Strong Thunderstorms Pack 40 MPH Winds Near St. Joseph
Two early-morning weather alerts flagged 40 mph wind gusts and pea-size hail threatening more than a dozen northwest Missouri communities, including St. Joseph and several major interstates.
ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI — A cluster of strong thunderstorms moved through northwest Missouri early on June 21, 2026, leading to two Special Weather Statements from the National Weather Service office in Kansas City/Pleasant Hill, Missouri.
Radar-indicated wind gusts of up to 40 mph and the potential for pea-size hail accompanied the storm system, which threatened to knock down tree limbs and send unsecured objects airborne across multiple communities.
Two Alerts Issued Hours Apart
The first statement was issued at 2:57 AM CDT, when NWS Kansas City/Pleasant Hill detected a strong thunderstorm near Wathena moving northeast at 35 mph. That storm carried wind gusts up to 40 mph and pea-size hail, with forecasters warning of minor hail damage to vegetation.
A second statement followed at 3:40 AM CDT, as Doppler radar tracked a line of strong thunderstorms stretching from 6 miles east of Country Club Villa to near Agency. That cluster was moving east at 30 mph, also with wind gusts up to 40 mph.
Communities and Highways in the Path
The 2:57 AM alert identified the following communities as being in the storm’s path: St. Joseph, Wathena, Elwood, Country Club Villa, Country Club, Stewartsville, Agency, Union Star, Rushville, Clarksdale, Easton, Cosby, St. Joseph Airport, and Helena.
That same storm also affected two major interstates, according to NWS. Interstate 29 between mile markers 38 and 54 and Interstate 229 between mile markers 0 and 11 were both included in the impacted area.
The 3:40 AM alert covered a partly overlapping set of locations: St. Joseph, Maysville, Stewartsville, Agency, Osborn, Clarksdale, Easton, Cosby, Amity, Fairport, and Helena.
Residents Urged to Secure Property
The National Weather Service warned that gusty winds in both storm events could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Both alerts listed radar as the source for the hazard information.
No tornado warnings or severe thunderstorm warnings were issued in connection with these statements. Special Weather Statements are used by NWS to alert the public to weather that is significant but falls below the threshold for a severe thunderstorm warning.
