The severe wind outbreak of May 15, 2025

315 wind reportsIllinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and 5 more states

315 damaging wind reports across 8 states between 1:02 AM and 12:35 AM the next day CDT, 16 of them 65 knots (75 mph) or stronger; the strongest measured gust was 79 mph in Grundy County, IL. 238 hail reports and 35 tornadoes the same day.

Watch the day unfold

Severe wind day · May 15, 2025

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 315 that day

Strongest gust—measured, so far

Largest hail—so far

The day’s milestones

Wind reportsLarger and brighter with speed; filled when measured, a ring when estimated

Hail and tornadoesHail reports as diamonds; the day's tornado paths in green

Counties reportingLit at their first report, brighter with a 65-knot gust or 2-inch hail

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database (wind, hail and tornado reports with their logged times and places). Each report is a damage or measurement report, not a separate storm; several can describe one gust front. Tornado paths are drawn at a typical forward speed of 35 mph. Times are Central Daylight Time.

The day in numbers

Wind reports: 315; on Thursday, May 15, 2025
75 mph or more: 16; 2 of 86 mph (75 knots) or more
Strongest measured gust: 79 mph; 69 knots, Grundy County, IL
Measured: 66; reports with an instrument reading; the rest are estimates from damage
Killed by wind: 0; 0 injured
Counties reporting: 113; in 8 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.

