The severe wind outbreak of May 17, 1999
355 wind reportsTexas, Arkansas, Indiana and 11 more states
355 damaging wind reports across 14 states between 1:00 AM and 12:30 AM the next day CDT, 15 of them 65 knots (75 mph) or stronger. 199 hail reports and 6 tornadoes the same day.
Watch the day unfoldSevere wind day · May 17, 1999
How the day unfolded
Every damaging wind report of the day at its logged time, with the day's hail reports and tornadoes, and the counties they reached.
The day in numbers
- Wind reports
- 355
- on Monday, May 17, 1999
- 75 mph or more
- 15
- 4 of 86 mph (75 knots) or more
- Strongest measured gust
- —
- No measured gust reported
- Measured
- 0
- reports with an instrument reading; the rest are estimates from damage
- Killed by wind
- 2
- 21 injured
- Counties reporting
- 256
- in 14 states
Hour by hour
Damaging wind reports in each hour, Central Daylight Time.
The strongest winds
The 100 strongest reports with a speed. Measured gusts come from an instrument; estimated speeds are judged from damage.
| 3:22 PM | Calhoun County MI | 115 mph | Estimated |
| 3:05 PM | Scott County MO | 90 mph | Estimated |
| 6:40 PM | Sanilac County MI | 90 mph | Estimated |
| 7:45 PM | Rusk County TX | 86 mph | Estimated |
| 4:55 PM | Hopkins County TX | 84 mph | Estimated |
| 1:15 AM | Bureau County IL | 82 mph | Estimated |
| 3:18 PM | Alexander County IL | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 3:20 PM | Johnson County IL | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 4:30 PM | Paulding County OH | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 7:25 PM | Cherokee County TX | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 7:30 PM | Rusk County TX | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 3:00 PM | Bollinger County MO | 79 mph | Estimated |
| 5:40 PM | Ellis County TX | 79 mph | Estimated |
| 6:45 PM | Smith County TX | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 7:15 PM | Rusk County TX | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 8:50 PM | Crittenden County AR | 72 mph | Estimated |
| 1:55 AM | Bourbon County KS | 71 mph | Estimated |
| 4:20 PM | Ingham County MI | 71 mph | Estimated |
| 6:55 PM | Smith County TX | 71 mph | Estimated |
| 7:54 PM | Milam County TX | 71 mph | Estimated |
| 1:00 AM | Washington County OK | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 1:07 AM | Rock County WI | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 1:08 AM | Okfuskee County OK | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 1:20 AM | Allen County KS | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 1:37 AM | Okmulgee County OK | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 2:55 AM | Cherokee County OK | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 3:05 AM | Adair County OK | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 2:50 PM | Cape Girardeau County MO | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 3:50 PM | Kent County MI | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 4:50 PM | Shiawassee County MI | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 5:39 PM | White County AR | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 1:53 PM | Wayne County MO | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 4:50 PM | Waupaca County WI | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 6:22 PM | Oakland County MI | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 6:30 PM | Wood County TX | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 6:40 PM | Smith County TX | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 6:55 PM | Smith County TX | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 7:05 PM | Gregg County TX | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 7:05 PM | Upshur County TX | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 7:18 PM | Caddo Parish LA | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 