List of United States tornadoes in May 2011

This is a list of all tornadoes that were confirmed by local offices of the National Weather Service in the United States in May 2011. Following the record tornado activity in April, during which 773 tornadoes struck the United States, May exhibited an unusually low number of tornadoes for the first three weeks. Only isolated events occurred until May 9, when five tornadoes struck Nebraska and South Dakota. A small outbreak of 16 tornadoes occurred across the Central United States, with EF0 to EF1 tornadoes caused mainly minor damage across states such as Nebraska, Iowa, and Missouri. The following few days saw isolated tornadoes strike Nebraska, Louisiana, Ohio, Maryland, and Colorado. Scattered weak tornadoes on May 19 impacted Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Colorado, while six more weak tornadoes occurred on May 20. This included an EF1 tornado in Prairie County, Montana, which damaged a ranch.

Activity then abruptly increased with a prolonged and violent tornado outbreak sequence taking place from May 21–26, resulting in 178 fatalities. An EF3 tornado struck Reading, Kansas on May 21, resulting in severe damage and one fatality. An EF5 tornado in Joplin, Missouri resulted in 158 fatalities on May 22, becoming one of the deadliest tornadoes in United States history. This tornado was the most severe of the outbreak, and it caused catastrophic damage across southern portions of the city of Joplin. Elsewhere on May 22, another person was killed by an EF1 tornado that struck Minneapolis, Minnesota and surrounding suburbs, and a high-end EF3 tornado moved from Delaware County, Oklahoma to McDonald County, Missouri, with numerous homes being destroyed. On May 24, a significant outbreak took place in Oklahoma and Arkansas, with another EF5 tornado and two EF4 tornadoes striking areas around Oklahoma City. These three tornadoes resulting in ten fatalities and nearly 300 injuries. Another EF4 tornado moved through Denning, Arkansas just before midnight, with four additional deaths. May 25 featured a large number of tornadoes across Missouri, Illinois and Indiana, with several more tornadoes in other states. This activity continued into the next day, when an EF3 tornado impacted part of St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana and injured four people.

Sporadic tornado activity continued over the final five days of May, most notably on May 30, when approximately 15 tornadoes impacted the northern Great Plains. These included four tornadoes–three EF2 and one EF1–in the Fargo, North Dakota area, resulting in heavy damage to buildings and electrical transmission lines.

United States yearly total

May

May 1 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Sunday, May 1, 2011EF#LocationCounty / ParishStateStart Coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax width EF1Center RidgeConwayAR00:13–00:15This brief tornado downed several trees, a few of which damaged homes and outbuildings. Air temperatures were in the low 50s°F at the time of the tornado.

May 2 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Monday, May 2, 2011EF#LocationCounty / ParishStateStart Coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax width EF0SSW of BlendePuebloCO22:43–22:46Brief landspout with no damage.

May 7 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Saturday, May 7, 2011EF#LocationCounty / ParishStateStart Coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax width EF0W of PaxtonFordIL21:06–21:07Brief, small tornado in a field with no damage. EF0SE of AllertonVermilionIL23:08–23:09Brief tornado in a field with no damage.

May 8 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Sunday, May 8, 2011EF#LocationCounty / ParishStateStart Coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax width EF0SW of PreshoLymanSD01:03–01:05Small, weak tornado with no damage.

May 9 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Monday, May 9, 2011EF#LocationCounty / ParishStateStart Coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax width EF0E of Harrison (1st tornado)SiouxNE00:35Brief tornado with no damage. EF0E of Harrison (2nd tornado)SiouxNE01:10Brief tornado with no damage. EF1N of PhilipHaakonSD02:55–03:05Plywood and metal roofing was torn off a ranch house, a metal shed had a collapsed wall and some roof panels torn off, and a grain bin was dented by flying debris. EF0W of OttumwaHaakonSD03:45Brief tornado with no damage. EF2 E of CreightonPenningtonSD05:07–05:09A large electrical transmission tower was crumpled and seven power poles and several trees were snapped by a tornado that remained over mostly grassy areas well to the northeast of Wall. The NCEI database inadvertently lists this as an EF0 tornado.

May 10 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Tuesday, May 10, 2011EF#LocationCounty / ParishStateStart Coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax width EF1W of Hanover to W of St. MichaelWrightMN00:55–01:01Numerous homes sustained damage, mainly to roofs, windows, siding, and soffit. A pole barn was lifted approximately , several fences were blown down, and dozens of trees and several power poles were downed.

