In mid-May 1968, a significant and deadly tornado outbreak struck most of the central and southern United States. Producing 46 tornadoes, the outbreak killed at least 72 people, including 45 in Arkansas alone. The outbreak also produced two tornadoes in Iowa that were rated F5 on the Fujita scale. It was one of the deadliest tornado outbreaks in the United States since the 1960s and is one of the deadliest outbreaks in Iowa history.

Meteorological synopsis

Severe weather activity started during the afternoon of May 15 as a low pressure system crossed the area. The first tornado touchdowns were across the Midwestern States including the two Iowa F5s that hit central and eastern parts of the state about 45 minutes apart during the late afternoon. Both tornadoes killed 18 in total. The first F5 tornado moved through five counties and . It affected the town of Charles City just before 5 PM destroying much of the area. Damage figures were pegged at $30 million in Charles City alone while $1.5 million of damage was recorded elsewhere. This tornado killed 13 and injured 462 others. The second F5 tornado affected Fayette County and damaged or destroyed nearly 1000 homes. The hardest hit areas were Oelwein and Maynard where homes were completely swept away from their foundations. Five people were killed while 156 others were injured. Damage was estimated at $21 million. These were two of four F5 tornadoes across the country in 1968, the others being in southeastern Ohio on April 23 and in southwestern Minnesota on June 13. The next F5 tornadoes in Iowa took place in Jordan in 1976, and in Parkersburg, in 2008.Abbotsford TornadoFayette County, Iowa Tornadoes

After the first tornadoes struck the Northern Plains, activity developed further south during the evening hours including several deadly tornadoes in Arkansas. One of the tornadoes touched down west of Jonesboro before hitting the Craighead County city itself at around 10 PM CDT. The tornado caught most residents by surprise since most of the warning systems failed and killed at least 34.Case Studies – Tornadoes – Forces of Nature One more person was killed in neighboring Jackson County. The tornado was the deadliest in Arkansas since an F4 tornado that affected White County on March 21, 1952, killing 50.National Weather Service - Little Rock, Arkansas...Top 25 Weather Events of the 20th CenturyTornado History Project

StateTotalCounty CountytotalArkansas45Baxter3Craighead34Independence7Jackson1Illinois8De Witt4St. Clair4Indiana1Wabash1Iowa18Fayette5Floyd13Totals72 All deaths were tornado-related The same city was hit by another destructive tornado five years later killing at least three and injuring 250 others while leaving much more destruction throughout the city than the 1968 event. The damage figures were about $62 million in 1973 dollars. Another F4 tornado just to the west of Jonesboro killed 7 in Oil Trough in Independence County and 3 others were killed in Baxter County.

The activity ceased across the Deep South when the final tornadoes of the first part of the outbreak touched down across the Metropolitan Memphis area and northern Mississippi as well as in the Fort Wayne, Indiana area. A smaller tornado outbreak from the same system took place across Oklahoma and Texas during the following day where seven tornadoes touched down including an F3 in Wilbarger County, Texas.

In addition to the 45 fatalities in Arkansas and 18 in Iowa, the outbreak killed eight in Illinois and one in Indiana.

