ST. LOUIS – Easter Sunday is expected to bring severe weather to much of Missouri and western Illinois, with the greatest risk occurring from mid-afternoon into the evening. FOX 2 meteorologists are monitoring rapidly changing conditions through the evening the storm setup continues to evolve across the viewing area.
The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for the St. Louis region on Sunday afternoon. The weather alert expires at 11 p.m.
A few discreet cells are blossoming in western Missouri and Arkansas. This will be the line we need to watch through the next few hours as it pulls east toward the viewing area.
Arrival times for strong storms are expected in central Missouri by 5 p.m., metro St. Louis between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., and southern Illinois around 9 p.m. All hazards are anticipated which include damaging winds near 60 to 70 miles per hour, up to golf ball-sized hail, and a few possible tornadoes.
The extent of severe weather reaching eastern Missouri and Illinois is uncertain and will depend on the degree of warming and destabilization ahead of the storms. It’s critical to you remain weather aware throughout the evening!
If skies remain cloudy and temperatures do not rise as expected, the severe potential may be mitigated. Conversely, if skies clear and temperatures rise above projections, the risk could increase.
Showers and storms progress east out of the area through midnight. Cloudy skies stick around through midday Monday before eventually decreasing. Highs on Monday will be near 70 degrees. Dry weather persists on Tuesday and Wednesday, with warm temperatures rebounding to near 80 degrees. Rain chances return late Wednesday into next weekend.
Storm timeline:
- Sunday late afternoon into evening: Strong to severe storms expected to develop and move from central into eastern Missouri, possibly reaching the St. Louis area in the evening.
- Evening into Sunday night: Storms may weaken as they push further east into Illinois, but timing and intensity will depend on cloud cover and afternoon warming.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
