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The severe wind outbreak of May 21, 2004

306 wind reportsOhio, Michigan, West Virginia and 11 more states

306 damaging wind reports across 14 states between 1:00 AM and 11:58 PM CDT, 13 of them 65 knots (75 mph) or stronger. 411 hail reports and 24 tornadoes the same day.

Watch the day unfold

Severe wind day · May 21, 2004

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.

About this replay
Central time—Historical replay — logged report times
Wind reports—of 306 that day
Strongest gust—measured, so far
Largest hail—so far

The day in numbers

Wind reports
306
on Friday, May 21, 2004
75 mph or more
13
2 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
3
11 injured
Counties reporting
186
in 14 states

Hour by hour

Damaging wind reports in each hour, Central Daylight Time.

Wind reports per hour, May 21, 2004 1 AM: 2 2 AM: 5 3 AM: 4 4 AM: 12 5 AM: 12 6 AM: 11 7 AM: 9 8 AM: 6 9 AM: 15 10 AM: 7 11 AM: 0 Noon: 15 1 PM: 18 2 PM: 31 31 3 PM: 17 4 PM: 24 5 PM: 22 6 PM: 20 7 PM: 22 8 PM: 22 9 PM: 21 10 PM: 8 11 PM: 3 1 AM4 AM7 AM10 AM1 PM4 PM7 PM10 PM

The strongest winds

The 100 strongest reports with a speed. Measured gusts come from an instrument; estimated speeds are judged from damage.

