Flood Warning Issued for Missouri Counties and Bourbon County KS

Source: NOAA · Southeast Kansas and Missouri

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A Flood Warning is in effect until 7:30 AM CDT Wednesday for portions of southeast Kansas and Missouri due to excessive rainfall from thunderstorms.

What this NWS weather alert tells you, and what most readers miss

This notice was issued by NOAA on May 31, 2026 and geographically references Southeast Kansas and Missouri. Its severity classification of "high" signals how the issuing agency weighs the risk of harm if no action is taken — "critical" and "high" tier alerts typically carry direct consumer actions, while "medium" and "low" tend toward informational guidance or monitoring advisories. The category it belongs to — Weather Alerts — determines the regulatory framework behind it, which shapes what remedies (refunds, replacements, recalls, evacuations) are available to affected individuals and who holds statutory responsibility for enforcement.

Most readers skim a notice like this, check whether they are personally affected, and move on. The more useful lens is to read it as a data point about the issuing system: how quickly NOAA detected the hazard, how precise the geographic or product-identifier scope is, and whether similar notices have clustered in the same category or region in the last 90 days. Cluster patterns frequently precede a broader regulatory action — a single localized NWS weather alert is isolated; three of them within a quarter often indicate a supply-chain, infrastructure, or seasonal driver that will keep producing notices until something structural changes.

For decision-making, Areazine pairs each alert with the original agency URL, the full agency name, and a timestamp so you can verify the notice against the primary source before acting on it. Tags on this item (weather, alert, Flood Warning, Missouri) map to related alerts in the same area of risk — browsing them together gives a clearer picture than any single notice alone, because the shape of an ongoing issue only becomes visible across multiple sequential alerts.

Alert Details

Flood Warning issued by NWS Springfield MO. Effective from 10:28 AM CDT Tuesday, May 19, 2026 until 7:30 AM CDT Wednesday, May 20, 2026.

Affected Areas

Portions of southeast Kansas, including Bourbon County, and Missouri, including Benton, Camden, Cedar, Dallas, Hickory, Laclede, Polk, St. Clair and Vernon counties. Some locations that will experience flooding include Bolivar, Nevada, Fort Scott, Osage Beach, Camdenton, El Dorado Springs, Buffalo, Stockton, Hermitage, Village of Four Seasons, Lake Ozark, Appleton City, Humansville, Osceola, Laurie, Lowry City, Sheldon, Fair Play, Weaubleau, Urbana, Wheatland, Bronson, Uniontown, Walker, Schell City, Macks Creek, Fulton, Redfield, Hepler, Pittsburg, Marmaton, Polk, Sunrise Beach, Montevallo, Bronaugh, Linn Creek, Jerico Springs, Preston, Cross Timbers and Halfway. Low water crossings mentioned include Brush Creek at 1200 Road, Deer Creek at Highway V, Lindley Creek at Mathis Road, Weaubleau Creek at 350 Road, Little Niangua at County Road 200, Rainy Creek at Knobby Road and Little Niangua at County Road 66.

What You Should Do

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Many flood deaths occur in vehicles.

Expected Conditions

Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is expected. Between 3 and 7 inches of rain have fallen. Flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations is imminent or occurring.

Timeline

Alert in effect until 7:30 AM CDT Wednesday.

Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about this NWS weather alert.

What is this NWS weather alert about?
A Flood Warning is in effect until 7:30 AM CDT Wednesday for portions of southeast Kansas and Missouri due to excessive rainfall from thunderstorms.
Which agency issued this alert?
This alert was issued by NOAA. The original notice is available at the source link at the bottom of this article.
How severe is this alert?
This alert is classified as "high" severity. Take precautions and monitor for updates.
What area is affected?
This alert affects Southeast Kansas and Missouri. Check with NOAA for the most current geographic scope.
Where can I find more Weather Alerts updates?
Browse the full Weather Alerts feed on Areazine at areazine.com/weather/ for the latest updates from NOAA and other agencies.