STORM FORMATION

Summer in Missouri often brings sunny skies and high temperatures, but it also changes how storms behave. During spring, severe storms are more common because of the polar jet stream, which adds energy to the atmosphere. This jet stream moves air at different speeds and directions at various heights

Radar images often show two main patterns. One shows single, isolated storms while the other displays a long line of storms. Each pattern points to different risks and needs special attention. On April 17, tiny pressure shifts and surface conditions pushed small pockets of rising air ahead of a big