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The severe wind outbreak of May 20, 2025

321 wind reportsAlabama, Kentucky, Tennessee and 13 more states

321 damaging wind reports across 16 states between 1:03 AM and 12:55 AM the next day CDT, 11 of them 65 knots (75 mph) or stronger; the strongest measured gust was 72 mph in Knox County, TN. 152 hail reports and 39 tornadoes the same day.

Watch the day unfold

Severe wind day · May 20, 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 321 that day
Strongest gust—measured, so far
Largest hail—so far

The day in numbers

Wind reports
321
on Tuesday, May 20, 2025
75 mph or more
11
3 of 86 mph (75 knots) or more
Strongest measured gust
72 mph
63 knots, Knox County, TN
Measured
9
reports with an instrument reading; the rest are estimates from damage
Killed by wind
0
2 injured
Counties reporting
146
in 16 states

Hour by hour

Damaging wind reports in each hour, Central Daylight Time.

Wind reports per hour, May 20, 2025 1 AM: 8 2 AM: 2 3 AM: 1 4 AM: 2 5 AM: 0 6 AM: 0 7 AM: 2 8 AM: 2 9 AM: 3 10 AM: 1 11 AM: 0 Noon: 0 1 PM: 5 2 PM: 25 3 PM: 19 4 PM: 38 5 PM: 52 52 6 PM: 19 7 PM: 15 8 PM: 43 9 PM: 38 10 PM: 21 11 PM: 12 Midnight: 13 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 20, 2025
6:51 PMMadison County AL94 mph82Estimated0
1:53 AMJohnson County IL90 mph78Estimated0
6:50 PMVermilion County IL90 mph78Estimated0
4:40 PMStewart County TN85 mph74Estimated0
1:12 AMCape Girardeau County MO81 mph70Estimated0
1:50 AMUnion County IL81 mph70Estimated0
1:58 PMRoane County TN81 mph70Estimated0
5:03 PMCarroll County TN81 mph70Estimated0
5:17 PMRutherford County TN81 mph70Estimated0
4:00 PMHickman County TN75 mph65Estimated0
4:46 PMStewart County TN75 mph65Estimated0
8:06 AMMarshall County MS74 mph64Estimated0
9:10 PMKnox County TN72 mph63Measured0
1:03 AMCape Girardeau County MO70 mph61Estimated0
1:11 AMJackson County IL70 mph61Estimated0
10:30 AMWayne County TN70 mph61Estimated0
2:07 PMRock Island County IL70 mph61Estimated0
3:14 PMMadison County TN70 mph61Estimated0
3:25 PMPerry County TN70 mph61Estimated0
3:27 PMHamblen County TN70 mph61Estimated0
3:50 PMHickman County TN70 mph61Estimated0
3:54 PMGraves County KY70 mph61Estimated0
4:10 PMGreene County TN70 mph61Estimated0
4:13 PMGreene County TN70 mph61Estimated0
4:17 PMCalloway County KY70 mph61Estimated0
5:02 PMMuhlenberg County KY70 mph61Estimated0
5:15 PMRobertson County TN70 mph61Estimated0
5:19 PMRutherford County TN70 mph61Estimated0
5:34 PMLawrence County AL70 mph61Estimated0
5:45 PMHickman County TN70 mph61Estimated0
5:50 PMDavidson County TN70 mph61Estimated0
5:50 PMBedford County TN70 mph61Estimated0
5:51 PMHickman County TN70 mph61Estimated0
5:55 PMRobertson County TN70 mph61Estimated0
5:56 PMSumner County TN70 mph61Estimated0
6:15 PMWilliamson County TN70 mph61Estimated0
7:40 PMPutnam County TN70 mph61Estimated0
9:15 PMKnox County TN70 mph61Estimated0
11:03 PMSt. Clair County AL70 mph61Estimated0
11:19 PMCalhoun County AL70 mph61Estimated0
