wind was so strong that it lifted crumpled cars from a nearby salvage yard and tossed them along the highway, the report states.

Nearly 110 homes in the Perryville area were destroyed and about 20 people in Perry County suffered minor injuries, Wheatley said.

With the coming of March, Sedalia and Pettis County are entering into the 2017 tornado season.

“We are coming into it, but this is a little bit early,” Clippert said. “I think our next chance of rain is Monday, I think we’re going to have a really nice weekend. This weekend will be in the 60s.

“We desperately needed that rain last night (Tuesday),” he added. “We’re in a moderate drought, so that will lessen that a little bit and hopefully keep the fire departments from having to run and put out grass fires.We really needed that rain, so if we had to get a little hail with that that’s fine.”

Hail and rain falls late Tuesday night on a deck near 24th Street and South Ohio Avenue. Storms rattled across the Midwest Tuesday evening, bringing heavy rain and hail to the Sedalia area. A severe thunderstorm warning was issued by the National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill for Pettis County and included La Monte, Sedalia and Green Ridge areas.

http://sedaliademocrat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/web1_TSD030217HailStorm-1.jpgHail and rain falls late Tuesday night on a deck near 24th Street and South Ohio Avenue. Storms rattled across the Midwest Tuesday evening, bringing heavy rain and hail to the Sedalia area. A severe thunderstorm warning was issued by the National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill for Pettis County and included La Monte, Sedalia and Green Ridge areas. Photos by Faith Bemiss | Democrat

Pea- to marble-sized hail falls on a truck camper late Tuesday night as storms move through the Sedalia area. Although Pettis County was under a tornado watch the area only saw strong winds, rain and hail.

http://sedaliademocrat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/web1_TSD030217HailStorm-2.jpgPea- to marble-sized hail falls on a truck camper late Tuesday night as storms move through the Sedalia area. Although Pettis County was under a tornado watch the area only saw strong winds, rain and hail. Photos by Faith Bemiss | Democrat

Hail accumulates on a porch near 24th Street and South Ohio Avenue around 11 p.m. Tuesday night. The National Weather Service predicted the area would receive quarter-sized hail, rain and 60 mile-per-hour winds. A large swath of storms moved across the Midwest Tuesday evening, spawning tornadoes in several states neighboring Missouri.

http://sedaliademocrat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/web1_TSD030217HailStorm-3-1.jpgHail accumulates on a porch near 24th Street and South Ohio Avenue around 11 p.m. Tuesday night. The National Weather Service predicted the area would receive quarter-sized hail, rain and 60 mile-per-hour winds. A large swath of storms moved across the Midwest Tuesday evening, spawning tornadoes in several states neighboring Missouri. Photos by Faith Bemiss | Democrat