As they moved across the state lines, the storms fed on intense instability in the atmosphere and continued their track into the heart of the Ozarks. However, the farther the storms progressed, the farther they moved away from the unstable atmosphere closer to the Kansas and Oklahoma lines.

The supercells lessened in intensity and the tornado signatures became weaker while storm circulations continued at mid-levels of the thunderstorm cloud.

Numerous wind and hail reports were given to the National Weather Service office into the night across northern Arkansas and extreme southern Missouri.

For more images and reports on this storm visit these links:

Springfield National Weather Service report on May 10, 2008 tornadoes

and

Storm Reports from the Storm Prediction Center's Log for May 10, 2008

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Edited news release from National Weather Service:

RACINE, Mo. -- The National Weather Service confirmed the touchdown of a very strong tornado on Saturday in Newton County.

At approximately 5:59 p.m., a tornado crossed the Oklahoma border just north of Iris Road. The tornado moved east-southeast to the intersection of Missouri 43 and Iris road, where it intensified briefly to an EF4 tornado with winds of approximately 170 mph.

Damage included throwing automobiles up to one half mile, destroying businesses and numerous homes. Many of the deaths in Newton County during this event occurred near this intersection.

The tornado grew to one mile in width as it crossed just south of the intersection of Missouri 86 at Highway BB. It continued east-southeast, crossing Highway NN between Iris Road and Jute Road before once again growing to one mile in width as it struck the community of Fredville at Missouri 175 at Jute Road.

The tornado moved toward the intersection of Missouri 59 at U.S.

60, destroying mobile homes and taking roofs off frame homes as it moved through the south side of Granby as an EF1 tornado with 110 mph winds.

The storm took a direct path to Newtonia. Based upon significant damage to roofs and structural damage to most homes in

Newtonia, the storm was rated an EF1 with winds near 100 mph.

The tornado then crossed into Barry County one half mile southeast of the intersection of Mulberry Road at Zebra Road as an EF1 tornado, damaging homes and turkey barns.

It passed through the north side of Purdy with an EF2 rank, snapping power poles and causing significant damage to frame homes and destroying mobile homes. One fatality occurred at Commercial Street at Business Route 37.

The tornado weakened as it tracked east of Purdy, lifting about one mile southeast of the community of McDowell.