Confirmed tornadoes

May 15 event

List of confirmed tornadoesF# Location County Time (UTC) Path length DamageMinnesota F2NW of Northfield to S of New TrierRice, Dakota202815.4 miles (24.6 km)One woman was injured when a barn collapsed onto her. F0NW of HuttonFreeborn22000.1 miles (0.16 km)Brief tornado caused minor damage. F1SW of Dodge CenterDodge22077.8 miles (12.5 km)Tornado damaged outbuildings on 3 farms. F1W of West ConcordSteele, Dodge224016.6 miles (26.6 km)Outbuildings were damaged on 7 farms. F1W of NewburgFillmore23458.4 miles (13.4 km)Tornado damaged 3 farms and a church.Illinois F3E of Easton to SW of EmdenMason, Logan203012.6 miles (20.2 km)15 homes were damaged or destroyed beyond repair, with near F4 damage in some areas. Trailers and smaller buildings were destroyed and scattered. F1S of Waynesville to S of Farmer CityDe Witt220025.4 miles (40.6 km)4 deaths – Passed along the south edge of Wapella, destroying 3 homes and several buildings on multiple farms. A library in Waynesville was torn apart. Grazulis states that this tornado produced near F4 damage, despite the official F1 rating. F3E of MilfordIroquois23507.1 miles (11.4 km)One home had its roof blown off and was torn apart. 25 loaded freight cars were blown from the tracks. Barns and trailers were destroyed as well. F3SE of FreeburgSt. Clair02452 miles (3.2 km)4 deaths – A trailer park was completely destroyed at Freeburg, where 4 people were killed. Frame homes and other structures were badly damaged.Kansas F3NE of Louisburg, KSMiami, KS, Cass, MO20452.7 miles (4.3 km)Tornado struck 8 farms in two states. One farm home was unroofed and torn apart. Barns were destroyed as well along the path.Iowa F5NE of Hampton to SE of ChesterCerro Gordo, Franklin, Butler, Floyd, Chickasaw, Howard211062.1 miles (99.4 km)See article on this tornado – 13 deaths – In Charles City, 13 people died, 450 were injured, and $30 million damage occurred. 372 homes were destroyed, 188 sustained major damage, and 356 sustained minor. A new housing project was leveled. 58 businesses were destroyed, 90 sustained major damage, and 46 sustained minor damage. Multiple homes in town were completely swept away. Farms were swept away in rural areas outside of town, and intense cycloidal scour marks were visible in fields. A department store was flattened and the downtown area on Main St. was heavily damaged. All 8 churches and 3 of the city schools were damaged or destroyed. All the bars were spared. The police station was heavily damaged. 1250 vehicles were destroyed. In Elma, nearly $1.5 million damage occurred. Five homes and 20 cars were demolished and the Roman Catholic Church was unroofed. Along the path, 13 people were killed, 462 injured, and total damages were estimated at $31.5 million. F5Oelwein to W of FayetteFayette215713.1 miles (21 km)See article on this tornado – 5 deaths – Tornado struck the towns of Oelwein and Maynard. Homes in both communities were completely swept away. Churches, businesses, and schools in Oelwein were badly damaged and destroyed. Nearly 1,000 homes in total were damaged or destroyed by the tornado along its path. 34 people were hospitalized as a result of their injuries. F1W of Jackson Junction Fayette21580.3 miles (0.5 km)Brief tornado touchdown with minor damage. F1Audubon areaAudubon22452 miles (3.2 km)Barns were destroyed and house windows were blown out. F2S of Vernon SpringsHoward23154.7 miles (7.5 km)The roof was torn off of a home and a concrete block garage was destroyed. Barns were destroyed as well.Missouri F2W of Pittsville Johnson21305.2 miles (8.3 km)Tornado struck 7 farms, destroying barns and outbuildings. A gas station was destroyed and one home had its roof torn off. F1NW of RichmondRay21453.6 miles (5.8 km)Tornado struck 5 farms, damaging barns and sheds. F2Fayetteville to ConcordiaJohnson, Lafayette220012.3 miles (19.7 km)Large barns and outbuildings were destroyed. F1S of BlackburnLafayette, Saline22004.9 miles (7.8 km)Four farms sustained outbuilding damage. Trees and roofs were damaged, and a car was flipped by the tornado. F1S of Alba Jasper23002.5 miles (4 km)Tornado damaged or destroyed structures on 3 farms. Tree damage occurred and a car was flipped, injuring the 3 occupants. F1W of Hillsboro Jefferson01405.9 miles (9.4 km)Tornado caused tree damage along its path. F2SW of Neelyville Butler02500.2 miles (0.32 km)Brief tornado destroyed two buildings and flipped a truck onto a station wagon. 