Lightning TrackerIndependence storms: live alerts, hail & tornado history
Live watches and warnings for Independence, MO, the 48-hour thunderstorm outlook, and every hail, damaging-wind and tornado report within 25 miles since 2016.
Live alerts for Independence, MO
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Storm outlook, next 48 hours
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Severe weather in Independence by the numbers
Independence gets regular severe thunderstorms: since 2016, spotters and emergency managers have filed 1,516 severe-weather reports within 25 miles of the city — 507 hail reports, 974 damaging-wind reports and 35 tornado reports. On average that is 14.4 days a year with at least one report.
Storm season here peaks in May, June, July, when 60% of all reports were filed.
In the last 12 months there were 46 hail reports, 214 wind reports and 9 tornado reports around Independence; the largest hail was 4.50″ (grapefruit) on Mar 10, 2026.
Latest storm reports near Independence
| Date | Report | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 13, 2026 | Damaging wind | 5 mi W · Jackson Co. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Damaging wind | 8 mi SW · Jackson Co. |
| Sep 9, 2026 | Damaging wind | 19 mi S · Cass Co. |
| Sep 6, 2026 | Damaging wind | 2 mi SW · Jackson Co. |
| Sep 6, 2026 | Hail 1.00″ | 24 mi W · Johnson Co. |
| Aug 21, 2026 | Hail 1.00″ | 21 mi SW · Johnson Co. |
| Aug 21, 2026 | Damaging wind | 22 mi SW · Johnson Co. |
| Aug 18, 2026 | Hail 1.00″ | 1 mi E · Jackson Co. |
| Aug 18, 2026 | Damaging wind | 9 mi W · Jackson Co. |
| Aug 5, 2026 | Damaging wind | 16 mi W · Johnson Co. |
One line per day and type — the closest report that day. Distance and direction from the city centre. The latest SPC reports are preliminary until NOAA finalises them.
Storm reports by year
Storm season in Independence
All hail, wind and tornado reports within 25 miles, 2016–2026, by month.
Hail in Independence
Independence averages 8.0 days a year with hail reported nearby. The biggest stone on record since 2016 was 4.50 inches — about the size of a grapefruit — reported 18 miles from the city centre on Mar 10, 2026. Hail of 1 inch (quarter size) or larger is what makes a thunderstorm severe; see the hail size chart.
Tornadoes near Independence
There have been 35 tornado reports within 25 miles of Independence since 2016; the strongest was rated EF3 (Mar 6, 2017, 13 miles from the city centre). A tornado warning means a tornado is occurring or imminent — take shelter immediately.
Storm alerts for Independence on your iPhone
Lightning Tracker shows storm risk around you, live severe-weather alerts and how close the storm is — free on the App Store.
Storm trackers near Independence
Questions about storms in Independence
Does Independence get a lot of severe storms?
Independence averages 14.4 days a year with at least one hail, damaging-wind or tornado report within 25 miles, based on NOAA Storm Prediction Center reports 2016–2025.
When is storm season in Independence?
Most severe-weather reports around Independence come in May, June, July.
What is the biggest hail recorded near Independence?
4.50 inches (grapefruit size) on Mar 10, 2026, 18 miles from the city centre.
Have tornadoes hit near Independence?
Yes — 35 tornado reports within 25 miles since 2016, the strongest rated EF3 on Mar 6, 2017.
How do I get storm alerts for Independence?
The live panel on this page shows every active National Weather Service watch and warning for Independence, MO. For alerts on your phone, Lightning Tracker for iPhone shows storm risk and warnings for your location.
How this page works: storm reports are NOAA Storm Prediction Center local storm reports (final database 2016–2025, preliminary daily reports after that) within 25 miles of Independence, MO. They are reports of hail, damaging wind and tornadoes — not lightning strike counts, which no free public dataset provides at city level. Live alerts come from the National Weather Service API, the outlook from Open-Meteo forecast models. Updated Oct 27, 2026.