The severe wind outbreak of May 16, 2025
700 wind reportsKentucky, Ohio, Virginia and 16 more states
700 damaging wind reports across 19 states between 3:45 AM and 12:55 AM the next day CDT, 35 of them 65 knots (75 mph) or stronger; the strongest measured gust was 82 mph in Jefferson County, KY. 435 hail reports and 27 tornadoes the same day. The 9th-most wind reports of any day since 1955.
Watch the day unfoldSevere wind day · May 16, 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.
The day in numbers
- Wind reports
- 700
- 9th of 15,807 days with wind reports since 1955
- 75 mph or more
- 35
- 4 of 86 mph (75 knots) or more
- Strongest measured gust
- 82 mph
- 71 knots, Jefferson County, KY
- Measured
- 57
- reports with an instrument reading; the rest are estimates from damage
- Killed by wind
- 3
- 2 injured
- Counties reporting
- 291
- in 19 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.
| 6:05 PM | Sussex County DE | 105 mph | Estimated |
| 11:48 AM | Gloucester County NJ | 100 mph | Estimated |
| 8:23 PM | Caldwell County KY | 93 mph | Estimated |
| 9:12 PM | Trigg County KY | 90 mph | Estimated |
| 9:48 AM | Craighead County AR | 85 mph | Estimated |
| 9:53 AM | Craighead County AR | 85 mph | Estimated |
| 8:54 PM | Marshall County KY | 85 mph | Estimated |
| 6:23 PM | Madison County IN | 83 mph | Estimated |
| 9:06 PM | Jefferson County KY | 82 mph | Measured |
| 8:21 AM | Mississippi County AR | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 8:21 AM | Mississippi County AR | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 9:54 AM | Craighead County AR | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 3:25 PM | Montgomery County IL | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 4:21 PM | Montgomery County MD | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 4:34 PM | Carroll County MD | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 4:35 PM | Baltimore County MD | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 4:38 PM | Baltimore County MD | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 4:38 PM | Baltimore County MD | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 5:55 PM | White County IN | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 5:59 PM | Trigg County KY | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 6:00 PM | Marion County IN | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 6:46 PM | Whitley County IN | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 9:15 PM | Trigg County KY | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 9:25 PM | Christian County KY | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 9:32 PM | Christian County KY | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 5:40 PM | Benton County IN | 75 mph | Measured |
| 5:52 PM | Marion County IN | 75 mph | Measured |
| 10:15 PM | Warren County KY | 75 mph | Measured |
| 2:21 PM | St. Louis County MO | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 2:41 PM | Greene County IL | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 3:05 PM | Wayne County MO | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 3:53 PM | Loudoun County VA | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 4:34 PM | Fairfax County VA | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 6:15 PM | Cass County IN | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 8:38 PM | Graves County KY | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 5:14 PM | St. Mary's County MD | 74 mph | Measured |
| 8:56 PM | Calloway County KY | 72 mph | Measured |
| 9:16 PM | Bullitt County KY | 72 mph | Measured |
| 7:10 PM | Allen County IN | 71 mph | Measured |
| 6:25 PM | Madison County IN | 71 mph | Estimated |
| 5:21 PM | Benton County IN | 70 mph | Measured |
| 8:50 PM | Graves County KY | 70 mph | Measured |
| 9:10 PM | Bullitt County KY | 70 mph | Measured |
| 12:03 AM | Randolph County WV | 70 mph | Measured |
| 11:52 AM | Atlantic County NJ | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 2:55 PM | Macoupin County IL | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 3:16 PM | Sangamon County IL | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 3:57 PM | Frederick County MD | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 3:58 PM | Carroll County MD | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 3:58 PM | Frederick County MD | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 4:02 PM | Frederick County MD | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 4:02 PM | Macon County IL | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 4:14 PM | Macon County IL | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 4:15 PM | Macon County IL | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 4:15 PM | Macon County IL | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 4:15 PM | Macon County IL | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 4:16 PM | Allegany County MD | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 4:22 PM | Montgomery County MD | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 4:25 PM | Fairfax County VA | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 4:55 PM | St. Mary's County MD | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 5:07 PM | McCracken County KY | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 5:43 PM | Cass County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 5:45 PM | Cass County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 5:46 PM | Cass County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 5:48 PM | Cass County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 5:48 PM | Cass County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:07 PM | Marion County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:29 PM | Grant County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:29 PM | Kosciusko County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:32 PM | Grant County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:33 PM | Huntington County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:34 PM | Kosciusko County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:35 PM | Wabash County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:41 PM | Fulton County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:45 PM | Kosciusko County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:45 PM | Kosciusko County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:46 PM | Huntington County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:46 PM | Kosciusko County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:50 PM | Todd County KY | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:50 PM | Grant County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:51 PM | Whitley County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:56 PM | Allen County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:58 PM | Whitley County IN | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 7:00 PM | Johnson County TX | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 7:21 PM | Berrien County MI | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 7:35 PM | Cape Girardeau County MO | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 7:50 PM | Allen County OH | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 7:55 PM | Van Wert County OH | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 8:00 PM | Allen County OH | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 8:34 PM | Hickman County KY | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 8:41 PM | Marshall County KY | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 8:44 PM | Graves County KY | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 8:52 PM | Marion County OH | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 9:17 PM | Bullitt County KY | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 9:17 PM | Muhlenberg County KY | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 10:13 PM | Warren County KY | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 4:38 PM | Arlington County VA | 69 mph | Measured |
| 11:05 AM | Philadelphia County PA | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 2:33 PM | Jefferson County MO | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 2:40 PM | Greene County IL | 69 mph | Estimated |
By state
| Kentucky | 169 | 82 mph |
| Ohio | 85 | 66 mph |
| Virginia | 79 | 69 mph |
| West Virginia | 76 | 70 mph |
| Maryland | 63 | 74 mph |
| Indiana | 61 | 75 mph |
| Illinois | 34 | 63 mph |
| Pennsylvania | 31 | — |
| North Carolina | 19 | 59 mph |
| Tennessee | 16 | — |
| Missouri | 15 | 68 mph |
| Wisconsin | 15 | 66 mph |
| Arkansas | 13 | 60 mph |
| New Jersey | 6 | — |
| New York | 6 | — |
| Texas | 5 | 66 mph |
| Michigan | 3 | — |
| Mississippi | 3 | — |
| Delaware | 1 | — |
Counties with the most wind reports
- Montgomery CountyMD · 15 reports
- Bullitt CountyKY · 11 reports
- Summit CountyOH · 9 reports
- Athens CountyOH · 8 reports
- McDowell CountyWV · 8 reports
- Suffolk cityVA · 8 reports
- Baltimore CountyMD · 8 reports
- Fairfax CountyVA · 8 reports
- Henry CountyTN · 7 reports
- Cass CountyIN · 7 reports
Hail and tornadoes that day
435 hail reports, 92 of 2 inches or more; 27 tornadoes.
