The tornado outbreak of May 21, 2024

43 tornadoesWisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska and 3 more states

43 tornadoes touched down across 6 states between 4:54 AM and 10:32 PM CDT, 2 of them rated EF3 or stronger, and 5 people were killed.

Watch the day unfold

Tornado outbreak · May 21, 2024

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 43 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: 43; on Tuesday, May 21, 2024
EF3 or stronger: 2; 1 rated EF4 or EF5
Killed: 5; Along all the paths
Injured: 39; Along all the paths
Path miles: 272; All the paths end to end
First and last: 4:54 AM to 10:32 PM; 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 21, 2024

4:54 AM	EF0	Polk County NE	4.1	75	0	0
5:14 AM	EF0	Colfax County NE	0.5	50	0	0
5:23 AM	EF0	Butler County NE	0.6	50	0	0
5:27 AM	EF0	Butler County NE	2.6	50	0	0
5:45 AM	EF0	Saunders County NE	0.4	50	0	0
7:10 AM	EF0	Montgomery County IA	0.7	40	0	0
7:32 AM	EF1	Page County IA	3.3	80	0	0
12:52 PM	EF0	Saunders County NE	0.2	50	0	0
2:30 PM	EF1	Buena Vista County IA	1.6	75	0	0
2:35 PM	EF1	Montgomery County IA	2.9	70	0	0
2:43 PM	EF3	Page County, Montgomery County and 1 more IA	33.9	1,300	0	0
2:57 PM	EF1	Page County IA	1.7	85	0	0
2:59 PM	EF4	Taylor County, Adams County and 1 more IA	40.6	1,600	5	35
3:09 PM	EF0	Audubon County IA	7.2	100	0	0
3:18 PM	EF1	Adams County, Union County IA	12.7	200	0	0
3:39 PM	EF2	Adair County IA	14.6	200	0	0
3:48 PM	EF0	Martin County MN	2.3	75	0	0
3:50 PM	EF0	Union County, Madison County IA	4.0	75	0	0
4:25 PM	EF0	Warren County IA	1.0	40	0	0
4:28 PM	EF0	Warren County IA	2.0	75	0	0
4:30 PM	EF2	Polk County, Story County IA	40.8	1,000	0	4
5:25 PM	EF0	Henry County MO	0.3	50	0	0
5:27 PM	EF1	Rogers County OK	5.3	500	0	0
5:39 PM	EF1	Rogers County OK	1.0	100	0	0
5:41 PM	EF0	Goodhue County MN	0.7	25	0	0
6:01 PM	EF1	Winona County, Buffalo County MN, WI	19.7	110	0	0
6:14 PM	EF1	Buffalo County WI	3.9	100	0	0
6:17 PM	EF1	Buffalo County WI	2.7	45	0	0
6:34 PM	EF1	Trempealeau County WI	0.8	150	0	0
6:56 PM	EF1	Eau Claire County WI	9.5	440	0	0
6:59 PM	EF1	Jackson County WI	3.1	75	0	0
7:08 PM	EF1	Clark County WI	7.0	300	0	0
7:20 PM	EF1	Clark County WI	9.1	120	0	0
7:27 PM	EF1	Clark County WI	4.0	150	0	0
7:29 PM	EF1	Clark County WI	2.2	75	0	0
7:33 PM	EF0	Clark County WI	1.4	75	0	0
7:34 PM	EF1	Clark County, Marathon County WI	4.0	110	0	0
7:47 PM	EF1	Marathon County WI	2.1	60	0	0
7:49 PM	EF1	Dane County WI	4.6	75	0	0
7:51 PM	EF1	Marathon County WI	2.1	80	0	0
7:59 PM	EF1	Marquette County WI	5.3	60	0	0
8:58 PM	EF1	Outagamie County WI	2.7	80	0	0
10:32 PM	EF1	Door County WI	2.3	50	0	0

By state

Tornadoes by state, May 21, 2024

Wisconsin	17	0	0
Iowa	14	2	5
Nebraska	6	0	0
Minnesota	3	0	0
Oklahoma	2	0	0
Missouri	1	0	0

Tornadoes in 2024 · On this date in other years · The biggest outbreak days · The day’s damaging winds

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.