8:05 PM | Nacogdoches County TX | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 8:06 PM | Panola County TX | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 8:20 PM | Shelby County TX | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 8:55 PM | Angelina County TX | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 9:15 PM | Sabine Parish LA | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 9:20 PM | Bossier Parish LA | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 9:25 PM | Bossier Parish LA | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 9:40 PM | Sabine County TX | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 10:27 PM | Travis County TX | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 10:46 PM | Travis County TX | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 5:10 PM | Vanderburgh County IN | 68 mph | Estimated |
| 7:00 PM | Lucas County OH | 68 mph | Estimated |
| 2:45 AM | Mayes County OK | 66 mph | Estimated |
| 7:20 PM | Shelby County IN | 66 mph | Estimated |
| 2:30 AM | McClain County OK | 64 mph | Estimated |
| 3:20 PM | Pulaski County IL | 64 mph | Estimated |
| 4:55 PM | Edwards County IL | 64 mph | Estimated |
| 6:43 PM | Morgan County IN | 64 mph | Estimated |
| 7:48 PM | Rush County IN | 64 mph | Estimated |
| 7:52 PM | Hamilton County IN | 64 mph | Estimated |
| 8:05 PM | Henry County IN | 64 mph | Estimated |
| 8:05 PM | Henry County IN | 64 mph | Estimated |
| 1:47 AM | Johnson County KS | 63 mph | Estimated |
| 2:14 AM | Crawford County KS | 63 mph | Estimated |
| 3:30 AM | Henry County MO | 63 mph | Estimated |
| 3:40 AM | McDonald County MO | 63 mph | Estimated |
| 3:40 AM | McDonald County MO | 63 mph | Estimated |
| 3:10 PM | Washington County IL | 63 mph | Estimated |
| 3:15 PM | Clinton County IL | 63 mph | Estimated |
| 3:25 PM | Clinton County IL | 63 mph | Estimated |
| 3:45 PM | Marion County IL | 63 mph | Estimated |
| 5:49 PM | Spencer County IN | 63 mph | Estimated |
| 6:10 PM | Sanilac County MI | 63 mph | Estimated |
| 6:30 PM | Sanilac County MI | 63 mph | Estimated |
| 7:28 PM | Decatur County IN | 63 mph | Estimated |
| 1:55 AM | Craig County OK | 62 mph | Estimated |
| 3:49 PM | Mississippi County AR | 61 mph | Estimated |
| 1:35 AM | Neosho County KS | 60 mph | Estimated |
| 2:00 AM | Jackson County MO | 60 mph | Estimated |
| 2:05 AM | McIntosh County OK | 60 mph | Estimated |
| 2:45 AM | Cherokee County OK | 60 mph | Estimated |
| 3:05 AM | Le Flore County OK | 60 mph | Estimated |
| 3:08 AM | Delaware County OK | 60 mph | Estimated |
| 4:04 AM | Barry County MO | 60 mph | Estimated |
| 1:45 PM | Reynolds County MO | 60 mph | Estimated |
| 3:02 PM | Kaufman County TX | 60 mph | Estimated |
| 3:10 PM | Kalamazoo County MI | 60 mph | Estimated |
| 3:15 PM | New Madrid County MO | 60 mph | Estimated |
| 3:28 PM | Jackson County IL | 60 mph | Estimated |
| 3:30 PM | Allegan County MI | 60 mph | Estimated |
| 3:38 PM | Carlisle County KY | 60 mph | Estimated |
| 3:42 PM | Massac County IL | 60 mph | Estimated |
| 3:45 PM | Williamson County IL | 60 mph | Estimated |
| 3:55 PM | McCracken County KY | 60 mph | Estimated |
| 3:55 PM | Jefferson County IL | 60 mph | Estimated |
| 4:00 PM | Franklin County IL | 60 mph | Estimated |
| 4:00 PM | Wayne County IL | 60 mph | Estimated |
| 4:15 PM | Hardin County IL | 60 mph | Estimated |
| 4:30 PM | Marshall County KY | 60 mph | Estimated |
| 4:30 PM | Gallatin County IL | 60 mph | Estimated |
By state
Counties with the most wind reports
- Benton CountyAR · 7 reports
- Washington CountyAR · 7 reports
- Sanilac CountyMI · 5 reports
- Carroll CountyAR · 4 reports
- Muskogee CountyOK · 4 reports
- Henderson CountyTX · 4 reports
- Smith CountyTX · 4 reports
- Owen CountyIN · 4 reports
- Kaufman CountyTX · 4 reports
- Randolph CountyIN · 3 reports
Hail and tornadoes that day
199 hail reports, 0 of 2 inches or more; 6 tornadoes.
