Southern Plains Tornadoes

Losses, 2024 dollars

$1.7 billion

Losses at the time

$1.3 billion

Deaths

4

The losses and deaths are NCEI’s, counting everything the disaster did. The episodes below are only what the Weather Service filed in its Storm Events record, which counts damage differently and often not at all, so the two never add up and are shown apart.

• Flash Flood in California, May 4, 2015$1,000 · 1 eventThunderstorms caused isolated flash flooding in the Mojave Desert.
• Hail in Kansas, May 4, 20151 in hail · 2 eventsA few strong to severe storms moved across northeastern Kansas and northwestern Missouri during the evening of May 4th. The storms produced localized flash flooding as well as some 1 hail reports.
• Hail in Iowa, May 4, 20150.88 in hail · 1 eventThunderstorms formed in the evening hours of the 4th. For the most part the storms were not very strong. One storm in Marion County dropped nickel size hail in the Bussey area.
• Flash Flood in Colorado, May 4, 2015$20,000 · 1 eventThunderstorms producing very heavy rain east of Matheson. Several county roads were reportedly flooded.
• Flash Flood in Colorado, May 4, 20151 eventA thunderstorm produced heavy rain, mainly across the eastern part of the Black Forest burn scar and Falcon area. Water was 6 or more inches deep over many local roads.
• Tornado and Flash Flooding in Texas, May 5, 2015$7,000 · EF1 · 7 eventsAn upper level low was over Arizona and New Mexico, and an upper level disturbance associated with this low moved over West Texas. A dryline was present across the Permian Basin with good moisture and instability to the east of this feature.
• Tornado and Hail in New Mexico, May 5, 2015$20,000 · EF0 · 3 eventsAn upper level low pressure system moved out of central Arizona and into northern Colorado during the day on the 5th ushering colder air over New Mexico.
• Hail in Ohio, May 5, 2015$3,000 · 1 in hail · 4 eventsShowers and a few stronger thunderstorms developed along a stationary front draped across northern Ohio. Penny size hail was reported in Crawford, Richland, and Wayne Counties with one inch diameter hail reported in Stark County.
• Hail in Montana, May 5, 20150.88 in hail · 1 eventAtmospheric conditions allowed a strong thunderstorm's development to persist just long enough to produce small hail near the Little Rocky Mountains.
• Damaging Winds in Texas, May 5, 201560 kt wind · 6 eventsAn upper level trough continued to move eastward toward the area today. After a significant round of rain with locally 2-3 inches overnight, instability developed during the afternoon and thunderstorms formed.
• Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, May 5, 2015$75,000 · EF0 · 5 eventsScattered thunderstorms developed late this afternoon in the southwest South Plains and proceeded to move east and northeast into the Rolling Plains by late evening.
• Hail in Indiana, May 5, 20150.88 in hail · 1 eventA few thunderstorms moved over northwestern Indiana on the evening of May 5th with at least one thunderstorm producing nickel size hail.
• Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Texas, May 5 to 7, 2015EF0 · 62 eventsStrong upper level disturbances, emanating from an upper low in the Rockies, interacted with a very warm, moist atmosphere and strong upper level winds over West Central Texas to produce severe weather over a three day period.
• Hail in Oklahoma, May 5, 20151 in hail · 1 eventAn upper level trough continued to move eastward toward the area today. After a significant round of rain with locally 2-3 inches overnight, instability developed during the afternoon and thunderstorms formed.
• Tornado and Damaging Winds in Oklahoma, May 5 to 6, 2015$4,000 · EF0 · 7 eventsThunderstorms developed over West Texas during the early morning hours of the 5th and gradually spread eastward across Oklahoma during the day. The first round of thunderstorms reached eastern Oklahoma during the evening hours. Isolated damaging wind occurred with these storms.
• Flash Flooding and Damaging Wind in Texas, May 5 to 6, 2015$50,000 · 50 kt wind · 11 eventsHeavy rain began in the Austin area and east during the evening of May 5th, persisting through the early morning of the 6th. Multiple flash flood reports were received.
• Flash Flood and Hail in Oklahoma, May 5 to 6, 2015$345,000 · 1 in hail · 8 eventsA potent upper storm system moved across the Central and Southern Plains. At the surface, intense daytime heating allowed for scattered thunderstorm development along the Caprock of west Texas and Oklahoma during the afternoon.
