The tornado outbreak of May 2, 2008

40 tornadoesArkansas, Mississippi, Missouri and 5 more states

40 tornadoes touched down across 8 states between 1:04 AM and 12:49 AM the next day CDT, 3 of them rated EF3 or stronger, and 6 people were killed.

Watch the day unfold

Tornado outbreak · May 2, 2008

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 40 that day

Strongest so far—

Killed—in tornadoes so far

The day’s milestones

Tornado pathsWider and brighter with the rating; EF3 and stronger glow

On the groundEach grows from its logged touchdown time

Counties crossedLit as a tornado reaches them, brighter for EF3 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: 40; on Friday, May 2, 2008
EF3 or stronger: 3; None rated EF4 or EF5
Killed: 6; Along all the paths
Injured: 45; Along all the paths
Path miles: 247; All the paths end to end
First and last: 1:04 AM to 12:49 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 2, 2008

1:04 AM	EF2	Douglas County KS	2.2	100	0	0
1:45 AM	EF0	Creek County OK	7.0	250	0	0
1:56 AM	EF3	Clay County MO	0.9	75	0	0
2:03 AM	EF2	Clay County MO	1.4	75	0	0
3:03 AM	EF1	Rogers County, Mayes County OK	9.0	500	0	2
3:03 AM	EF1	Mayes County OK	0.5	100	0	0
5:52 AM	EF0	Douglas County MO	7.4	250	0	0
6:02 AM	EF0	Douglas County MO	0.3	100	0	0
8:15 AM	EF3	Conway County, Van Buren County and 1 more AR	45.3	1,600	5	24
8:28 AM	EF1	Van Buren County AR	1.1	100	0	0
8:30 AM	EF1	Van Zandt County TX	1.3	75	0	8
9:03 AM	EF1	Howard County AR	4.1	50	0	0
10:23 AM	EF1	Pike County AR	8.2	200	0	0
11:15 AM	EF2	Grant County, Saline County and 2 more AR	40.7	300	1	3
11:21 AM	EF1	Rusk County TX	6.4	100	0	0
11:23 AM	EF2	Dallas County, Grant County AR	22.9	200	0	0
11:55 AM	EF1	Panola County TX	3.8	200	0	0
12:56 PM	EF1	Lonoke County AR	2.5	200	0	0
1:01 PM	EF0	Woodruff County AR	2.1	50	0	0
1:02 PM	EF1	Lonoke County, Prairie County AR	1.7	250	0	0
1:05 PM	EF1	Prairie County AR	2.6	100	0	0
1:39 PM	EF0	Dunklin County MO	0.3	25	0	0
1:40 PM	EF0	Monroe County AR	0.3	50	0	0
2:54 PM	EF2	Mississippi County AR	3.4	150	0	1
3:18 PM	EF3	Cross County, Crittenden County and 1 more AR	20.2	400	0	4
3:51 PM	EF0	Livingston Parish LA	0.1	20	0	0
4:25 PM	EF2	Dyer County TN	1.4	40	0	0
5:48 PM	EF2	Union County MS	3.1	440	0	0
6:00 PM	EF2	Union County MS	0.5	100	0	0
6:12 PM	EF1	Union County MS	3.5	75	0	0
6:41 PM	EF1	Prentiss County, Alcorn County MS	13.8	150	0	0
6:52 PM	EF2	Chicot County AR	10.5	400	0	0
7:32 PM	EF0	Washington County, Bolivar County MS	3.0	50	0	0
8:01 PM	EF0	Morehouse Parish LA	3.3	50	0	0
8:07 PM	EF1	Bolivar County MS	9.7	200	0	0
11:57 PM	EF1	Montgomery County TN	0.7	50	0	0
12:00 AM	EF1	Montgomery County TN	0.2	30	0	0
12:05 AM	EF1	Montgomery County TN	0.5	50	0	3
12:10 AM	EF1	Montgomery County TN	0.3	50	0	0
12:49 AM	EF1	Leflore County MS	1.3	300	0	0

By state

Tornadoes by state, May 2, 2008

Arkansas	14	2	6
Mississippi	7	0	0
Missouri	5	1	0
Tennessee	5	0	0
Oklahoma	3	0	0
Texas	3	0	0
Louisiana	2	0	0
Kansas	1	0	0

Tornadoes in 2008 · 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.