On May 5–8, 1965, a significant tornado outbreak affected much of the Central United States. For four consecutive days, tornado outbreaks produced at least three significant (F2+) tornadoes each day, and at least two violent (F4–F5) tornadoes on three of the four days. The entire sequence generated 37 significant tornadoes, including at least nine violent tornadoes, one of which was rated F5. On May 5, two F4s struck Iowa, including a long-tracked tornado family that injured 11 people. On May 6, an outbreak of six strong tornadoes, four of them violent F4s, affected Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, and has been nicknamed "The Longest Night", killing 13 people and causing major damages—at the time the most damaging single weather event in Minnesota history. Three of the six tornadoes occurred on the ground simultaneously, and two of them hit the section of Minnesota State Highway 100 (now Interstate 694) and University Avenue in the city of Fridley. Both Fridley tornadoes damaged 1,100 homes and destroyed about 425; total losses reached $14.5 million, $5 million of which was to the Fridley school system.

On May 7, three significant tornadoes hit portions of the Upper Midwest, and beginning early on May 8, a major tornado outbreak affected the Great Plains states, particularly in Nebraska and South Dakota. The outbreak on May 8 produced numerous significant, long-lived tornadoes, including at least three violent tornadoes, two of which were actually long-tracked tornado families. A very large F5 tornado struck Tripp County in South Dakota, and two major F4s tracked across parts of Greeley and Antelope Counties in Nebraska. One of the F4s struck the small village of Primrose, almost totally destroying the settlement, causing probable F5 damage, and killing four people. Additionally, a high-end F3 obliterated a farm in Gregory County, South Dakota, and may have been an F4 as well. Many of the individual tornadoes on May 8 moved north and northwest, an unusual trajectory for supercells in this part of the Great Plains. Many of the long-tracked tornadoes on this date, rather than single tornadoes, were probably tornado families like the two long-lived F4s.

Meteorological synopsis Temperatures on May 6 were in the upper 70s °F with high dew points, which was considered to be unusual for early May in Minnesota. A strong low pressure area associated with an upper-level system moving in from the southwest and a nearby slow-moving cold front helped spark the storms. These storms formed as training supercells—an atmospheric phenomenon that is extremely rare in Minnesota. Because of the training, the same general areas from Sibley County through Carver and Hennepin and into northwestern Ramsey counties kept getting the brunt of these cells.

Confirmed tornadoes +Outbreak death tollStateTotalCounty CountytotalMinnesota13Anoka3Carver3Hennepin6Sibley1Nebraska4Boone4Totals17 All deaths were tornado-related

May 5 List of confirmed tornadoes F# Location County Time (UTC) Path length DamageIowa F2Hartley to W of SibleyO'Brien, Osceola2030 F4S of Rinard to NE of CallenderCalhoun, Webster2215An intense tornado damaged eight farms near Farnhamville before hitting the south side of Slifer. The tornado destroyed a church and a parsonage, both of which were swept away.Grazulis, Significant Tornadoes, 1073. F4Osage to N of KendallvilleFloyd, Howard, Winneshiek0200Two large farmhouses were leveled northwest of Kendallville, and about 28 farms were destroyed. All 11 injuries occurred in Mitchell County. The tornado was probably a family of several tornadoes, and it may have been continuous with the F3 tornado near Harmony, Minnesota, listed farther below.South Dakota F1Near ElktonBrookings2045Three farms were reported damaged.North Dakota FUW of LealBarnes2100unknownBrief touchdown. F2NE of Leonard to NW of HarwoodCass2315This tornado family moved erratically northward, destroying barns, sheds, and other farm buildings. Seven farms were hit. At least two separate tornadoes, two hours apart, may have produced damage.Texas F0W of SpoffordKinney2300 F1NE of WingateRunnels, Taylor0300Minnesota F1SE of Sauk CentreStearns2320 F2NW of Alexandria to NW of Wolf LakeDouglas, Otter Tail, Becker2330A tornado destroyed lakeside cottages near Lake Darling and badly damaged structures on eight farms as well. The tornado continued on to Big Toad Lake, where it destroyed a large, two-story "summer home." Five other homes and cottages sustained minor damage. A family of two separate tornadoes may have been involved. F1S of Gaylord to E of New AuburnSibley2345 F3S of Harmony to SE of Melrose, WIFillmore, Houston, Winona, La Crosse (WI)0100This tornado may have consisted of two separate tornadoes, with the path of the first ending, and the second beginning, in Houston County. Homes and barns were reported destroyed near Canton, Lenora, and Newburg. Farther along the path, more barns and a brick schoolhouse were also destroyed. As the tornado crossed into Wisconsin, it destroyed more buildings on several farms. A car in Wisconsin was moved as well. F0SE of ElginWabasha0225 F0NW of Rushford VillageWinona0300A brief tornado destroyed two farms near Fremont. Rating disputed, ranked F2 by Grazulis. F2W of Le Roy to NE of RacineMower, Fillmore0304A tornado destroyed a barn and damaged 20 farms in its path.Wisconsin F2W of Grantsburg to W of WebsterBurnett0215 F2NW of Cumberland to S of BarronettBarron0530Source: National Climatic Database Center

