Severe storms and the Henry County emergency-management contact

Like much of west-central Missouri, Henry County can get severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. Spring is the riskiest time. The exact storms change from year to year, but a few things stay true. Official warnings come from the National Weather Service (NWS), the federal agency that issues storm alerts. Statewide preparedness and the county’s emergency-management setup run through Missouri SEMA (the State Emergency Management Agency). The county also has its own emergency-management function, based at the county seat in Clinton. If you are new here, three steps help most: learn how to get warnings, find the nearest place to shelter, and know who your county emergency-management contact is. For local roles and how to prepare, check with SEMA. For warnings, trust the National Weather Service. Do not treat any one past storm as a guide to the next one.