The tornado outbreak of May 22–27, 2008 affected much of the central United States and parts of Canada. A total of 173 tornadoes touched down as a result of the outbreak. Several large and destructive tornadoes occurred, including in Windsor, Colorado, Quinter, Kansas, Hugo, Minnesota and Parkersburg, Iowa. The Parkersburg tornado was rated an EF5 on the Enhanced Fujita scale with winds of 205 mph. Nine people were killed in Iowa, two in Kansas and one in each Minnesota and Colorado.
Confirmed tornadoes
Note: Three tornadoes in Canada were rated according to the Fujita scale, but are included in the chart below using their corresponding number rating.
May 22 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Thursday, May 22, 2008EF#LocationCounty / ParishStateCoord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax widthSummary EF3NE of Platteville to Windsor to NE of Fort CollinsWeld, LarimerCO17:26–18:161 death - See section on this tornado – another 78 people were injured by this long-tracked and significant tornado. EF1SW of DaconoWeldCO18:30–18:32A brief tornado destroyed five outbuildings and overturned a fifth-wheel trailer, injuring the man inside. EF0SE of PerkinsAlbanyWY18:58–19:00A brief tornado downed two trees and damaged a garage door. EF2SW of Buford to LaramieAlbanyWY18:58–19:35This strong tornado tracked across the eastern and northern parts of Laramie. A high school, a junior high school and a Wal-Mart were damaged, along with numerous houses nearby. A convenience store and an apartment building had their roofs torn off, and a dance club lost its porch and part of its roof. Trees were downed and semi-trucks were overturned as well. One person was injured near Buford. EF0SW of GoveGoveKS20:45–20:46A tornado remained over open country, causing no damage. EF0S of GrinnellGoveKS21:07–21:10A rope tornado remained over open country, causing no damage. EF1W of Selden to SW of OberlinSheridan, DecaturKS22:11–22:46Near Selden, a farmstead sustained EF1 damage, where trees and outbuildings were damaged. Near Oberlin, additional outbuildings were damaged, along with irrigation pivots. EF0W of GrainfieldGove, SheridanKS22:25–22:43A tornado remained over open country, causing no damage. EF0S of WaunetaChaseNE22:29–22:30A tornado remained over open country, causing no noticeable damage, though a pheasant rooster was found defeathered. EF0NW of AlamotaLaneKS22:32–22:38A tornado remained over open country, causing no damage. EF1SW of OberlinDecaturKS22:48–23:13A large tornado damaged or destroyed a number of irrigation pivots. The rear flank downdraft caused additional damage to grain bins and outbuildings. EF2W of HoxieSheridanKS22:55–23:17A large multiple-vortex tornado tore the roof off of a house and destroyed a large metal outbuilding. Another home sustained lesser damage and a small outbuilding was destroyed nearby. An irrigation sprinkler was overturned, and significant tree damage occurred as well. EF1SE of GoveGoveKS23:08–23:23Homes sustained severe roof damage, and outbuildings were damaged or destroyed. EF0SE of SeldenSheridanKS23:18–23:23A tornado remained over open country, causing no damage. EF0SE of SeldenSheridanKS23:20–23:23A tornado remained over open country, causing no damage. EF0S of CollyerTregoKS23:26–23:42This tornado remained over open country, causing no damage. EF0SE of March Air Reserve BaseRiversideCA23:30–23:36A tornado moved through open fields near March Air Reserve Base, causing no damage. EF1N of Dresden to N of Lebanon, NEDecatur (KS), Red Willow (NE)KS, NE23:31–00:34In Kansas, numerous outbuildings were destroyed and many power poles were snapped. In Nebraska, a stock trailer was pushed 6 feet and 4 oil tanks were blown over, with one being tossed 1/4 of a mile. About 25 additional power poles were damaged or snapped as well. EF0SE of QuinterGoveKS23:32–23:33A brief tornado remained over open country, causing no damage. EF2W of March Air Reserve BaseRiversideCA23:42–00:03A strong tornado crossed Interstate 215 and tossed a semi-truck into the air, severely injuring the driver. Nine railroad cars were blown off the tracks, and several homes in the area sustained roof damage. This was the first tornado to be rated EF2 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, and it was the first F/EF2 in the state since 1998. EF0NW of March Air Reserve BaseRiversideCA23:50–23:58This tornado occurred simultaneously with the previous tornado, though this one remained over a field and caused no damage. EF0S of WoodcrestRiversideCA00:40–00:45A tornado remained over an unpopulated hilly area, causing no damage. EF1SW of UticaNessKS01:00–01:08A large shed was destroyed and fencing was downed. EF0SE of PendennisLaneKS01:05–01:07A brief tornado remained over open country, causing no damage. EF0SW of Trego CenterTregoKS01:42–01:50This tornado remained over open country, causing no damage. EF1WakeeneyTregoKS01:57–02:00A rain-wrapped cone tornado caused considerable damage in town. Near the beginning of the path, a hangar and several small airplanes were destroyed at the Trego-Wakeeney Airport, and at a nearby campground, a fifth-wheel trailer was rolled, an unanchored cabin was destroyed, tree limbs were snapped, and shingles were torn from the manager's office roof. As the tornado struck Wakeeney directly, the local high school had part of its roof peeled back, several small storage buildings were destroyed, several trees were uprooted in town, and a large quonset building was destroyed. A brick barn lost its roof before the tornado dissipated. EF1E of CheyenneLaramieWY02:28–02:31A pole barn was destroyed. EF0SW of CheyenneLaramieWY02:32–02:33A brief tornado remained over open country and caused no damage.
May 23 event