1 person was injured. F1S of Campbell Dunklin03201.5 miles (2.4 km)Tornado caused damage to treetops before lifting, then touching down fully in a rural area.Indiana F2Mooresville areaHendricks, Morgan21458.8 miles (14.1 km)30 homes were damaged or had their roofs torn off, and multiple trailers were destroyed in Hazelwood. 20 additional homes were damaged at Lake Bodona, with some unroofed or nearly destroyed. F2N of West LafayetteTippecanoe03510.1 miles (0.16 km)Two small buildings were destroyed. F2N of BeardClinton04300.1 miles (0.16 km)A barn and farm machinery were destroyed near Beard. F3S of Wabash to E of Fort WayneWabash, Huntington, Allen060250.3 miles (80.5 km)1 death – 13 trailers were destroyed, one of which was thrown across a highway, resulting in a fatality. 35 homes were damaged, 15 of them in New Haven. Twenty garages and barns were destroyed, and 3 planes were damaged at Wabash airport. 15 people were injured.Ohio F1SE of WoosterWayne23151 miles (1.6 km)Barns and outbuildings were destroyed. F2Dalton areaWayne00001 miles (1.6 km)Barns and outbuildings were destroyed.Arkansas F3NE of Mountain HomeBaxter00307.3 miles (11.7 km)3 deaths – 20 homes and 12 trailers were destroyed. 4 businesses and 15 other homes were badly damaged. Boats, docks, and resorts were damaged at Lake Norfolk. F1NE of ViolaFulton01150.1 miles (0.16 km)Tornado caused damage in the Viola area where two trailers were flipped and a recreation hall sustained roof and wall damage. The roof was blown off of Viola School and several homes in Viola were damaged as well. F4N of Oil TroughIndependence02360.3 miles (0.5 km)7 deaths – Tornado struck Oil Trough, destroying over half of the town. An implement company, a grocery store, and the post office were destroyed. The high school was badly damaged as well. A church with 60 people inside was badly damaged, but only one injury occurred there. F4E of Tuckerman to SW of BlythevilleJackson, Craighead, Mississippi024520.9 miles (33.4 km)35 deaths – Tornado first struck the south side of Tuckerman before tearing through Jonesboro. At least 164 homes were destroyed in Jonesboro, and multiple others were damaged. Several fatalities occurred when vehicles were thrown from a road and wrapped around trees. The tornado also impacted the towns of Fairview, Nettleton, and Manila. The tornado was not on the ground between Jonesboro and Manila, but the NWS (National Weather Service) counts the event as one tornado. The downtown area of Manila was destroyed, and Nettleton School was completely destroyed as well.Tennessee F1Memphis area (southeast)Shelby05200.1 miles (0.16 km)Tornado remained over open country. F1Germantown areaShelby07150.1 miles (0.16 km)Brief tornado reported. F1SW of DixonvilleShelby07500.1 miles (0.16 km)No damage reported.Mississippi F2SW of LewisburgDeSoto06205.2 miles (8.3 km)Two concrete block houses were badly damaged and another was pushed several feet from its foundation. An additional 3 homes were destroyed, one was unroofed, and 3 others were damaged. A mobile home, antique shop, implement company, garage, and chicken house were all destroyed. A barn was unroofed, and many trees and power poles were downed. 6 people were injured. F1E of BowmanTate06400.1 miles (0.16 km)Tornado uprooted multiple trees. F1NW of TaskaMarshall07300.1 miles (0.16 km)One truck was pushed from the road, another jackknifed, and two others were involved as the tornado briefly moved down the highway.Source:

May 16 event List of confirmed tornadoesF# Location County Time (UTC) Path length DamageOklahoma F0SE of WilsonCarter20150.1 miles (0.16 km) F0NW of OverbrookLove21150.1 miles (0.16 km) F0NW of TaylorCotton, Stephens21430.1 miles (0.16 km) F1W of MariettaLove23450.1 miles (0.16 km) F0NE of AsphaltumJefferson00000.1 miles (0.16 km)Texas F1NW of BellevueClay20150.1 miles (0.16 km) F3SW of VernonWilbarger21102 miles (3.2 km)A home lost its roof and two walls.Source:

Charles City—Elma, Iowa