Joplin-area forecast holds 'potential for all modes of severe weather'

Mar. 30—The last day of March could bring springlike weather — of the stormy kind, not the warm and sunny kind — to the Joplin area.

"We are definitely looking at the potential for all modes of severe weather," said Shelby Melto, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service station in Springfield.

Strong to severe storms will affect portions of Southwest Missouri and possibly Southeast Kansas, starting sometime around midday Friday and moving eastward, according to the weather service forecast.

Damaging straight-line winds are the most likely risk across the area. The risk for tornadoes and large hail up to the size of pingpong balls will mainly be east of Highway 65. Some localized flooding may occur, though widespread flooding is not expected, according to the forecast.

"We're heading into the spring season; that is typically one of our most active seasons for severe weather," Melto said. "For the Joplin area specifically, it does look like more of the severe risk is east of you ... (but) it's really going to depend on where those storms start to initiate."

In addition, wind gusts up to 45 to 55 mph will develop across the region Friday. Gusty winds along with dry air may lead to critical fire danger Friday afternoon and evening, the weather service said.

"We do have a fire weather watch in effect" around Southwest Missouri and Southeast Kansas, Melto said. "Those are going to be additional hazards."

Friday's forecast may not be the end of severe weather in the immediate future. Meteorologists caution that another round of thunderstorms is possible Tuesday into Wednesday of next week. They say the potential exists for strong to severe thunderstorms, but many details remain unclear.

"We are still pretty far out (from Tuesday), so as far as what hazards and time frames to expect, we're a little too early to know that," Melto said.

Safe rooms

In Joplin, most school buildings have community safe rooms that will be open to the public in the event of a tornado warning or when tornado sirens are activated by the city's emergency management director. Although the safe rooms are open to the community, the schools' students and staff will receive priority for occupancy if warnings or sirens occur during school hours, the Joplin School District said.

Community safe rooms are available at:

—Beacon School, 202 Malloy Circle, Duenweg.

—Cecil Floyd Elementary, 2201 W. 24th St.

—Eastmorland Elementary, 1131 Highview Ave.

—Irving Elementary, 2901 S. McClelland Blvd.

—Jefferson Elementary, 130 McKinley Ave.

—Joplin High School, 2104 Indiana Ave.

—Junge Stadium, 800 Junge Blvd.

—Kelsey Norman Elementary, 1323 E. 28th St.

—McKinley Elementary, 610 S. Forest Ave.

—Royal Heights Elementary, 2100 Rolla St.

—Soaring Heights Elementary, 4604 E. 20th St.

—Stapleton Elementary, 101 E. 41st St.

—West Central Elementary, 1001 W. Seventh St. A district spokesperson confirmed Thursday that for now, the community safe room at West Central will continue to be opened during tornado warnings or sirens even though the school itself is closed and no longer in use.

Dover Hill Elementary, Roi S. Wood, Joplin Early Childhood, East Middle School, North Middle School and South Middle School do not have community safe rooms. They have safe rooms that are used by students and staff only.

The district spokesperson said Dover Hill Elementary, which opened in January, was built without a community safe room because it is located farther away from neighborhoods than either of its predecessors, Columbia and West Central schools. Other community safe rooms across the district are located in more heavily populated and easily accessible areas, she said.

If the community safe rooms open for inclement weather, a notification will be posted to the district's Facebook page. They will remain open until a tornado warning expires.

preparation

The American Red Cross of Missouri and Arkansas urges area residents to prepare for severe weather ahead of time by:

—Assembling an emergency preparedness kit with bottled water, nonperishable food, medications and and other items to stay safe at home for a few days without power if needed.

—Identifying a safe place in your home where household members and pets will gather during a tornado. For many, that's a basement, storm cellar or an interior room on the lowest floor with no windows. In a high-rise building, pick a hallway in the center of the building. In a mobile home, choose a safe place in a nearby sturdy building; no mobile home, however it is configured, is safe in a tornado.

During and after severe weather:

—Watch for storm signs such as darkening skies, lightning flashes and increasing wind. If thunder roars, go indoors; if you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be in danger of lightning.

—Postpone outdoor activities if thunderstorms are likely to occur.

—If a severe thunderstorm warning is issued, take shelter in a substantial building or vehicle with the windows closed. Get out of mobile homes that can blow over in high winds.

—Avoid using electrical equipment and telephones. Use battery-powered or hand-crank radios instead.

—Keep away from windows.

—Don't take a bath or use plumbing.

—If you are driving, try to safely exit the road and park. Stay in your vehicle and turn on the emergency flashers until the heavy rain ends. Avoid touching metal or other surfaces that conduct electricity in and outside of the vehicle.

—If you're outside and cannot reach a safe building, avoid high ground, water, tall or isolated trees, and metal objects such as fences and bleachers. Picnic shelters, dugouts and sheds are not safe places to be.

—Stay off the roads. If you must drive and you encounter a flooded roadway, turn around and go another way. If you are caught on a flooded road and waters are rising around you, get out of the car quickly, move to higher ground and stay there. Most cars can be swept away by less than 2 feet of moving water.

Know the difference A tornado watch means a tornado is possible. A tornado warning means a tornado is already occurring or will occur soon, and residents should go to their safe place immediately. Source: American Red Cross