226,039
Recorded events
17.5%
Share of the whole archive
1,986
Direct deaths
$44.5B
Property damage
May severe weather accounts for 226,039 recorded events — 17.5% of everything in the U.S. archive — spread across 3,157 counties, with 1,986 direct deaths since 1950.
By hazard type
What hits the U.S. in May
| Hazard | Events | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Hail | 99,894 | 5 |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 80,717 | 192 |
| Tornado | 17,624 | 1,364 |
| Flash Flood | 14,090 | 202 |
| Flood | 6,609 | 90 |
| Heavy Rain | 2,761 | 12 |
| Lightning | 2,100 | 86 |
| Funnel Cloud | 1,755 | 0 |
| Wildfire | 134 | 0 |
| Waterspout | 118 | 0 |
By state
States with the most May severe weather
| Rank | State | Events |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | 32,441 |
| #2 | Kansas | 19,264 |
| #3 | Oklahoma | 17,081 |
| #4 | Missouri | 11,791 |
| #5 | Nebraska | 8,999 |
| #6 | Iowa | 8,682 |
| #7 | Illinois | 8,272 |
| #8 | Arkansas | 6,972 |
| #9 | North Carolina | 6,919 |
| #10 | Kentucky | 6,639 |
| #11 | Ohio | 6,145 |
| #12 | Tennessee | 5,918 |
| #13 | Virginia | 5,767 |
| #14 | Georgia | 5,478 |
| #15 | Indiana | 5,400 |
Significant events
The deadliest May events on record
| Date | Event | County | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 22, 2011 | Tornado EF5 | Jasper County, Missouri | 158 |
| May 11, 1953 | Tornado F5 | McLennan County, Texas | 114 |
| May 26, 1955 | Tornado F5 | Cowley County, Kansas | 75 |
| May 21, 1957 | Tornado F5 | Jackson County, Missouri | 37 |
| May 16, 1968 | Tornado F4 | Craighead County, Arkansas | 34 |
| May 23, 1987 | Tornado F4 | Reeves County, Texas | 30 |
| May 27, 1997 | Tornado F5 | Williamson County, Texas | 27 |
| May 12, 1970 | Tornado F5 | Lubbock County, Texas | 26 |
| May 20, 2013 | Tornado EF5 | Cleveland County, Oklahoma | 24 |
| May 16, 1957 | Tornado F4 | Briscoe County, Texas | 21 |
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