The tornado outbreak of May 8, 1988

57 tornadoesWisconsin, Iowa, Illinois and Arkansas

57 tornadoes touched down across 4 states between 11:56 AM and 7:56 PM CDT, 2 of them rated F3 or stronger.

Watch the day unfold

Tornado outbreak · May 8, 1988

How the day unfolded

Every tornado recorded that day, at its logged touchdown time and along its path, with the counties it crossed.

About this replay

Central time—Historical replay — logged touchdown times

Tornadoes—of 57 that day

Strongest so far—

Killed—in tornadoes so far

The day’s milestones

Tornado pathsWider and brighter with the rating; F3 and stronger glow

On the groundEach grows from its logged touchdown time

Counties crossedLit as a tornado reaches them, brighter for F3 or stronger

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database (touchdown times, ratings, start and end points) and Storm Events Database (segment paths and times for the notable tornadoes that have record pages). SPC logs the touchdown time only; other paths are drawn at a typical forward speed of 35 mph. Times are Central Daylight Time.

The day in numbers

Tornadoes: 57; 56th of 12,998 tornado days since 1950
F3 or stronger: 2; None rated F4 or F5
Killed: 0; Along all the paths
Injured: 10; Along all the paths
Path miles: 498; All the paths end to end
First and last: 11:56 AM to 7:56 PM; Touchdowns, Central Daylight Time

Hour by hour

Tornadoes touching down in each hour, Central Daylight Time.

Every tornado

In order of touchdown.

Tornadoes of May 8, 1988

11:56 AM	F1	Warren County, Marion County and 1 more IA	11.0	30	0
1:10 PM	F1	Wayne County IA	2.0	30	0
1:25 PM	F2	Wayne County, Appanoose County and 2 more IA	47.0	43	0
1:47 PM	F2	Louisa County, Davis County and 3 more IA	71.0	60	0
1:58 PM	F2	Poweshiek County, Iowa County and 1 more IA	59.0	60	0
2:06 PM	F1	Black Hawk County, Buchanan County IA	2.0	20	0
2:06 PM	F1	Mahaska County IA	6.0	40	0
2:15 PM	F1	Bremer County IA	1.5	33	0
2:16 PM	F2	Keokuk County, Washington County and 1 more IA	36.0	60	0
3:00 PM	F0	Johnson County IA	1.0	20	0
3:10 PM	F1	Muscatine County IA	1.5	40	0
3:15 PM	F0	Delaware County IA	0.5	20	0
3:15 PM	F1	Jones County IA	10.0	40	0
3:15 PM	F0	Jones County IA	1.0	20	0
3:20 PM	F1	Des Moines County IA	1.0	30	0
3:22 PM	F0	Delaware County IA	0.5	20	0
3:30 PM	F2	Monroe County WI	27.0	800	0
3:35 PM	F0	Scott County IA	1.0	20	0
3:36 PM	F1	Dubuque County IA	11.0	43	0
3:37 PM	F2	Cedar County IA	7.0	90	0
3:40 PM	F0	Scott County IA	1.0	20	0
3:43 PM	F3	Scott County, Clinton County IA	32.0	150	0
3:46 PM	F0	Dubuque County IA	0.5	20	0
3:48 PM	F1	Grant County WI	0.5	20	0
3:52 PM	F1	Grant County WI	1.5	30	0
3:54 PM	F1	Grant County WI	10.0	40	0
3:55 PM	F2	Grant County WI	10.0	40	0
4:00 PM	F1	Grant County WI	0.5	33	0
4:00 PM	F3	Lafayette County WI	16.0	123	0
4:10 PM	F1	Lafayette County WI	9.0	100	0
4:15 PM	F1	Rock Island County, Whiteside County IL	0.3	10	0
4:15 PM	F2	Grant County WI	7.5	200	0
4:15 PM	F1	Grant County WI	1.2	30	0
4:30 PM	F1	Ogle County IL	0.2	50	0
4:30 PM	F2	Richland County WI	20.0	150	0
4:40 PM	F1	Jackson County IL	0.2	13	0
4:45 PM	F1	Iowa County WI	0.8	20	0
4:56 PM	F2	Dane County WI	7.0	100	1
5:08 PM	F1	Juneau County WI	5.0	73	1
5:15 PM	F1	Columbia County WI	2.0	73	0
5:15 PM	F1	Juneau County WI	0.7	20	0
5:20 PM	F0	Lee County IL	0.1	13	0
5:30 PM	F2	Rock County, Dane County and 1 more WI	27.0	173	0
5:40 PM	F1	Columbia County WI	5.0	73	0
5:40 PM	F1	Marquette County WI	1.1	40	0
6:00 PM	F1	Grundy County IL	1.0	10	0
6:06 PM	F1	Waushara County WI	5.0	100	0
6:10 PM	F2	Marathon County WI	13.0	250	2
6:12 PM	F0	Portage County WI	1.0	20	0
6:15 PM	F0	Dodge County WI	0.5	50	0
6:18 PM	F2	Sangamon County IL	0.1	50	0
6:20 PM	F1	LaSalle County IL	0.5	50	2
6:52 PM	F0	Waukesha County WI	0.1	20	0
7:00 PM	F1	Will County IL	18.0	60	1
7:00 PM	F1	Will County IL	2.0	40	3
7:45 PM	F0	Vermilion County IL	0.5	50	0
7:56 PM	F1	Clark County AR	0.2	30	0

By state

Tornadoes by state, May 8, 1988

Wisconsin	24	1
Iowa	22	1
Illinois	10	0
Arkansas	1	0

Tornadoes in 1988 · On this date in other years · The biggest outbreak days

Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025. A day is SPC’s calendar date in Central Standard Time; an outbreak day here has 40 or more tornadoes, or 6 or more rated F3/EF3 or stronger.