The tornado outbreak of May 22, 2004

65 tornadoesNebraska, Iowa, Michigan and 3 more states

65 tornadoes touched down across 6 states between 2:58 PM and 12:02 AM the next day CDT, 1 of them rated F3 or stronger, and 1 people were killed.

Watch the day unfold

Tornado outbreak · May 22, 2004

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 65 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: 65; 38th of 12,998 tornado days since 1950
F3 or stronger: 1; 1 rated F4 or F5
Killed: 1; Along all the paths
Injured: 38; Along all the paths
Path miles: 192; All the paths end to end
First and last: 2:58 PM to 12:02 AM the next day; Touchdowns, Central Daylight Time

Hour by hour

Tornadoes touching down in each hour, Central Daylight Time.

Every tornado

In order of touchdown. One has a record page, linked from the rating.

Tornadoes of May 22, 2004

2:58 PM	F0	Saginaw County MI	2.5	50	0	0
3:02 PM	F0	Saginaw County MI	0.2	30	0	0
3:10 PM	F0	Goshen County WY	0.2	25	0	0
3:35 PM	F0	Shiawassee County MI	0.1	20	0	0
3:45 PM	F1	Tuscola County MI	1.0	50	0	0
4:10 PM	F0	Sanilac County MI	1.0	50	0	0
4:20 PM	F0	Logan County CO	0.1	50	0	0
5:22 PM	F0	McPherson County NE	0.2	20	0	0
5:28 PM	F0	Furnas County NE	0.1	50	0	0
5:35 PM	F1	Furnas County NE	3.0	400	0	0
5:40 PM	F0	Logan County NE	0.1	10	0	0
5:40 PM	F0	Logan County NE	2.0	20	0	0
5:49 PM	F0	Harlan County NE	0.2	50	0	0
6:04 PM	F0	Harlan County NE	0.2	100	0	0
6:10 PM	F0	Colfax County NE	0.5	50	0	0
6:11 PM	F0	Harlan County NE	0.2	75	0	0
6:34 PM	F1	Custer County NE	0.2	20	0	0
6:36 PM	F0	Franklin County NE	0.1	50	0	0
6:46 PM	F0	Webster County NE	3.5	125	0	0
6:50 PM	F1	Custer County NE	0.5	30	0	0
6:53 PM	F0	Thayer County NE	0.2	75	0	0
7:00 PM	F2	Thayer County NE	8.0	800	0	0
7:07 PM	F1	Adair County IA	7.1	100	0	0
7:10 PM	F1	Adams County NE	7.0	150	0	0
7:11 PM	F0	Madison County IA	0.3	30	0	0
7:12 PM	F0	Custer County NE	0.2	10	0	0
7:13 PM	F0	Lincoln County NE	0.1	10	0	0
7:15 PM	F1	Dodge County NE	2.0	200	0	0
7:17 PM	F0	Custer County NE	0.1	10	0	0
7:19 PM	F2	Adams County, Clay County NE	23.0	700	0	0
7:24 PM	F0	Thayer County NE	1.0	50	0	0
7:26 PM	F1	Fillmore County NE	2.5	100	0	0
7:29 PM	F1	Clay County NE	0.2	25	0	0
7:30 PM	F4	Otoe County, Jefferson County and 3 more NE	54.0	4,400	1	38
7:32 PM	F1	Fillmore County NE	2.0	150	0	0
7:34 PM	F0	York County NE	0.2	75	0	0
7:35 PM	F0	Jefferson County NE	2.0	80	0	0
7:45 PM	F0	Story County IA	1.4	50	0	0
7:45 PM	F0	Dallas County IA	0.2	25	0	0
7:55 PM	F1	Dallas County IA	5.0	100	0	0
8:06 PM	F0	Jasper County IA	0.2	25	0	0
8:13 PM	F0	Dallas County IA	0.5	50	0	0
8:19 PM	F0	Harrison County IA	0.2	60	0	0
8:19 PM	F0	Marshall County IA	0.5	40	0	0
8:20 PM	F0	Jasper County IA	0.2	25	0	0
8:23 PM	F0	Jasper County IA	0.2	25	0	0
8:27 PM	F0	Dallas County IA	0.2	25	0	0
8:35 PM	F0	Jasper County IA	0.2	25	0	0
8:36 PM	F0	Jasper County IA	1.5	40	0	0
8:40 PM	F1	Marshall County IA	17.0	100	0	0
8:42 PM	F0	Republic County KS	0.1	50	0	0
8:44 PM	F2	Republic County KS	2.0	100	0	0
8:45 PM	F0	Shelby County IA	2.0	200	0	0
8:53 PM	F1	Thayer County NE	10.0	400	0	0
8:56 PM	F0	Republic County KS	0.1	50	0	0
8:59 PM	F0	Republic County KS	0.1	50	0	0
9:06 PM	F0	Polk County IA	2.0	50	0	0
9:15 PM	F0	Tama County IA	0.3	30	0	0
9:25 PM	F0	Thayer County NE	6.0	200	0	0
9:30 PM	F1	Jefferson County NE	3.0	100	0	0
9:40 PM	F1	Cass County NE	1.5	150	0	0
9:57 PM	F1	Cass County NE	4.0	250	0	0
10:12 PM	F1	Cass County NE	1.0	150	0	0
11:33 PM	F0	Adair County IA	0.2	30	0	0
12:02 AM	F1	Warren County IA	7.0	250	0	0

By state

Tornadoes by state, May 22, 2004

Nebraska	34	1	1
Iowa	20	0	0
Michigan	5	0	0
Kansas	4	0	0
Colorado	1	0	0
Wyoming	1	0	0

Tornadoes in 2004 · 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.