The severe wind outbreak of May 25, 2011
476 wind reportsIllinois, Indiana, Kentucky and 12 more states
476 damaging wind reports across 15 states between 1:05 AM and 12:50 AM the next day CDT, 49 of them 65 knots (75 mph) or stronger; the strongest measured gust was 91 mph in Posey County, IN. 472 hail reports and 94 tornadoes the same day.
Watch the day unfoldSevere wind day · May 25, 2011
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
- 476
- 46th of 15,807 days with wind reports since 1955
- 75 mph or more
- 49
- 10 of 86 mph (75 knots) or more
- Strongest measured gust
- 91 mph
- 79 knots, Posey County, IN
- Measured
- 50
- reports with an instrument reading; the rest are estimates from damage
- Killed by wind
- 0
- 4 injured
- Counties reporting
- 260
- in 15 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.
| 7:16 PM | Pope County IL | 100 mph | Estimated |
| 9:10 PM | Trigg County KY | 100 mph | Estimated |
| 10:30 PM | Allegany County NY | 92 mph | Estimated |
| 7:55 PM | Posey County IN | 91 mph | Measured |
| 5:50 PM | Stoddard County MO | 90 mph | Estimated |
| 6:50 PM | Lake County TN | 90 mph | Estimated |
| 7:36 PM | Gallatin County IL | 90 mph | Estimated |
| 8:30 PM | Calloway County KY | 90 mph | Estimated |
| 11:29 PM | Campbell County KY | 90 mph | Estimated |
| 6:28 PM | Lincoln County AR | 89 mph | Measured |
| 8:45 PM | Webster County KY | 85 mph | Estimated |
| 11:40 PM | Lawrence County TN | 84 mph | Estimated |
| 10:00 PM | Hamilton County IN | 82 mph | Measured |
| 6:28 PM | Perry County IL | 81 mph | Measured |
| 8:30 PM | Vigo County IN | 81 mph | Measured |
| 7:40 AM | Piatt County IL | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 5:48 PM | Bollinger County MO | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 6:30 PM | Cape Girardeau County MO | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 6:38 PM | Franklin County IL | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 7:01 PM | Franklin County IL | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 7:20 PM | Clay County IL | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 7:26 PM | Saline County IL | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 7:38 PM | Obion County TN | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 8:15 PM | Vanderburgh County IN | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 8:34 PM | Webster County KY | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 8:45 PM | Owen County IN | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 9:05 PM | Hopkins County KY | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 9:15 PM | Henry County TN | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 9:25 PM | Lafayette County MS | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 9:45 PM | Boone County IN | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 11:20 PM | Butler County OH | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 8:58 PM | Chicot County AR | 79 mph | Estimated |
| 9:10 PM | Washington County MS | 79 mph | Estimated |
| 4:13 PM | Decatur County IN | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 4:27 PM | Decatur County IN | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 4:30 PM | Decatur County IN | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 4:35 PM | Decatur County IN | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 4:37 PM | Decatur County IN | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 6:54 PM | Union County IL | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 7:30 PM | Fulton County KY | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 8:00 PM | Graves County KY | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 9:31 PM | Clinton County IN | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 9:35 PM | Montgomery County IN | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 9:40 PM | Trigg County KY | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 9:45 PM | Monroe County IN | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 9:50 PM | Monroe County IN | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 10:28 PM | Henry County IN | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 10:46 PM | Logan County KY | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 11:15 PM | Butler County OH | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 7:25 PM | McCracken County KY | 70 mph | Measured |
| 7:52 PM | Marshall County KY | 70 mph | Measured |
| 8:25 PM | Sullivan County IN | 70 mph | Measured |
| 5:41 AM | Sangamon County IL | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 9:48 AM | Tippecanoe County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 1:33 PM | Webster County MO | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 2:03 PM | Daviess County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 3:20 PM | Phelps County MO | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 3:45 PM | Bartholomew County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 3:55 PM | Bartholomew County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 4:18 PM | Decatur County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 4:30 PM | Decatur County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 4:32 PM | Decatur County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 4:50 PM | St. Francois County MO | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 5:40 PM | Warren County IL | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:42 PM | Johnson County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:46 PM | Union County IL | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 7:05 PM | Johnson County IL | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 7:12 PM | Johnson County IL | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 7:17 PM | Ballard County KY | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 7:25 PM | White County IL | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 7:45 PM | White County IL | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 8:08 PM | Gibson County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 8:24 PM | Warrick County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 8:30 PM | Warrick County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 8:34 PM | Darke County OH | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 8:36 PM | Decatur County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 8:56 PM | Hopkins County KY | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 9:05 PM | Martin County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 9:27 PM | Crawford County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 9:46 PM | Ohio County KY | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 9:48 PM | Carroll County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 10:00 PM | McKean County PA | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 10:15 PM | Shelby County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 10:38 PM | Colbert County AL | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 10:43 PM | Franklin County AL | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 10:48 PM | Colbert County AL | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 10:53 PM | Delaware County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 11:08 PM | Lauderdale County AL | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 11:20 PM | Lawrence County TN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 9:25 PM | Daviess County IN | 69 mph | Measured |
| 5:50 PM | Dunklin County MO | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 6:05 PM | Dunklin County MO | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 6:34 PM | Union County IL | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 6:50 PM | Pemiscot County MO | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 8:50 PM | Tallahatchie County MS | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 10:20 PM | Alcorn County MS | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 10:37 PM | Lee County MS | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 11:22 PM | Butler County OH | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 11:55 PM | Clinton County OH | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 12:24 AM | Fayette County OH | 69 mph | Estimated |
By state
Counties with the most wind reports
- Decatur CountyIN · 9 reports
- Limestone CountyAL · 9 reports
- Lawrence CountyTN · 7 reports
- Champaign CountyIL · 6 reports
- Summit CountyOH · 6 reports
- Peoria CountyIL · 6 reports
- Butler CountyOH · 5 reports
- Lake CountyOH · 5 reports
- Sumner CountyTN · 5 reports
- Lauderdale CountyAL · 5 reports
Hail and tornadoes that day
472 hail reports, 41 of 2 inches or more; 94 tornadoes.
| 4:25 PM | St. Louis County MO | 4.50 |
| 4:28 PM | St. Louis MO | 4.50 |
| 7:43 PM | Henry County IN | 4.25 |
| 4:24 PM | Decatur County IN | 4.00 |
| 11:40 PM | Liberty County TX | 4.00 |
| 12:28 PM | Polk County MO | 3.00 |
| 4:15 PM | St. Louis County MO | 3.00 |
| 5:10 PM | Franklin County IN | 3.00 |
| 6:11 PM | Montgomery County OH | 3.00 |
| 11:00 PM | Montgomery County TX | 3.00 |
| 11:32 PM | Liberty County TX | 3.00 |
| 12:19 PM | Greene County MO | 2.75 |
| 12:25 PM | Greene County MO | 2.75 |
| 2:59 PM | Lawrence County IN | 2.75 |
| 3:29 PM | Jefferson County MO | 2.75 |
| 3:43 PM | Hancock County OH | 2.75 |
| 4:15 PM | Decatur County IN | 2.75 |
| 4:15 PM | St. Louis County MO | 2.75 |
| 4:20 PM | St. Louis County MO | 2.75 |
| 4:32 PM | St. Louis MO | 2.75 |
| 4:41 PM | Sandusky County OH | 2.75 |
| 6:13 PM | Johnson County IN | 2.75 |
| 6:28 PM | Greene County OH | 2.75 |
| 6:49 PM | Lawrence County IN | 2.75 |
| 6:54 PM | Lawrence County IN | 2.75 |
| 12:55 AM | Colorado County TX | 2.75 |
| 2:13 PM | Daviess County IN | 2.50 |
| 3:10 PM | Lawrence County IN | 2.50 |
| 6:04 PM | Montgomery County OH | 2.50 |
| 11:50 PM | Rapides Parish LA | 2.50 |
| 12:07 AM | Rapides Parish LA | 2.50 |
| 1:53 PM | Marion County IN | 2.00 |
| 4:14 PM | Independence County AR | 2.00 |
| 4:28 PM | Decatur County IN | 2.00 |
| 5:00 PM | Erie County OH | 2.00 |
| 5:14 PM | Cleveland County AR | 2.00 |
| 6:14 PM | Montgomery County OH | 2.00 |
| 6:17 PM | Greene County OH | 2.00 |
| 6:20 PM | Johnson County IN | 2.00 |
| 6:33 PM | Greene County OH | 2.00 |
| 7:35 PM | Henry County IN | 2.00 |
| 4:15 AM | Williamson County TX | 1.75 |
| 10:10 AM | Tippecanoe County IN | 1.75 |
| 10:20 AM | Carroll County IN | 1.75 |
| 12:10 PM | Benton County MO | 1.75 |
| 12:15 PM | Greene County MO | 1.75 |
| 12:25 PM | Camden County MO | 1.75 |
| 12:30 PM | Polk County MO | 1.75 |
| 12:42 PM | Camden County MO | 1.75 |
| 12:42 PM | Polk County MO | 1.75 |
The tornado outbreak of May 25, 2011: 94 tornadoes, each with its touchdown time and path.
2011 · 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.