Flash Flood Warning Issued for Southwestern Missouri Counties Through Saturday Morning

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Springfield has issued a Flash Flood Warning for portions of southwestern Missouri. The alert was issued at 1:00 AM CST on March 7, 2026, and remains in effect until 7:00 AM CST.

Affected Areas

The warning covers several counties and specific geographic regions, including:

• Northern Barry County
• Northwestern Christian County
• Southeastern Lawrence County
• Eastern McDonald County
• Southeastern Newton County
• Northwestern Stone County

Specific locations expected to experience flash flooding include Southern Springfield, Nixa, Ozark, Monett, Aurora, Marionville, Clever, Crane, Purdy, Billings, Exeter, Wheaton, Verona, Fairview, Fremont Hills, Butterfield, Newtonia, Pioneer, Hurley, Stella, Stark City, Mcdowell, Pleasant Ridge, Madry, Ridgley, Wheelerville, Rocky Comfort, Powell, Boaz, and Big Sugar Creek State Park.

What You Should Do

Residents are urged to “Turn around, don’t drown” when encountering flooded roads. Many flood deaths occur in vehicles. Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the dangers of flooding. Avoid low-lying areas, small creeks, and streams.

Expected Conditions

At 1:00 AM CST, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1 and 2 inches of rain have already fallen. Additional rainfall amounts up to 1 inch are possible. The primary hazard is flash flooding caused by thunderstorms, impacting small creeks, streams, urban areas, highways, streets, and underpasses, as well as other poor drainage and low-lying areas.

Timeline

The Flash Flood Warning is effective immediately as of 1:00 AM CST and is scheduled to expire at 7:00 AM CST on Saturday, March 7, 2026.