Strongest wind reports, May 21, 2004
2:20 PMMonroe County MI96 mph83Estimated0
8:18 AMWashington County WI90 mph78Estimated0
2:15 PMWashtenaw County MI81 mph70Estimated0
4:05 PMCuyahoga County OH81 mph70Estimated0
7:43 PMFord County KS81 mph70Estimated0
9:00 PMWinchester VA81 mph70Estimated0
5:30 AMOhio County WV79 mph69Estimated0
12:41 PMSt. Joseph County MI78 mph68Estimated0
8:48 AMOzaukee County WI75 mph65Estimated0
1:00 PMSt. Joseph County MI75 mph65Estimated1
1:02 PMSt. Joseph County MI75 mph65Estimated1
2:00 PMWashtenaw County MI75 mph65Estimated0
2:56 PMMacomb County MI75 mph65Estimated0
8:05 PMGarrett County MD72 mph63Estimated0
10:15 AMCook County IL70 mph61Estimated0
12:41 PMElkhart County IN70 mph61Estimated0
1:50 PMLenawee County MI70 mph61Estimated0
2:13 PMAllen County IN70 mph61Estimated0
2:28 PMWayne County MI70 mph61Estimated0
3:50 PMCrawford County OH70 mph61Estimated0
9:43 PMBremer County IA70 mph61Estimated0
10:00 PMDakota County NE70 mph61Estimated0
10:15 PMWoodbury County IA70 mph61Estimated0
12:05 PMBerrien County MI69 mph60Estimated0
12:14 PMBerrien County MI69 mph60Estimated0
12:14 PMBerrien County MI69 mph60Estimated0
12:15 PMBerrien County MI69 mph60Estimated1
12:20 PMCass County MI69 mph60Estimated0
12:30 PMBarry County MI69 mph60Estimated0
12:30 PMAllegan County MI69 mph60Estimated0
1:01 PMLaGrange County IN69 mph60Estimated0
1:18 PMBranch County MI69 mph60Estimated0
1:40 PMHillsdale County MI69 mph60Estimated0
2:20 PMWashtenaw County MI69 mph60Estimated0
2:25 PMOakland County MI69 mph60Estimated0
3:06 PMVan Wert County OH69 mph60Estimated0
7:30 PMPreston County WV69 mph60Estimated0
8:00 PMGreenbrier County WV69 mph60Estimated0
10:27 PMThurston County NE69 mph60Estimated0
2:32 PMWood County OH67 mph58Estimated0
2:25 PMFayette County IA66 mph57Estimated0
2:53 PMFranklin County IA66 mph57Estimated0
4:10 PMTama County IA66 mph57Estimated0
8:05 PMWright County IA66 mph57Estimated0
9:10 AMWalworth County WI64 mph56Estimated0
9:50 AMRacine County WI64 mph56Estimated0
12:20 PMVan Buren County MI64 mph56Estimated0
12:55 PMBarry County MI64 mph56Estimated0
1:35 PMShiawassee County MI64 mph56Estimated0
1:55 PMWashtenaw County MI64 mph56Estimated0
2:20 PMWashtenaw County MI64 mph56Estimated0
2:25 PMWayne County MI64 mph56Estimated0
2:35 PMWayne County MI64 mph56Estimated0
2:50 PMOakland County MI64 mph56Estimated0
3:15 PMMacomb County MI64 mph56Estimated0
5:13 PMWaukesha County WI64 mph56Estimated0
7:30 AMGrant County WV63 mph55Estimated0
7:35 AMAllegany County MD63 mph55Estimated0
7:35 AMMineral County WV63 mph55Estimated0
9:40 AMKane County IL63 mph55Estimated0
9:50 AMLake County IL63 mph55Estimated0
9:55 AMLake County IL63 mph55Estimated0
10:09 AMCook County IL63 mph55Estimated0
10:15 AMDuPage County IL63 mph55Estimated0
10:25 AMDuPage County IL63 mph55Estimated0
12:05 PMOttawa County MI63 mph55Estimated0
12:45 PMElkhart County IN63 mph55Estimated0
1:10 PMElkhart County IN63 mph55Estimated0
1:30 PMSteuben County IN63 mph55Estimated0
1:37 PMNoble County IN63 mph55Estimated0
2:00 PMLenawee County MI63 mph55Estimated0
2:10 PMFulton County OH63 mph55Estimated0
2:30 PMWashtenaw County MI63 mph55Estimated0
2:30 PMDeKalb County IN63 mph55Estimated0
2:40 PMOakland County MI63 mph55Estimated0
2:44 PMAllen County IN63 mph55Estimated0
2:56 PMVan Wert County OH63 mph55Estimated0
3:10 PMPaulding County OH63 mph55Estimated0
3:20 PMPutnam County OH63 mph55Estimated0
4:30 PMPortage County OH63 mph55Estimated0
5:10 PMLicking County OH63 mph55Estimated0
5:30 PMLinn County IA63 mph55Estimated0
6:30 PMJefferson County WV63 mph55Estimated0
8:04 PMAllegany County MD63 mph55Estimated0
8:15 PMMineral County WV63 mph55Estimated0
8:30 PMMorgan County WV63 mph55Estimated0
8:40 PMHampshire County WV63 mph55Estimated0
9:10 PMFrederick County VA63 mph55Estimated0
9:10 PMBerkeley County WV63 mph55Estimated0
9:30 PMFauquier County VA63 mph55Estimated0
9:35 PMJefferson County WV63 mph55Estimated0
9:40 PMLoudoun County VA63 mph55Estimated0
10:05 PMAugusta County VA63 mph55Estimated0
11:15 PMBoone County NE63 mph55Estimated0
2:15 PMLivingston County MI62 mph54Estimated0
9:10 AMBoone County IL61 mph53Estimated0
1:10 PMCalhoun County MI61 mph53Estimated0
1:46 PMIngham County MI61 mph53Estimated0
2:05 PMWashtenaw County MI61 mph53Estimated0
3:35 PMLorain County OH61 mph53Estimated0

By state

Severe weather reports by state, May 21, 2004
Ohio78—492.00
Michigan55—332.00
West Virginia46—51.00
Pennsylvania36—31.00
Illinois21—141.75
Iowa18—1144.25
Virginia16—101.75
Wisconsin14—71.75
Indiana12—71.00
Maryland4—10.75
Nebraska3—483.00
Kansas1—442.75
District of Columbia1—0—
Georgia1—0—
South Dakota0—352.75
Texas0—124.25
Minnesota0—101.00
Oklahoma0—82.75
Wyoming0—41.50
Montana0—31.00
Florida0—11.00
North Carolina0—10.75
North Dakota0—10.88
Washington0—10.75

Counties with the most wind reports

Hail and tornadoes that day

411 hail reports, 19 of 2 inches or more; 24 tornadoes.