Strongest wind reports, May 15, 2025

4:58 PM	Rusk County WI	100 mph	87	Estimated
9:06 PM	Ottawa County MI	100 mph	87	Estimated
10:01 PM	Dunn County WI	85 mph	74	Estimated
7:44 PM	Grundy County IL	79 mph	69	Measured
10:09 PM	Calhoun County MI	76 mph	66	Measured
4:21 PM	Chippewa County WI	75 mph	65	Measured
5:41 PM	Bayfield County WI	75 mph	65	Measured
7:47 PM	Livingston County IL	75 mph	65	Estimated
9:19 PM	Ottawa County MI	75 mph	65	Estimated
9:23 PM	Ottawa County MI	75 mph	65	Estimated
9:34 PM	Van Buren County MI	75 mph	65	Estimated
9:53 PM	Kalamazoo County MI	75 mph	65	Estimated
10:10 PM	Barry County MI	75 mph	65	Estimated
10:23 PM	Eaton County MI	75 mph	65	Estimated
10:46 PM	Ingham County MI	75 mph	65	Estimated
10:46 PM	Chippewa County WI	75 mph	65	Estimated
8:01 PM	Kankakee County IL	74 mph	64	Measured
8:32 PM	Cook County MN	74 mph	64	Measured
3:17 AM	Pipestone County MN	72 mph	63	Measured
3:56 PM	Pennington County MN	72 mph	63	Measured
5:55 PM	Dodge County WI	72 mph	63	Measured
8:20 PM	Cook County IL	72 mph	63	Measured
8:56 PM	Muskegon County MI	72 mph	63	Measured
9:25 PM	Berrien County MI	72 mph	63	Measured
5:01 PM	Rusk County WI	70 mph	61	Estimated
6:23 PM	Menard County IL	70 mph	61	Estimated
6:26 PM	Menard County IL	70 mph	61	Estimated
6:30 PM	Woodford County IL	70 mph	61	Estimated
6:35 PM	Logan County IL	70 mph	61	Estimated
6:38 PM	Logan County IL	70 mph	61	Estimated
6:38 PM	Logan County IL	70 mph	61	Estimated
6:47 PM	Logan County IL	70 mph	61	Estimated
7:00 PM	Racine County WI	70 mph	61	Estimated
7:15 PM	Sangamon County IL	70 mph	61	Estimated
7:40 PM	Macon County IL	70 mph	61	Estimated
7:40 PM	Macon County IL	70 mph	61	Estimated
7:40 PM	Macon County IL	70 mph	61	Estimated
9:07 PM	Newaygo County MI	70 mph	61	Estimated
9:12 PM	Allegan County MI	70 mph	61	Estimated
9:25 PM	Van Buren County MI	70 mph	61	Estimated
9:37 PM	Allegan County MI	70 mph	61	Estimated
9:38 PM	Allegan County MI	70 mph	61	Estimated
9:47 PM	Barry County MI	70 mph	61	Estimated
9:49 PM	Kalamazoo County MI	70 mph	61	Estimated
9:50 PM	Kalamazoo County MI	70 mph	61	Estimated
9:59 PM	Barry County MI	70 mph	61	Estimated
10:16 PM	Ionia County MI	70 mph	61	Estimated
10:28 PM	Eaton County MI	70 mph	61	Estimated
10:32 PM	Calhoun County MI	70 mph	61	Estimated
10:36 PM	Eaton County MI	70 mph	61	Estimated
11:23 PM	Jackson County MI	70 mph	61	Estimated
11:27 PM	Oakland County MI	70 mph	61	Estimated
11:53 PM	Lapeer County MI	70 mph	61	Estimated
3:50 AM	Deuel County SD	69 mph	60	Measured
5:38 PM	Bayfield County WI	69 mph	60	Measured
6:59 PM	DeKalb County IL	69 mph	60	Measured
4:05 PM	Pennington County MN	69 mph	60	Estimated
4:20 PM	Morrison County MN	69 mph	60	Estimated
6:00 PM	Lee County IL	69 mph	60	Estimated
6:05 PM	Ogle County IL	69 mph	60	Estimated
6:16 PM	Ogle County IL	69 mph	60	Estimated
6:31 PM	Lake County IL	69 mph	60	Estimated
6:32 PM	Lake County MN	69 mph	60	Estimated
6:36 PM	DeKalb County IL	69 mph	60	Estimated
6:37 PM	Lake County IL	69 mph	60	Estimated
6:41 PM	DeKalb County IL	69 mph	60	Estimated
7:02 PM	McHenry County IL	69 mph	60	Estimated
7:18 PM	Cook County MN	69 mph	60	Estimated
7:31 PM	DuPage County IL	69 mph	60	Estimated
7:33 PM	Grundy County IL	69 mph	60	Estimated
7:35 PM	DuPage County IL	69 mph	60	Estimated
7:38 PM	Grundy County IL	69 mph	60	Estimated
7:45 PM	Cook County IL	69 mph	60	Estimated
7:45 PM	Will County IL	69 mph	60	Estimated
7:46 PM	Will County IL	69 mph	60	Estimated
7:46 PM	Cook County IL	69 mph	60	Estimated
7:47 PM	Livingston County IL	69 mph	60	Estimated
7:52 PM	Will County IL	69 mph	60	Estimated
7:52 PM	Will County IL	69 mph	60	Estimated
7:52 PM	Cook County IL	69 mph	60	Estimated
8:01 PM	Will County IL	69 mph	60	Estimated
8:03 PM	Cook County IL	69 mph	60	Estimated
8:05 PM	Cook County IL	69 mph	60	Estimated
8:05 PM	Cook County IL	69 mph	60	Estimated
8:05 PM	Cook County IL	69 mph	60	Estimated
8:06 PM	Cook County IL	69 mph	60	Estimated
8:10 PM	Cook County IL	69 mph	60	Estimated
8:14 PM	Cook County IL	69 mph	60	Estimated
8:20 PM	Cook County IL	69 mph	60	Estimated
8:22 PM	Will County IL	69 mph	60	Estimated
8:24 PM	Cook County IL	69 mph	60	Estimated
8:33 PM	Lake County IN	69 mph	60	Estimated
8:33 PM	Lake County IN	69 mph	60	Estimated
8:36 PM	Lake County IN	69 mph	60	Estimated
8:41 PM	Lake County IN	69 mph	60	Estimated
8:42 PM	Lake County IN	69 mph	60	Estimated
8:42 PM	Porter County IN	69 mph	60	Estimated
8:46 PM	Porter County IN	69 mph	60	Estimated
8:50 PM	Porter County IN	69 mph	60	Estimated
8:19 PM	Cook County IL	68 mph	59	Measured

By state

Severe weather reports by state, May 15, 2025

Illinois	110	79 mph	66	3.00
Michigan	88	76 mph	2	0.88
Wisconsin	49	75 mph	143	4.00
Minnesota	40	74 mph	8	1.50
Indiana	15	66 mph	0	—
South Dakota	9	69 mph	0	—
North Carolina	2	—	8	2.50
North Dakota	2	—	0	—
Virginia	0	—	8	2.00
Arkansas	0	—	1	1.25
Oklahoma	0	—	1	1.25
South Carolina	0	—	1	0.88

Counties with the most wind reports

Cook CountyIL · 32 reports
Will CountyIL · 16 reports
Kalamazoo CountyMI · 8 reports
Lake CountyIN · 7 reports
Macon CountyIL · 6 reports
Berrien CountyMI · 6 reports
Ogle CountyIL · 6 reports
Logan CountyIL · 6 reports
Lake CountyMN · 6 reports
Porter CountyIN · 5 reports

Hail and tornadoes that day

238 hail reports, 29 of 2 inches or more; 35 tornadoes.