| 2:29 AM | Cleveland County OK | 1.75 |
| 2:30 AM | McClain County OK | 1.75 |
| 5:20 AM | Laclede County MO | 1.75 |
| 12:02 PM | Tarrant County TX | 1.75 |
| 12:11 PM | Tarrant County TX | 1.75 |
| 2:03 PM | Madison County MO | 1.75 |
| 2:05 PM | Ottawa County OK | 1.75 |
| 2:30 PM | Grant County IN | 1.75 |
| 2:38 PM | Rains County TX | 1.75 |
| 2:45 PM | Grant County IN | 1.75 |
| 2:57 PM | Palo Pinto County TX | 1.75 |
| 3:00 PM | Grant County IN | 1.75 |
| 3:11 PM | Wise County TX | 1.75 |
| 3:20 PM | Huron County MI | 1.75 |
| 3:55 PM | Owen County IN | 1.75 |
| 4:12 PM | Wayne County IL | 1.75 |
| 4:20 PM | Concho County TX | 1.75 |
| 5:30 PM | Saline County AR | 1.75 |
| 5:31 PM | Menard County TX | 1.75 |
| 6:00 PM | Hunt County TX | 1.75 |
| 6:55 PM | Smith County TX | 1.75 |
| 7:44 PM | Boone County IN | 1.75 |
| 7:56 PM | Bell County TX | 1.75 |
| 8:16 PM | Lucas County OH | 1.75 |
| 8:20 PM | Coryell County TX | 1.75 |
| 8:20 PM | Bell County TX | 1.75 |
| 12:39 PM | Tarrant County TX | 1.50 |
| 6:00 PM | Madison County AR | 1.50 |
| 6:35 PM | Paulding County OH | 1.50 |
| 6:55 PM | Clark County AR | 1.25 |
| 1:00 AM | Chariton County MO | 1.00 |
| 1:25 AM | Clay County KS | 1.00 |
| 1:36 AM | Johnson County KS | 1.00 |
| 2:00 AM | Blaine County OK | 1.00 |
| 2:20 AM | McIntosh County OK | 1.00 |
| 2:45 AM | Pike County IL | 1.00 |
| 8:45 AM | Tulsa County OK | 1.00 |
| 11:30 AM | Tarrant County TX | 1.00 |
| 11:40 AM | Tarrant County TX | 1.00 |
| 11:45 AM | Boone County AR | 1.00 |
| 12:08 PM | Tarrant County TX | 1.00 |
| 12:37 PM | Howell County MO | 1.00 |
| 1:02 PM | Shannon County MO | 1.00 |
| 1:15 PM | Johnson County AR | 1.00 |
| 2:02 PM | LaPorte County IN | 1.00 |
| 2:13 PM | Tipton County IN | 1.00 |
| 2:45 PM | Perry County MO | 1.00 |
| 3:23 PM | Scott County MO | 1.00 |
| 3:30 PM | Miami County IN | 1.00 |
| 3:30 PM | Rockwall County TX | 1.00 |
- F0 tornado10:59 AM CDT
- F0 tornado6:20 PM CDT
- F1 tornado6:25 PM CDT
- F0 tornado7:35 PM CDT
- F0 tornado8:04 PM CDT
- F0 tornado8:10 PM CDT
1999 · On this date in other years · The biggest severe wind days
- A report is a single damage or measurement report to the National Weather Service. Several reports can describe one gust front, so reports are not storms.
- Reporting has grown with population, spotter networks and the internet, so counts from different decades are not directly comparable.
- Thunderstorm wind reports start at 50 knots (58 mph). SPC began flagging measured against estimated speeds in 2006; earlier reports are shown as estimated.
Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1955 to 2025. A day is SPC’s calendar date in Central Standard Time; a severe wind day here has 300 or more damaging wind reports, or 15 or more of 75 knots (86 mph) or more.