| 4:40 PM | Ballard County KY | 4.50 |
| 5:32 PM | Sullivan County IN | 4.00 |
| 1:09 PM | Pulaski County MO | 3.00 |
| 1:10 PM | Pulaski County MO | 3.00 |
| 5:00 PM | Crawford County IL | 3.00 |
| 8:53 PM | Williamson County TX | 3.00 |
| 8:26 PM | Bosque County TX | 2.76 |
| 12:03 PM | Breathitt County KY | 2.75 |
| 12:42 PM | Douglas County MO | 2.75 |
| 3:34 PM | Bollinger County MO | 2.75 |
| 4:42 PM | Ballard County KY | 2.75 |
| 5:00 PM | Crawford County IL | 2.75 |
| 5:05 PM | Crawford County IL | 2.75 |
| 5:29 PM | Sullivan County IN | 2.75 |
| 6:12 PM | Owen County IN | 2.75 |
| 6:45 PM | Johnson County TX | 2.75 |
| 7:02 PM | Pulaski County IL | 2.75 |
| 7:02 PM | Pulaski County IL | 2.75 |
| 7:39 PM | Warren County KY | 2.75 |
| 7:50 PM | Warren County KY | 2.75 |
| 8:52 PM | Williamson County TX | 2.75 |
| 8:54 PM | Williamson County TX | 2.75 |
| 1:12 PM | Texas County MO | 2.50 |
| 1:25 PM | Howell County MO | 2.50 |
| 1:48 PM | Howell County MO | 2.50 |
| 2:25 PM | St. Charles County MO | 2.50 |
| 2:30 PM | Carter County MO | 2.50 |
| 2:46 PM | St. Louis County MO | 2.50 |
| 4:28 PM | Baltimore County MD | 2.50 |
| 5:23 PM | Livingston County KY | 2.50 |
| 5:28 PM | Livingston County KY | 2.50 |
| 6:01 PM | Caldwell County KY | 2.50 |
| 6:16 PM | Johnson County TX | 2.50 |
| 7:18 PM | Clay County AR | 2.50 |
| 7:45 PM | Randolph County AR | 2.50 |
| 7:46 PM | Warren County KY | 2.50 |
| 8:45 PM | Clinton County OH | 2.50 |
| 8:46 PM | Clinton County OH | 2.50 |
| 8:54 PM | Williamson County TX | 2.50 |
| 9:06 PM | Highland County OH | 2.50 |
| 9:28 PM | Henderson County TX | 2.50 |
| 9:55 PM | Highland County OH | 2.50 |
| 8:23 PM | Bosque County TX | 2.11 |
| 5:48 AM | Greene County AR | 2.00 |
| 5:50 AM | Greene County AR | 2.00 |
| 6:45 AM | Butler County MO | 2.00 |
| 8:44 AM | Jackson County KY | 2.00 |
| 9:00 AM | Jackson County KY | 2.00 |
| 9:58 AM | Breathitt County KY | 2.00 |
| 10:00 AM | Breathitt County KY | 2.00 |
- EF1 tornado7:46 AM CDT
- EF1 tornado11:42 AM CDT
- EF1 tornado1:25 PM CDT
- EF0 tornado1:52 PM CDT
- EF2 tornado2:39 PM CDT · 4 killed
- EF2 tornado2:53 PM CDT
- EF3 tornado3:54 PM CDT · 2 killed
- EF0 tornado3:59 PM CDT
- EF2 tornado4:03 PM CDT
- EF1 tornado4:51 PM CDT
- EF2 tornado5:44 PM CDT · 1 killed
- EF1 tornado5:52 PM CDT
- EF1 tornado5:54 PM CDT
- EF1 tornado6:15 PM CDT
- EF4 tornado6:15 PM CDT
- EF2 tornado6:27 PM CDT
- EF1 tornado6:38 PM CDT
- EF1 tornado6:40 PM CDT
- EF2 tornado6:42 PM CDT
- EF1 tornado6:48 PM CDT
- EF2 tornado6:56 PM CDT
- EF0 tornado6:58 PM CDT
- EF1 tornado7:02 PM CDT
- EF3 tornado7:16 PM CDT
- EF2 tornado9:26 PM CDT
- EF4 tornado9:27 PM CDT · 18 killed
- EF1 tornado9:55 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.