ST. LOUIS — The tornado that tore across the St. Louis area Friday reached EF-3 intensity and a mile in width, the National Weather Service’s local forecast office said after completing a damage survey over the weekend.
After developing quickly and touching down in Clayton, the tornado tracked for nearly 23 miles, crossing the Mississippi River and dissipating near Edwardsville.
It grew to be a mile wide as it ripped across northern parts of St. Louis at 55 mph, the NWS said, producing wind speeds as high as 152 mph. On the Illinois side of the river, it went through Granite City and Pontoon Beach before lifting alongside the campus of SIU Edwardsville.
The NWS said “further analysis will be done to determine whether this was one single tornado or multiple tornadoes,” since “it is possible that more than one tornadic circulation was involved.”
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A separate damage survey in the Ozarks confirmed the presence of another tornado that tracked through the small town of Des Arc, in Iron County. That tornado achieved an EF2 rating, with maximum winds of up to 115 mph, the NWS said. It damaged some of the same buildings that were struck by another tornado on March 14, the agency said.
The tornado that struck Iron County on Friday traveled at least 3.25 miles, the NWS said, through further analysis could determine if it pushed farther to the east.
St. Louis has been hit by several deadly tornadoes. The most notable — and deadliest — occurred on May 27, 1896, when 255 people were killed by a tornado that moved through St. Louis and into East St. Louis. That storm destroyed buildings in Lafayette Square and parts of Soulard.
On Sept. 27, 1927, a tornado killed 78 people along a 7-mile path. It first touched down near Manchester Avenue and Kingshighway, then crossed Westminster Place, Page Boulevard and Cote Brilliante Avenue. Five students were killed at Central High School, at the intersection of North Grand Boulevard and Finney Avenue.
Another tornado, on Feb. 9, 1959, killed 21 people — including eight in a three-story home at Delmar Boulevard and Whittier Street. The storm also tore the roof off the Arena south of Forest Park and toppled a TV tower at Hampton and Oakland avenues.
Until Friday’s tornado claimed five lives, more recent ones in the city had caused injuries but no deaths.
The tornadoes of 1896, 1927 and 1959 were all rated as stronger EF4 events, said Patrick Walsh, a local NWS meteorologist.
Over time, improvements like the evolution of warning systems and weather equipment have helped reduce the death tolls of powerful tornadoes, he said.
Josh Renaud of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.
Nick Chandler, 42, of Hazelwood, was among several volunteers who helped clear streets in north St. Louis on Sunday, May 18, 2025. (Video by Michele Munz)
