Strong Thunderstorms Sweep Across Multiple States, NWS Warns of 55 MPH Gusts
A wave of strong thunderstorms swept from the Florida Panhandle through Missouri and into Georgia between June 16 and 18, with gusts reaching up to 55 mph in southeastern Georgia.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA — A series of strong thunderstorms swept across several states between June 16 and June 18, 2026, prompting multiple Special Weather Statements from National Weather Service offices in Charleston, South Carolina, Springfield, Missouri, and Tallahassee, Florida, warning residents of damaging wind gusts and hail.
Georgia Storm Brings Strongest Gusts
The most intense storm in the series struck southeastern Georgia on June 18, when the NWS Charleston office issued a Special Weather Statement at 3:33 p.m. EDT after Doppler radar tracked a strong thunderstorm near Stilson moving northeast at 30 mph. That storm carried the highest wind threat of the multi-day event, with gusts forecast between 50 and 55 mph.
Communities in the path of that storm included Springfield, Guyton, Brooklet, Newington, Oliver, Egypt, Stilson, Shawnee, Leefield, and Kildare, according to the NWS. Officials warned that gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects.
Missouri Storms Strike Over Two Evenings
The NWS Springfield, Missouri office issued three separate statements on June 17 as thunderstorms rolled through the region in waves. The first alert came at 6:30 p.m. CDT, when radar detected a storm over Rich Hill traveling east at 35 mph. That system carried wind gusts up to 50 mph and nickel-size hail, with the threat of minor hail damage to vegetation. Affected communities included Schell City, Metz, Harwood, and Horton.
Later that evening, at 9:22 p.m. CDT, a second storm was tracked near Conway, approximately 13 miles southeast of Buffalo, moving east at 35 mph with wind gusts up to 50 mph. The NWS identified the communities of Morgan, Conway, Phillipsburg, Twin Bridges, Grovespring, and Rader as being in the storm’s path. Motorists on Interstate 44 between mile markers 110 and 123 were also included in the warning area.
A third Missouri storm prompted an alert at 10:29 p.m. CDT, when radar located a thunderstorm near Morrisville, approximately 9 miles southwest of Bolivar, moving southeast at 30 mph. Wind gusts up to 50 mph were possible, with impacts forecast for Stockton Lake, Fair Grove, Walnut Grove, Pleasant Hope, Morrisville, Aldrich, Olive, Sacville, Eudora, Brighton, and Foose.
Florida Panhandle Storms Open the Stretch
The storm sequence began on June 16, when the NWS Tallahassee office issued a Special Weather Statement at 3:31 p.m. EDT covering a line of thunderstorms stretching from near Santa Rosa Beach to near Panama City to near Mexico Beach, moving northeast at 35 mph. Wind gusts up to 40 mph were expected with that system.
A broad area of the Florida Panhandle fell within the warning zone, including Panama City, Lynn Haven, Panama City Beach, Callaway, Santa Rosa Beach, Springfield, Mexico Beach, Hiland Park, Eglin Air Force Base, Stonemill Creek, Tyndall Air Force Base, Orange, Live Oak, Parker, Wewahitchka, Freeport, Ebro, Honeyville, Villa Tasso, and Allanton, according to the NWS Tallahassee office.
Across all events, the National Weather Service cited radar as the source for each alert and issued consistent warnings that gusty winds posed a risk of downed tree limbs and displacement of unsecured outdoor objects. Residents in affected regions were advised to secure loose items and use caution during storm activity.