Largest hail, May 21, 2004
11:05 AMClay County IA4.25
5:19 PMClay County IA4.25
6:43 PMOchiltree County TX4.25
9:43 PMLoup County NE3.00
11:06 AMClay County IA2.75
3:22 PMMeade County SD2.75
5:19 PMClay County IA2.75
5:53 PMPennington County SD2.75
6:57 PMBeaver County OK2.75
7:19 PMOsborne County KS2.75
8:44 PMBrown County NE2.75
9:01 PMPlymouth County IA2.75
11:00 AMClay County IA2.50
3:36 PMMeade County SD2.50
1:20 PMWashtenaw County MI2.00
4:15 PMLicking County OH2.00
6:40 PMFord County KS2.00
8:30 PMOchiltree County TX2.00
8:40 PMJackson County MI2.00
10:36 AMO'Brien County IA1.75
10:40 AMClay County IA1.75
10:51 AMClay County IA1.75
11:15 AMClay County IA1.75
11:30 AMPalo Alto County IA1.75
12:50 PMLenawee County MI1.75
1:13 PMVernon County WI1.75
1:30 PMWayne County MI1.75
1:42 PMWood County OH1.75
2:10 PMAlleghany County VA1.75
2:30 PMHardin County IA1.75
2:30 PMBotetourt County VA1.75
2:40 PMHardin County IA1.75
2:53 PMGrundy County IA1.75
3:30 PMBlack Hawk County IA1.75
3:42 PMGrundy County IA1.75
3:43 PMBenton County IA1.75
4:08 PMDelaware County OH1.75
4:11 PMPlymouth County IA1.75
4:20 PMMeade County SD1.75
4:43 PMLinn County IA1.75
4:54 PMLinn County IA1.75
4:57 PMO'Brien County IA1.75
5:17 PMClay County IA1.75
5:24 PMMorrill County NE1.75
5:52 PMJones County IA1.75
6:00 PMPennington County SD1.75
6:02 PMGrundy County IA1.75
6:10 PMOchiltree County TX1.75
6:10 PMGray County KS1.75
6:18 PMOchiltree County TX1.75
  • F0 tornado2:28 PM CDT
  • F1 tornado2:38 PM CDT
  • F0 tornado2:49 PM CDT
  • F0 tornado3:02 PM CDT
  • F0 tornado3:15 PM CDT
  • F0 tornado3:21 PM CDT
  • F0 tornado3:22 PM CDT
  • F0 tornado4:05 PM CDT
  • F0 tornado4:07 PM CDT
  • F1 tornado4:13 PM CDT
  • F3 tornado4:22 PM CDT
  • F0 tornado4:44 PM CDT
  • F1 tornado5:06 PM CDT
  • F1 tornado5:12 PM CDT
  • F1 tornado6:00 PM CDT
  • F2 tornado6:08 PM CDT
  • F0 tornado6:16 PM CDT
  • F0 tornado7:30 PM CDT
  • F0 tornado8:14 PM CDT
  • F1 tornado8:20 PM CDT
  • F0 tornado8:44 PM CDT
  • F1 tornado9:20 PM CDT
  • F0 tornado9:20 PM CDT
  • F0 tornado10:13 PM CDT

2004 · On this date in other years · The biggest severe wind days

  1. 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.
  2. Reporting has grown with population, spotter networks and the internet, so counts from different decades are not directly comparable.
  3. 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.