• Hail in Texas, May 5, 20151.25 in hail · 1 eventA potent upper storm system moved across the Central and Southern Plains. At the surface, intense daytime heating allowed for scattered thunderstorm development along the Caprock of west Texas and Oklahoma during the afternoon.
• Lightning Strike in Texas, May 6, 2015$50,000 · 1 eventThunderstorms rumbled across northern and western portions of north Texas on May 6. Lightning from one storm caused a house fire in Lewisville, TX.
• Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in Texas, May 6, 2015$24,000 · 52 kt wind · 5 eventsAn early morning slow moving thunderstorm produced some wind damage and flash flooding.
• Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Nebraska, May 6 to 7, 2015$16 million · EF2 · 27 eventsThunderstorms developed early this Wednesday afternoon and evening, and predominantly produced tornadoes and flash flooding. With no cap in place, scattered thunderstorms began developing as early as the noon hour over north central Kansas.
• Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Kansas, May 6 to 7, 20151 injured · $5.8 million · EF2 · 19 eventsThunderstorms developed early this Wednesday afternoon and evening, and predominantly produced tornadoes and flash flooding. Five tornadoes occurred over Jewell County.
• Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Oklahoma, May 6, 20151 death · 12 injured · $344,000 · EF3 · 53 eventsA potent Spring storm system took shape across the Southern and Central Plains. Strong surface cyclogenesis took shape during the day, allowing ample moisture to return northward with strong southerly flow.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Virginia, May 6, 2015$15,000 · 1.75 in hail · 11 eventsA backdoor cold front dropped into the area on the 6th. An unstable atmosphere ahead of the front combined with the forcing from the boundary, causing a few thunderstorms to develop. Some thunderstorms became severe due to the unstable atmosphere.
• Tornadoes and Hail in Kansas, May 6, 20151 injured · $655,000 · EF3 · 15 eventsA modest dryline developed across South Central and Central Kansas during the afternoon hours of May 6th, 2015. Moderate instability and shear combined to produce supercell thunderstorms across South Central Kansas and Central Kansas.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Pennsylvania, May 6, 2015$1,000 · 1 in hail · 3 eventsPulse storms developed over the higher terrain of southwestern Pennsylvania, moving east and producing isolated hail and wind damage in and just east of the Laurel Highlands.
• Damaging Wind in South Dakota, May 6, 20153 injured · $5,000 · 1 eventConvective showers produced gusty winds across west central South Dakota.
• Hail in Kansas, May 6, 20151.75 in hail · 6 eventsA couple of thunderstorms reached severe limits during the late afternoon.
• Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Kansas, May 6, 2015EF3 · 17 eventsApproximately 14 tornadoes were documented and confirmed via reports and radar data all occurring during the late afternoon and evening of May 6th. The tornadoes impacted Republic, Cloud, Washington and Clay Counties. In fact, 7 tornadoes alone occurred in Republic County.
• Lightning Strike in Virginia, May 6, 20152 injured · 1 eventIsolated thunderstorm in advance of a frontal boundary produced a lightning strike which injured two adults at Pocahontas Middle School in central Virginia.
• Damaging Wind in Maryland, May 6, 2015$1,000 · 50 kt wind · 1 eventA backdoor cold front dropped into the area on the 6th. An unstable atmosphere ahead of the front combined with the forcing from the boundary, causing a few thunderstorms to develop. An isolated thunderstorm became severe due to the unstable atmosphere.
• Tornado and Hail in Texas, May 6, 2015$1,000 · EF2 · 4 eventsA potent Spring storm system took shape across the Southern and Central Plains. Strong surface cyclogenesis took shape during the day, allowing ample moisture to return northward with strong southerly flow.
• Hail in Colorado, May 6, 20150.88 in hail · 3 eventsStrong storms brought hail up to the size of nickels in Bent and Pueblo Counties.
• Hail in Texas, May 6, 2015$123,000 · 2.75 in hail · 13 eventsAn upper level trough was over the western half of the United States and allowed for an increase in upper lift over West Texas. A dryline was present across the Permian Basin and Lower Trans Pecos.
• Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Nebraska, May 6 to 7, 2015$630,000 · EF1 · 13 eventsA storm system moving through the central plains allowed for low pressure to develop over the high Plains, and a warm front to lift north into the northern Plains.
• Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Texas, May 6 to 9, 20151 death · 5 injured · $1.7 million · EF1 · 56 eventsA cold front moved south out of the Texas panhandle on May 6th, and was draped across north Texas on the 7th and 8th.
• Flash Flooding and Heavy Snow in California, May 7 to 8, 2015$4,000 · 4 eventsA very large and cold upper-level low deepened along the West Coast before moving inland directly over southern California. This late-season system brought significant rain and snow showers over and west of the mountains on the 7th and 8th.
• Flash Flooding and Hail in Oklahoma, May 7, 2015$10,000 · 1 in hail · 9 eventsStorms developed east of a dryline in the Texas panhandle during the morning hours of May 7th before making their way eastward through southern Oklahoma and merging into a storm complex.
• Hail and High Wind in California, May 7, 20151 in hail · 2 eventsAn upper level low moved across the northern Sierra-Nevada Range, bringing breezy winds and scattered thunderstorms.
• Hail in Missouri, May 7, 20150.75 in hail · 1 eventScattered showers and thunderstorms moved across parts of the region Thursday afternoon and evening, as a cold front moved into Iowa. One thunderstorm produced hail up to the size of pennies.
• Tornado and Flash Flood in Colorado, May 7, 2015$5,000 · EF1 · 14 eventsSevere storms produced large hail across parts of southeast Colorado. Slow moving storms produced a large amount of hail, which caused flooding and accidents on Colorado Springs area roadways, and flooding also occurred due to clogging of drains.
• Tornadoes and Hail in Kansas, May 7, 2015$43,000 · EF1 · 20 eventsThunderstorms erupted along a stationary front during the afternoon. The initial storms produced land-spouts with subsequent storms producing hail and wind damage.
• Tornado and Hail in Colorado, May 7, 2015EF0 · 3 eventsA severe thunderstorm produced hail, up to walnut size, in Elbert County. A weak tornado touched down briefly in Weld County.
• Hail in Iowa, May 7, 20151.25 in hail · 2 eventsA cold front associated with the storm system that brought the heavy rainfall to the area on the evening of the 6th, moved through southeast Nebraska and southwest Iowa on the afternoon of the 7th.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Iowa, May 7, 20151 in hail · 6 eventsScattered showers and thunderstorms moved across parts of the region Thursday afternoon and evening, as a cold front moved into Iowa. One thunderstorm was severe, and produced damaging winds and large hail up to the size of quarters.
• Hail and Damaging Wind in Nebraska, May 7, 20151.25 in hail · 3 eventsA cold front associated with the storm system that brought the heavy rainfall to the area on the evening of the 6th, moved through southeast Nebraska and southwest Iowa on the afternoon of the 7th.
• Hail and Damaging Wind in Texas, May 7, 20152.5 in hail · 4 eventsStorms developed east of a dryline in the Texas panhandle during the morning hours of May 7th before making their way eastward through western north Texas and merging into a storm complex.
• Flash Flood and Hail in Kansas, May 7, 20151 in hail · 3 eventsOn the afternoon of May 7th storms developed along a stationary boundary. These storms trained over the same areas in Washington county causing flash flooding. A few storms were capable of producing severe hail.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Iowa, May 7, 2015$8,000 · 55 kt wind · 6 eventsThunderstorms developed across northeast Iowa during the afternoon of May 7th. As these storms moved across the area, they produced hail and straight line damaging winds. The largest hail reported was nickel sized in St.
• Hail in Florida, May 7, 20150.88 in hail · 5 eventsAn upper level area of low pressure along with a surface low off the Carolinas coast caused numerous strong thunderstorms over the southeast metropolitan area of South Florida.
• Damaging Wind in Louisiana, May 7, 2015$10,000 · 50 kt wind · 1 eventDaytime heating combined with ample moisture to bring scattered storms to the region. Isolated severe storms brought some small hail and wind damage.
• Damaging Wind in Utah, May 7, 201553 kt wind · 1 eventShowers and thunderstorms were common across Utah in the early parts of May, but only one severe thunderstorm was recorded during this period.
• Hail in Kansas, May 7, 20151.25 in hail · 3 eventsA small episode of severe weather occurred in Central Kansas during the afternoon of May 7th, 2015. A few large hail reports occurred.
