The tornado outbreak of May 16, 2015

48 tornadoesOklahoma, Minnesota, Texas and 3 more states

48 tornadoes touched down across 6 states between 1:12 PM and 12:51 AM the next day CDT, 1 of them rated EF3 or stronger.

Watch the day unfold

Tornado outbreak · May 16, 2015

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; 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: 48; 79th of 12,998 tornado days since 1950
EF3 or stronger: 1; None rated EF4 or EF5
Killed: 0; Along all the paths
Injured: 1; Along all the paths
Path miles: 239; All the paths end to end
First and last: 1:12 PM to 12:51 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.

Tornadoes of May 16, 2015

1:12 PM	EF0	Briscoe County TX	0.5	30	0
2:13 PM	EF0	Park County WY	1.4	20	0
2:20 PM	EF1	Donley County TX	8.6	150	0
2:40 PM	EF1	Donley County, Collingsworth County TX	22.5	100	0
3:14 PM	EF0	Wheeler County TX	5.5	30	0
4:33 PM	EF1	Chippewa County MN	1.8	50	0
4:49 PM	EF1	Roger Mills County OK	3.5	100	0
5:05 PM	EF1	Dewey County OK	0.5	50	0
5:18 PM	EF0	Swift County MN	2.7	100	0
5:23 PM	EF0	Chippewa County MN	2.7	25	0
5:26 PM	EF3	Hardeman County, Wilbarger County and 3 more TX, OK	40.4	1,600	0
5:33 PM	EF1	Swift County MN	3.1	100	0
5:36 PM	EF0	Swift County MN	0.1	15	0
5:37 PM	EF1	Lyon County KS	0.2	50	0
5:47 PM	EF0	Beckham County OK	0.2	30	0
5:51 PM	EF0	Chippewa County MN	0.8	25	0
5:57 PM	EF0	Chippewa County MN	0.5	25	0
6:05 PM	EF0	Tillman County OK	0.2	20	0
6:22 PM	EF1	Major County, Alfalfa County OK	16.0	400	0
6:24 PM	EF0	Swift County MN	0.2	25	0
6:38 PM	EF0	Swift County MN	1.3	25	0
7:01 PM	EF0	Pope County MN	0.1	15	0
7:14 PM	EF1	Comanche County OK	7.1	400	0
7:15 PM	EF0	Pope County MN	5.0	200	0
7:22 PM	EF0	Archer County TX	0.2	30	0
7:41 PM	EF0	Pope County MN	2.5	50	0
7:48 PM	EF0	Meeker County MN	5.0	50	0
7:55 PM	EF0	Caddo County OK	2.0	50	0
7:56 PM	EF0	Pope County MN	0.8	15	0
7:58 PM	EF0	Comanche County OK	6.0	50	0
8:01 PM	EF0	Caddo County OK	2.5	50	0
8:09 PM	EF0	Douglas County MN	0.2	15	0
8:28 PM	EF0	Stearns County MN	1.4	25	0
9:35 PM	EF0	Ray County MO	0.9	100	0
10:20 PM	EF1	Okfuskee County OK	1.4	110	0
11:15 PM	EF2	Jackson County, Ray County MO	10.0	250	0
11:26 PM	EF2	Wagoner County, Rogers County OK	16.0	1,000	0
11:43 PM	EF2	Rogers County OK	9.8	1,500	0
11:51 PM	EF1	Ray County, Caldwell County MO	2.8	100	0
11:52 PM	EF1	Rogers County OK	3.3	300	0
12:00 AM	EF1	Mayes County OK	2.3	450	0
12:05 AM	EF1	Bates County MO	0.9	100	0
12:10 AM	EF1	Mayes County OK	4.5	600	0
12:24 AM	EF1	Craig County, Delaware County OK	4.6	550	0
12:30 AM	EF1	Delaware County, Ottawa County OK	6.7	1,100	0
12:38 AM	EF1	Ottawa County OK	11.5	650	1
12:48 AM	EF0	Henry County MO	6.5	25	0
12:51 AM	EF1	Ottawa County, Newton County OK, MO	12.2	200	0

By state

Tornadoes by state, May 16, 2015

Oklahoma	19	0
Minnesota	16	0
Texas	6	1
Missouri	5	0
Kansas	1	0
Wyoming	1	0

Tornadoes in 2015 · 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.