May 6 List of confirmed tornadoes F# Location County Time (UTC) Path length DamageMinnesota F4NE of Cologne to N of Crystal BayCarver00083 deaths – The first of four powerful F4 tornadoes touched down just east of Cologne in Carver County. The tornado struck the Island Park–Mound area, where it destroyed 17 homes, some of which were leveled. The tornado then struck and destroyed most of the Navarre community, where 16 homes were destroyed. The tornado also destroyed all barns and outbuildings on 30 farms. Homes were destroyed on 20 farms as well. According to a 1975 map, which contains the most revised data on the May 6 tornadoes, the tornado dissipated north of Crystal Bay. F4Chanhassen to S of WayzataCarver0027The second of the four F4 tornadoes—and the first of two to be photographed this day—touched down near Lake Susan in Chanhassen and traveled toward Deephaven in Hennepin County. The first damage was reported south of Chanhassen, where 30 homes were damaged or destroyed. The tornado traveled due north, causing damage to a lumberyard and a shopping center. The tornado then damaged 35 homes at Lotus Lake and damaged or destroyed another 50 at Christmas Lake. As the tornado continued into Deephaven, it destroyed 100 homes, some of which were completely leveled, including "large and expensive" homes. According to official sources, the tornado dissipated after hitting Deephaven, and only two tornadoes hit Fridley; however, Grazulis reports that the tornado turned northeast, continuing beyond Deephaven, passing just south of Medicine Lake, striking Golden Valley, and hitting Fridley at 7:10 p.m. (0110 UTC). Six homes were reportedly damaged in Golden Valley, "clocks stopped" in Fridley, and 25 airplanes were damaged or destroyed at Anoka County-Blaine Airport in Blaine. However, the official records end this tornado near Deephaven and only indicate that two tornadoes, not three, hit Fridley. F3E of New Auburn to NW of Lester PrairieSibley, McLeod0034Tornado touched down about east of New Auburn in Sibley County and moved to just west of Lester Prairie in McLeod County. The tornado damaged or destroyed at least 25 farm buildings, as well as a church and a school, but there were no injuries or fatalities. Damage reached $1,000,000 (1965 USD). F2E of Green Isle to NE of Norwood Young AmericaSibley, Carver00431 death – Tornado touched down about east of Green Isle in Sibley County and was on the ground . It dissipated about southwest of Waconia in Carver County. A farmer and his cattle were killed southeast of Hamburg. Photographs showed that nearby trees were debarked and shredded. The tornado was up to wide near Norwood Young America and Waconia. Three barns were reportedly destroyed southwest of Cologne at 7:15 p.m. (0115 UTC), but Grazulis counts the damage as being related to a second F2 tornado (not officially listed). 175 people were injured which, as of 2022, in the most injuries caused by an F2/EF2 tornado. F4SW of Columbia Heights to Fridley to N of Spring Lake ParkHennepin, Anoka01063 deaths – See section on this tornado The first of at least two tornadoes to hit Fridley touched down in the southwesternmost corner of Fridley in Anoka County. It then moved across the Northern Ordnance industrial plant and continued to Osborne Road and Highway 65. At this point, the tornado was visually spectacular and, like the Deephaven tornado, was one of the two tornadoes to be photographed during the outbreak. The funnel then struck Fridley directly, hitting the main school and park complex, the city hall, and a trailer court. Three hundred people were attending an evening program in Fridley Junior High when the tornado struck, but only a single child was injured. The tornado eventually struck hundreds of homes in Fridley before continuing north-northeast into Spring Lake Park. There, the tornado was at its greatest intensity, destroying 150 homes and leveling some of them. Seventy-five percent of all the businesses in Spring Lake Park were reported destroyed, and 900 people in the town were said to be homeless. 175 people were injured. The tornado dissipated just northeast of Laddie Lake in Blaine in Anoka County. F4Golden Valley to Fridley to Lino LakesHennepin, Anoka, Ramsey02146 deaths – See section on this tornado The last and deadliest violent tornado of the day touched down in Golden Valley in Hennepin County and moved across north Minneapolis, Fridley in Anoka County, and Mounds View in Ramsey County before dissipating just west of Centerville in Anoka County. Like the previous event, this tornado also struck the Northern Ordnance industrial plant. Total damage from the two tornadoes at the Northern Ordnance plant reached $2 million (1965 USD) in damage, shutting down the plant for more than one month. Next, the tornado damaged 25 homes and eight businesses when it hit Golden Valley.Grazulis, Significant Tornadoes, 1074. The tornado then became the second of the day to hit Fridley, and even struck the same trailer park in Fridley hit by the previous tornado. The tornado also destroyed 85% of an elementary school. In Fridley, some homes were hit more than once by multiple tornadoes. As it continued into Mounds View, the tornado completely leveled numerous homes, killing six people. In all, 46 homes in Mounds View were destroyed, and losses reached about $1 million (1965 USD). 158 people were injured.Oklahoma F2NW of LoyalKingfisher0000A brief touchdown destroyed a barn, a shop, a granary, and a shed. It also damaged four homes and two "combines." F2SE of Dodson, TX, to W of Granite, OKHarmon, Greer0050This tornado may have begun in Texas. It damaged or destroyed at least six homes, 10 barns, a gin, a store, a church, and a school. F1SE of CantonBlaine0100 F0OakwoodDewey0100 F1DeweyWashington0300Nebraska F0E of NewcastleDixon0145Source: National Climatic Database Center

May 7 List of confirmed tornadoes F# Location County Time (UTC) Path length DamageWisconsin F2S of Shell LakeWashburn1430A brief tornado unroofed a school in which 300 students sheltered, but none were hurt.South Dakota FUNE of Lake AndesCharles Mix1830unknownIowa FUOelweinFayette1855unknown FUFairfieldVan Buren2030unknownKansas F0S of Garden CityFinney2200 F2N of PiercevilleFinney2200 F2N of CimarronFinney2200Minnesota F0SW of KenyonLe Seur0010Oklahoma F0ArnettEllis0050Texas F0S of WheelerWheeler0050Source: National Climatic Database Center

May 8