The tornado outbreak of May 16, 1991

48 tornadoesKansas, Nebraska, Colorado and 4 more states

48 tornadoes touched down across 7 states between 1:40 PM and 10:30 PM CDT, 2 of them rated F3 or stronger.

Watch the day unfold

Tornado outbreak · May 16, 1991

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 48 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: 48; 79th of 12,998 tornado days since 1950
F3 or stronger: 2; None rated F4 or F5
Killed: 0; Along all the paths
Injured: 2; Along all the paths
Path miles: 106; All the paths end to end
First and last: 1:40 PM to 10:30 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 16, 1991

1:40 PM	F0	Pinellas County FL	0.2	10	0
1:45 PM	F0	Pierce County NE	0.1	13	0
2:07 PM	F0	Piatt County IL	0.2	50	0
2:45 PM	F0	Russell County KS	1.0	50	0
2:47 PM	F3	Hodgeman County KS	22.0	880	2
2:56 PM	F0	Ellis County KS	1.0	50	0
3:18 PM	F0	Cheyenne County KS	7.0	20	0
3:38 PM	F0	Logan County CO	0.2	10	0
3:46 PM	F0	Washington County CO	0.2	10	0
3:58 PM	F0	Lincoln County NE	0.2	23	0
4:10 PM	F0	Chase County NE	1.5	50	0
4:10 PM	F0	Perkins County NE	0.2	23	0
4:10 PM	F0	Perkins County NE	0.2	23	0
4:15 PM	F0	Gosper County NE	0.5	50	0
4:20 PM	F0	Kit Carson County CO	0.2	10	0
4:24 PM	F0	Kit Carson County CO	0.2	10	0
4:25 PM	F0	Gosper County NE	0.5	40	0
4:35 PM	F0	Gosper County NE	0.5	30	0
4:55 PM	F0	Pinellas County FL	0.1	23	0
4:55 PM	F0	Sumner County KS	0.5	50	0
5:00 PM	F0	Keith County NE	0.2	23	0
5:00 PM	F0	Buffalo County NE	0.7	50	0
5:05 PM	F0	Buffalo County NE	1.0	40	0
5:07 PM	F0	Sherman County KS	1.0	10	0
5:09 PM	F1	Sumner County KS	9.0	100	0
5:12 PM	F0	Sherman County KS	1.0	10	0
5:25 PM	F3	Sedgwick County KS	20.0	200	0
5:32 PM	F0	Sherman County KS	1.0	10	0
5:38 PM	F1	Barton County KS	2.0	100	0
5:38 PM	F1	Barton County KS	2.0	100	0
5:43 PM	F2	Seward County NE	11.0	100	0
6:09 PM	F1	Okmulgee County OK	7.0	60	0
6:12 PM	F0	Barton County KS	1.0	50	0
6:18 PM	F0	Tulsa County OK	0.3	30	0
6:20 PM	F1	Okmulgee County OK	0.5	50	0
6:20 PM	F0	Butler County KS	1.0	50	0
6:25 PM	F0	Butler County KS	1.0	50	0
6:28 PM	F0	Barton County KS	1.0	50	0
6:45 PM	F0	Rice County KS	1.0	50	0
6:45 PM	F0	Butler County KS	1.0	50	0
7:20 PM	F0	Butler County KS	1.0	50	0
7:45 PM	F0	Yuma County CO	0.2	10	0
8:08 PM	F0	Tulsa County OK	0.3	30	0
8:36 PM	F2	Rogers County OK	4.0	100	0
9:25 PM	F0	Rogers County OK	0.3	27	0
9:30 PM	F0	Douglas County CO	0.2	10	0
10:30 PM	F0	Beaverhead County MT	0.2	10	0
10:30 PM	F0	Douglas County CO	0.2	10	0

By state

Tornadoes by state, May 16, 1991

Kansas	19	2
Nebraska	12	0
Colorado	7	0
Oklahoma	6	0
Florida	2	0
Illinois	1	0
Montana	1	0

Tornadoes in 1991 · 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.