Largest hail, May 15, 2025

4:15 PM	Eau Claire County WI	4.00
7:41 PM	Livingston County IL	3.00
4:05 PM	Eau Claire County WI	2.75
6:13 PM	Racine County WI	2.75
7:44 PM	Livingston County IL	2.75
5:25 PM	Pitt County NC	2.50
6:14 PM	Jefferson County WI	2.50
7:05 PM	McLean County IL	2.50
7:38 PM	Livingston County IL	2.50
4:20 PM	Eau Claire County WI	2.25
4:50 PM	Dane County WI	2.25
4:02 PM	Eau Claire County WI	2.00
4:08 PM	Dane County WI	2.00
4:17 PM	Chippewa County WI	2.00
4:18 PM	Clark County WI	2.00
4:25 PM	Dane County WI	2.00
5:38 PM	Bureau County IL	2.00
6:08 PM	Walworth County WI	2.00
6:15 PM	Dodge County WI	2.00
6:23 PM	Albemarle County VA	2.00
6:26 PM	Dodge County WI	2.00
6:38 PM	Logan County IL	2.00
6:41 PM	Lake County IL	2.00
6:42 PM	Waukesha County WI	2.00
6:53 PM	Kenosha County WI	2.00
6:54 PM	Lake County IL	2.00
7:05 PM	McLean County IL	2.00
7:06 PM	McLean County IL	2.00
7:08 PM	McLean County IL	2.00
4:02 PM	Sauk County WI	1.75
4:08 PM	Dane County WI	1.75
4:08 PM	Jackson County WI	1.75
4:13 PM	Adams County WI	1.75
4:13 PM	Juneau County WI	1.75
4:16 PM	Dane County WI	1.75
4:22 PM	Chippewa County WI	1.75
4:25 PM	Adams County WI	1.75
4:28 PM	Dane County WI	1.75
4:35 PM	Sauk County WI	1.75
4:51 PM	Dane County WI	1.75
4:55 PM	Sauk County WI	1.75
5:11 PM	Harrisonburg VA	1.75
5:25 PM	Henry County IL	1.75
5:39 PM	Tyrrell County NC	1.75
6:10 PM	Marathon County WI	1.75
6:14 PM	Jefferson County WI	1.75
6:29 PM	Menard County IL	1.75
6:38 PM	Logan County IL	1.75
6:40 PM	Lake County IL	1.75
6:42 PM	Albemarle County VA	1.75

EF0 tornado1:05 PM CDT
EF0 tornado1:28 PM CDT
EF1 tornado1:34 PM CDT
EF0 tornado2:43 PM CDT
EFU tornado3:08 PM CDT
EF2 tornado3:26 PM CDT
EF0 tornado4:05 PM CDT
EFU tornado4:28 PM CDT
EFU tornado4:42 PM CDT
EF1 tornado4:47 PM CDT
EF0 tornado4:55 PM CDT
EF1 tornado5:08 PM CDT
EFU tornado5:09 PM CDT
EF2 tornado5:21 PM CDT
EF1 tornado5:32 PM CDT
EF2 tornado5:38 PM CDT
EF0 tornado5:41 PM CDT
EF1 tornado5:48 PM CDT
EF0 tornado5:52 PM CDT
EF2 tornado5:57 PM CDT
EF1 tornado6:08 PM CDT
EF1 tornado6:09 PM CDT
EF0 tornado6:22 PM CDT
EF0 tornado9:24 PM CDT
EF1 tornado9:28 PM CDT
EF1 tornado9:41 PM CDT
EF1 tornado9:50 PM CDT
EF1 tornado9:51 PM CDT
EF0 tornado9:59 PM CDT
EF0 tornado10:11 PM CDT
EF1 tornado10:25 PM CDT
EF1 tornado11:03 PM CDT
EF0 tornado11:05 PM CDT
EF0 tornado11:11 PM CDT
EF0 tornado11:35 PM CDT

2025 · 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.