8:32 PMMadison County MS69 mph60Estimated0
8:56 PMLeake County MS69 mph60Estimated0
2:30 PMArkansas County AR66 mph57Measured0
1:45 AMChoctaw County OK64 mph56Measured0
2:30 AMMcCurtain County OK64 mph56Estimated0
3:00 AMMcCurtain County OK64 mph56Estimated0
2:08 PMHenry County IL64 mph56Estimated0
4:39 PMChristian County KY64 mph56Estimated0
11:45 PMCalhoun County AL64 mph56Estimated0
5:00 PMLogan County KY63 mph55Estimated0
6:16 PMWashington County MS63 mph55Estimated0
10:15 PMHarlan County KY61 mph53Measured0
1:24 PMMorgan County IL60 mph52Measured0
1:44 AMWilliamson County IL60 mph52Estimated0
2:50 AMYell County AR60 mph52Estimated0
4:03 AMClay County MO60 mph52Estimated0
7:42 AMMarshall County MS60 mph52Estimated0
7:43 AMMarshall County MS60 mph52Estimated0
8:08 AMMarshall County MS60 mph52Estimated0
9:51 AMHardin County TN60 mph52Estimated0
9:58 AMHardin County TN60 mph52Estimated0
9:58 AMHardin County TN60 mph52Estimated0
2:02 PMScott County IA60 mph52Estimated0
2:02 PMKnox County IL60 mph52Estimated0
2:10 PMRoane County TN60 mph52Estimated0
2:22 PMMorgan County AL60 mph52Estimated0
2:22 PMLafayette County MS60 mph52Estimated0
2:25 PMPeoria County IL60 mph52Estimated0
2:26 PMCross County AR60 mph52Estimated0
2:28 PMHenderson County TN60 mph52Estimated0
2:32 PMPeoria County IL60 mph52Estimated0
3:04 PMPoinsett County AR60 mph52Estimated0
3:10 PMPemiscot County MO60 mph52Estimated0
3:24 PMMississippi County AR60 mph52Estimated0
3:40 PMWeakley County TN60 mph52Estimated0
3:47 PMLauderdale County TN60 mph52Estimated0
3:49 PMWeakley County TN60 mph52Estimated0
3:52 PMPrentiss County MS60 mph52Estimated0
3:55 PMPrentiss County MS60 mph52Estimated0
3:57 PMTipton County TN60 mph52Estimated0
4:03 PMGibson County TN60 mph52Estimated0
4:05 PMGreene County TN60 mph52Estimated0
4:08 PMGreene County TN60 mph52Estimated0
4:09 PMHenry County TN60 mph52Estimated0
4:09 PMTishomingo County MS60 mph52Estimated0
4:15 PMHenry County TN60 mph52Estimated0
4:15 PMHenry County TN60 mph52Estimated0
4:16 PMHaywood County TN60 mph52Estimated0
4:17 PMAshley County AR60 mph52Estimated0
4:17 PMFord County IL60 mph52Estimated0
4:18 PMWise County VA60 mph52Estimated0
4:30 PMMarion County TN60 mph52Estimated0
4:57 PMColbert County AL60 mph52Estimated0
4:57 PMColbert County AL60 mph52Estimated0
4:58 PMColbert County AL60 mph52Estimated0
4:58 PMPanola County MS60 mph52Estimated0
4:59 PMColbert County AL60 mph52Estimated0
4:59 PMColbert County AL60 mph52Estimated0
5:00 PMWashington County VA60 mph52Estimated0
5:17 PMColbert County AL60 mph52Estimated0

By state

Severe weather reports by state, May 20, 2025
Alabama74—413.75
Kentucky7461 mph10.88
Tennessee5972 mph473.00
Georgia4459 mph10.75
Mississippi24—41.75
Illinois1460 mph312.50
Arkansas766 mph92.00
Louisiana5—71.75
Virginia5—0—
Missouri4—21.00
North Carolina4—0—
Oklahoma364 mph10.88
Indiana1—51.00
South Carolina1—21.00
Texas158 mph11.00
Iowa1—0—

Counties with the most wind reports

Hail and tornadoes that day

152 hail reports, 24 of 2 inches or more; 39 tornadoes.