May 11 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Wednesday, May 11, 2011EF#LocationCounty / ParishStateStart Coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax width EF0SW of AyrAdamsNE18:40–18:41This brief tornado damaged a farmstead, destroying four sheds and damaging fences and the door to an outbuilding. EF0White SettlementTarrantTX18:55–18:56A brief tornado touched down in White Settlement, destroying a shed and damaging several homes. Three light poles were snapped, fences were damaged, and several trees were downed as well. EF0Lake KiowaCookeTX19:30–19:33Twenty-one homes sustained mainly roof damage around Lake Kiowa and many trees were snapped or uprooted. EF1NNE of HamptonHamiltonNE19:50–19:53Three irrigation pivots were overturned, two grain bins were destroyed, and seven power poles were downed. EF1OsceolaPolkNE20:00–20:02An intermittent tornado destroyed four metal sheds south of town, uprooted a large tree in the city park, and damaged a porch and a shed on the north side of town. Several more trees were downed along the path as well. EF0NE of SharpsburgTaylorIA21:20–21:21Brief tornado with no damage. EF1Lenox (1st tornado)TaylorIA21:38–21:41The roof was partially removed from a house, other homes sustained shingle loss, and several trees were downed. EF1Lenox (2nd tornado)TaylorIA21:45–21:50A second tornado touched down only a few blocks southwest of the first one in Lenox. Several homes sustained significant roof and facade damage, with one home losing its entire roof. Several trees were downed as well. EF0WNW of KentAdamsIA21:58–22:20Brief tornado with no damage reported by storm spotter. EF0SSE of Locust GroveMayesOK23:11–23:12A barn and a house were damaged and trees and power poles were downed. EF1BerniceDelawareOK23:47–23:50A tornado along Grand Lake o' the Cherokees severely damaged a marina, damaged several boats and a metal building, rolled trailers, and uprooted numerous trees. EF0N of HawardenSiouxIA23:53–23:54Brief tornado stirred up dust but caused no damage. EF0SE of AshtonOsceolaIA00:07–00:08Brief tornado with no damage. EF0ESE of AndersonMcDonaldMO00:23–00:24A brief tornado formed along a gust front ahead of a line of thunderstorms moving into the area. Numerous trees were uprooted and large tree limbs were broken off. A barn was damaged and a house lost a few shingles. EF0Papinsville to NNW of RockvilleBatesMO01:21–01:30A weak landspout tornado along the leading edge of a line of thunderstorms damaged a few buildings and snapped off small tree limbs and larger trees with hollow or rotten cores. EF0Appleton CitySt. ClairMO01:35–01:38A few homes sustained minor roof damage and several trees were downed along an intermittent path.

May 12 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Thursday, May 12, 2011EF#LocationCounty / ParishStateStart Coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax width EF0SW of AuroraHamiltonNE21:46–21:50Brief tornado with no damage. EF0WNW of Stromsburg (1st tornado)PolkNE22:33–22:34Brief tornado with no damage. EF0WNW of Stromsburg (2nd tornado)PolkNE22:36–22:37Brief tornado with no damage.

May 13 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Friday, May 13, 2011EF#LocationCounty / ParishStateStart Coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax width EF0SW of Grand IsleJeffersonLA17:46A waterspout briefly moved onshore across the southwestern end of Grand Isle, tearing the roof off a cabin and knocking down power lines. Law enforcement observed the tornado move approximately , mainly as a waterspout. EF0ENE of McGirrDeKalbIL18:30–18:32Brief tornado with no damage. EF0BurasPlaqueminesLA19:50A waterspout moved onshore and damaged a section of a motel's roof as well as a sign near South Plaquemines High School.

May 14 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Saturday, May 14, 2011EF#LocationCounty / ParishStateStart Coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax width EF0PiquaMiamiOH23:42–23:43Brief tornado with no damage. EF0S of SidneyShelbyOH00:28–00:29Brief tornado with no damage.

May 17 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Tuesday, May 17, 2011EF#LocationCounty / ParishStateStart Coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax width EF0N of WolfsvilleFrederickMD21:35–21:39Two structures sustained minor shingle damage, siding was partially removed from a house, a backyard play center was snapped from its anchors and rolled, and several trees were snapped or uprooted. EF0S of AntonWashingtonCO23:45–00:08Fences and power lines were damaged. EF1MaugansvilleWashingtonMD00:10–00:18Several homes sustained roof damage, several sheds and outbuildings were flipped or destroyed, and a garage door was blown in, leading to failure of the roof. Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted, and an RV was tipped over and blown . EF0NE of AntonWashingtonCO00:18–00:34No damage was documented with this tornado.

May 18 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Wednesday, May 18, 2011EF#LocationCounty / ParishStateStart Coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax width EF0Northeast PhiladelphiaPhiladelphiaPA17:50–17:51A brief tornado damaged a couple businesses and an apartment building. The roof of a car repair shop was caved in, resulting in two injuries, the roof of a beer distributor collapsed, and a seafood restaurant lost part of its roof. This was the first tornado to strike Philadelphia since January 18, 1999. EF1NE of MillersburgDauphinPA22:05–22:06A brief tornado near Millersburg damaged several homes, removed part of a church roof, destroyed several outbuildings, and snapped or uprooted about 15 large trees. EF0WSW of HaswellKiowaCO23:55–00:00Brief tornado with no damage.

May 19 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Thursday, May 19, 2011EF#LocationCounty / ParishStateStart Coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax width EF0NNW of Church HillQueen Anne'sMD16:35–16:45A waterspout over the Chester River moved onshore and produced minor, intermittent damage. Shingles were blown off a house, and a play station was damaged. EF0N of DorranceRussellKS21:43–21:46A shed was damaged, and a few trees were downed. EF0Wilson LakeRussellKS21:48–21:52This tornado crossed Wilson Lake northeast of Dorrance, damaging a sail boat. EF0N of CoopertonKiowaOK21:50Brief tornado with no damage. EF0ENE of Wilson LakeRussellKS22:15–22:17Brief tornado over open country with no damage. NCEI coordinates show this tornado in Lincoln County, just east of the Russell County line. EF0NE of FountainEl PasoCO22:23–22:29A brief landspout tornado destroyed a camper, overturned a shed, and caused roof, window, and garage damage to a house. EF0WSW of Sylvan GroveLincolnKS22:25–22:27Brief tornado with no damage. EF0SE of Fort CobbCaddoOK23:09Brief tornado with no damage observed by an NWS employee. EF0W of ApacheCaddoOK23:40Small, brief tornado with no damage observed by an NWS employee. EF0NE of OklaunionWilbargerTX00:34Brief, partially rain-wrapped tornado with no damage. EF0NatomaOsborneKS01:30–01:31A brief tornado on the south side of Natoma caused significant damage to two farmsteads, with cattle panels and feed bunks damaged, hay bales moved, and a hay shed being moved away. A light pole was broken, and a garage had roofing tin removed as well.

May 20 event