Tornado Rips Through St. Louis, Leaving a Trail of Destruction and Resilience
Wow—what a wild and terrifying day it’s been here in St. Louis. As of Friday afternoon, at least two tornadoes have been officially confirmed to have touched down in our region, leaving a wake of destruction and a community shaken, but standing strong. The first touchdown hit Clayton around 2:45 p.m., with another confirmed northeast of Des Arc shortly after. By the time those funnels spun out of sight, thousands had lost power, buildings were damaged, and injuries were being reported across the metro area.
It all started with warnings issued earlier in the day—meteorologists had flagged the St. Louis region as being under a level 4 out of 5 risk for severe weather. Initially, everyone braced for massive hail, but by early afternoon, the skies had turned angry, and things escalated quickly. Tornado sirens blared across the city, and in places like Forest Park, the chaos became very real.
One of the most jarring moments was seeing the Harlem Taproom building collapse on Dr. Martin Luther King Drive. About 20 people were inside when the upper stories caved in. Miraculously, no one was seriously hurt. The survivors described the moment the storm hit—it sounded like a freight train, and the structure just gave way.
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Then there’s the St. Louis Zoo—closed after sustaining widespread tree damage, but thankfully, no animals or people were hurt. The Shakespeare Festival’s outdoor stage at Forest Park wasn’t so lucky. Their set for “Hamlet” was ripped apart, with lighting rigs and backdrops destroyed. Organizers said this is the worst storm damage they've seen in years.
Downtown, debris rained from the sky. The storm left parts of buildings roofless, and images from The Gateway Arch live camera captured debris being flung high into the air. The Clayton area saw large trees uprooted—some tossed feet from where they once stood. And across the city and county, tens of thousands were left without power. Traffic snarled, sirens echoed, and stunned residents emerged to survey what had just hit them.
Emergency teams moved fast. Shelters opened, utility crews scrambled to restore electricity, and first responders helped search through wreckage. At Washington University and other affected landmarks, damage assessments are underway.
There’s something surreal about seeing streets you drive every day suddenly unrecognizable—trees snapped like twigs, windows blown out, sidewalks buried in branches. People are shaken, sure, but there’s also something incredibly unifying about seeing neighbors check in on each other, strangers lending a hand to clear debris, and local officials stepping up to coordinate recovery.
As we move into the weekend, the threat isn't fully over. More storms could be on the horizon as the severe weather system moves eastward. But for now, St. Louis is taking stock, counting blessings, and starting the slow but determined process of cleanup and rebuilding. Stay alert, stay safe, and check on the people around you. We’ve been through a lot—but we’re still standing.
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