Largest hail, May 20, 2025
5:28 PMLauderdale County AL3.75
4:38 PMWilliamson County TN3.00
4:42 PMWilliamson County TN3.00
5:24 PMLawrence County AL3.00
4:36 PMWilliamson County TN2.75
5:20 PMLawrence County AL2.75
5:22 PMLawrence County AL2.75
6:57 PMMadison County AL2.75
1:47 PMMorgan County IL2.50
4:34 PMWilliamson County TN2.50
1:24 PMMorgan County IL2.00
1:56 PMSangamon County IL2.00
2:20 PMArkansas County AR2.00
3:54 PMHickman County TN2.00
3:56 PMHickman County TN2.00
4:20 PMWilliamson County TN2.00
4:24 PMCarroll County TN2.00
4:40 PMWilliamson County TN2.00
4:42 PMWilliamson County TN2.00
4:45 PMChampaign County IL2.00
4:49 PMWilliamson County TN2.00
5:02 PMMaury County TN2.00
6:54 PMMadison County AL2.00
6:59 PMLimestone County AL2.00
2:30 PMLafayette County MS1.75
2:44 PMCross County AR1.75
3:35 PMLogan County IL1.75
3:50 PMHickman County TN1.75
4:14 PMWilliamson County TN1.75
4:21 PMWilliamson County TN1.75
4:31 PMColbert County AL1.75
4:37 PMWilliamson County TN1.75
4:38 PMWilliamson County TN1.75
4:40 PMWilliamson County TN1.75
4:43 PMWinn Parish LA1.75
4:48 PMWilliamson County TN1.75
5:30 PMVermilion County IL1.75
5:35 PMLauderdale County AL1.75
5:49 PMRutherford County TN1.75
6:18 PMLaSalle Parish LA1.75
6:26 PMLimestone County AL1.75
6:41 PMLimestone County AL1.75
6:57 PMMadison County AL1.75
7:02 PMMadison County AL1.75
7:10 PMMadison County AL1.75
7:38 PMMadison County AL1.75
2:32 PMSangamon County IL1.50
2:34 PMSangamon County IL1.50
2:40 PMSangamon County IL1.50
4:16 PMFord County IL1.50
  • EF1 tornado1:08 AM CDT
  • EF0 tornado1:41 AM CDT
  • EF1 tornado1:46 AM CDT
  • EF1 tornado2:08 AM CDT
  • EF1 tornado12:03 PM CDT
  • EF0 tornado1:20 PM CDT
  • EF1 tornado1:58 PM CDT
  • EF0 tornado2:15 PM CDT
  • EF0 tornado3:15 PM CDT
  • EFU tornado3:27 PM CDT
  • EF0 tornado3:59 PM CDT
  • EFU tornado4:09 PM CDT
  • EF0 tornado4:57 PM CDT
  • EF1 tornado5:04 PM CDT
  • EF1 tornado5:06 PM CDT
  • EF0 tornado5:06 PM CDT
  • EF0 tornado5:08 PM CDT
  • EF1 tornado5:10 PM CDT
  • EF0 tornado5:25 PM CDT
  • EF0 tornado5:39 PM CDT
  • EF0 tornado5:47 PM CDT
  • EFU tornado5:51 PM CDT
  • EF2 tornado6:09 PM CDT
  • EF1 tornado6:09 PM CDT
  • EF1 tornado6:11 PM CDT
  • EF1 tornado6:51 PM CDT
  • EF1 tornado6:52 PM CDT
  • EF2 tornado7:07 PM CDT
  • EF1 tornado7:14 PM CDT
  • EF1 tornado7:29 PM CDT
  • EF1 tornado8:46 PM CDT
  • EF0 tornado8:47 PM CDT
  • EF1 tornado9:33 PM CDT
  • EF1 tornado9:49 PM CDT
  • EF0 tornado10:42 PM CDT
  • EF0 tornado10:43 PM CDT
  • EF0 tornado11:09 PM CDT
  • EF1 tornado11:38 PM CDT
  • EF1 tornado12:28 AM CDT

2025 · 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.