• Hail and Damaging Wind in Iowa, May 7, 201552 kt wind · 2 eventsA weak cold frontal boundary moved into Iowa from the northwest. The atmosphere was not overly favorable for severe weather. CAPE was between 1000 and 2000 J/kg, but the atmosphere was weakly sheared with 20 to 25 kts of effective shear. Little downdraft CAPE was available.
• Hail in Colorado, May 7, 20151.75 in hail · 3 eventsA cluster of strong thunderstorms developed in Colorado during the afternoon and ultimately tracked east across Cheyenne County during the evening. Several large hail reports were received, some to the size of golf balls.
• Hail in Minnesota, May 7, 20150.75 in hail · 1 eventThunderstorms developed across southeast Minnesota during the evening of May 7th. As these storms moved across the area, they produced some hail. The largest hail reported was dime sized northwest of Rochester (Olmsted County).
• Tornado and Tropical Storm in North Carolina, May 8 to 12, 2015$5,000 · EF0 · 3 eventsTropical Storm Ana made landfall over the far northern coast of South Carolina during the early morning of Sunday May 10th. Ana then moved slowly north weakening to Tropical Depression during the afternoon of May 10th.
• Flash Flooding in Texas, May 8, 2015$106,000 · 5 eventsA large complex of showers and thunderstorms moved into Northeast Texas during the early morning hours of May 8th, with this complex slowing as it moved into Harrison County.
• Hail in New Mexico, May 8, 20151.75 in hail · 1 eventA fast-moving upper level disturbance moved over southeast New Mexico during the morning of May 8th. Strong to severe thunderstorms quickly developed over Roosevelt and Curry counties ahead of this atmospheric wave due to a moist and unstable environment near the surface.
• Hail and Damaging Wind in Texas, May 8, 2015$600 million · 4.5 in hail · 10 eventsShortly before 0800 CST, elevated thunderstorms intensified across the western South Plains and far eastern New Mexico in response to a surge of Gulf moisture ahead of a mid-level trough.
• Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Oklahoma, May 8, 2015$130,000 · EF0 · 55 eventsAnother round of storms developed across the Texas panhandle and developed into a line as it moved eastward across southern Oklahoma.
• Damaging Winds in Illinois, May 8, 2015$20,000 · 52 kt wind · 2 eventsThunderstorms slowly increased during the midday hours in advance of a mesoscale convective vortex approaching from southeast Missouri. Partial sunshine resulted in moderate instability, with mixed-layer cape values near 1000 j/kg.
• Flash Flooding and Flood in Arkansas, May 8 to 11, 20152 injured · $220,000 · 1 in hail · 24 eventsA large upper level storm system slowly approached the state from the west, pumping in large amounts of moisture into the region. At the same time, surface low pressure developed ahead of this upper level low and moved northeast over portions of Arkansas.
• Tornado and Flash Flooding in Colorado, May 8 to 9, 2015$4,000 · EF0 · 11 eventsSevere storms brought some flooding, damaging winds, hail up to the size of golf balls, and a brief tornado in Otero County.
• Damaging Winds in Indiana, May 8, 201560 kt wind · 4 eventsThe remnants of a complex of thunderstorms that moved through Illinois entered a moderately unstable and sheared environment across northern Indiana. Precipitable water values were running high, allowing for an increased threat of wet microbursts.
• Damaging Wind in Kentucky, May 8, 2015$3,000 · 52 kt wind · 1 eventThunderstorms slowly increased during the midday hours in advance of a mesoscale convective vortex approaching from southeast Missouri. Partial sunshine resulted in moderate instability, with mixed-layer cape values near 1000 j/kg.
• Damaging Wind and Lightning Strike in Texas, May 8, 2015$5,000 · 50 kt wind · 2 eventsSevere thunderstorms producing very heavy downpours and damaging winds developed over the eastern Edwards Plateau during the afternoon. The storms quickly became strong to severe as they moved over the Hill Country and the Interstate 35 corridor including metro Austin.
• Damaging Winds in Illinois, May 8, 2015$1,000 · 53 kt wind · 2 eventsScattered thunderstorms produced sporadic damaging winds across portions of northeastern Illinois.
• Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Texas, May 8, 2015EF1 · 6 eventsAnother round of storms developed across the Texas panhandle and developed into a line as it moved eastward across western north Texas.
• Flash Flood in Idaho, May 8, 2015$2,000 · 1 eventHeavy rain on May 8th caused some flash flooding in parts of west Pocatello.
• Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, May 8 to 10, 2015EF0 · 27 eventsA nearly stationary upper level low over southern California was the mechanism that caused upper level disturbances to move across West Central Texas.
• Flash Flooding and Hail in Oklahoma, May 8 to 9, 2015$65,000 · 4 in hail · 9 eventsThunderstorms developed over West Texas during the late morning hours of the 8th, and moved east across western and central Oklahoma during the day.
• Hail in Texas, May 8, 20152.5 in hail · 15 eventsAn upper level trough was centered over southern California, and an upper level disturbance moved over West Texas. A dryline was present across the Permian Basin with very moist and unstable conditions along and to the east of the dryline.
• Flash Flooding and Hail in Oklahoma, May 8, 2015$2,000 · 50 kt wind · 4 eventsScattered showers and thunderstorms developed during the early and mid evening hours on May 8th over northern Red River County Texas, along a weak surface front and ahead of an upper level disturbance approaching from the west.
• Flash Flooding and Flooding in Colorado, May 8 to 15, 2015$1.9 million · 14 eventsAreal flooding developed along the Cache La Poudre and South Platte River Basins as a combination of heavy rainfall and spring runoff unundated the region. The Cache La Poudre reached flood stage from the 10th the the 14th.
• Flash Flooding in Oklahoma, May 9, 20152 eventsNumerous showers and thunderstorms containing heavy rainfall redeveloped during the early morning hours on May 9th over much of McCurtain County Oklahoma, over areas that had already received heavy rainfall during the evening hours of May 8th.
• Hail in New Mexico, May 9, 20150.75 in hail · 1 eventA deep upper level low approached the New Mexico Arizona border during the morning of the 9th, with a disturbance rounding its base over far southeast New Mexico.
• Hail in Texas, May 9, 20152.5 in hail · 7 eventsThe previous two days saw the development of large thunderstorm clusters across West Texas which primarily resulted in a heavy rain for the Texas Panhandle. Severe weather was mostly confined to areas southeast of the Texas Panhandle.
• Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Colorado, May 9, 2015$3,000 · EF0 · 22 eventsAn intense weather system cause heavy snow across the higher elevations and severe storms across the I-25 corridor and southeast plains. Flooding occurred with some of the storms and three tornadoes occurred in El Paso and Kiowa Counties.
• Flash Flooding and Flooding in Texas, May 9 to 11, 20152 deaths · $7.5 million · 3.25 in hail · 78 eventsWidespread severe weather and flash flooding occurred in addition to the outbreak of tornadoes.
• Hail in Texas, May 9, 20151 in hail · 1 eventA potent upper level low pressure system migrated toward the Four Corners region late this night into the early morning hours, providing abundant and widespread lift across West Texas.
• Tornado and Hail in Kansas, May 9, 2015EF0 · 8 eventsA strong upper level jet streak, unstable atmosphere and a warm front lifting north helped to fuel thunderstorms, some severe.
• Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Oklahoma, May 9, 2015$315,000 · EF1 · 41 eventsAs the upper low continued to slowly track east across the Great Plains, storms once again formed in north Texas and the Texas panhandle and made their way eastward across Oklahoma through the day and evening of the 9th.
• Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Oklahoma, May 9 to 11, 2015$371,000 · EF2 · 45 eventsA slow-moving low pressure trough moved from the Rockies into the Plains during the 9th and 10th. Several disturbances rotating through this trough translated across the Southern Plains during this period.
• Flash Flood and Hail in Arkansas, May 9, 201552 kt wind · 6 eventsScattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms developed during the mid afternoon through the early evening hours across Southeast Oklahoma, Southwest Arkansas, and Northeast Texas on May 9th, from the remnants of a thunderstorm complex that moved east across North Texas.
• Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, May 9 to 10, 20153 deaths · 45 injured · $44 million · EF3 · 27 eventsAn active Spring weather pattern led to numerous severe thunderstorms, many of which produced tornadoes, across north Texas during Mother's Day Weekend.
• Tornado and Hail in Texas, May 9, 2015EF0 · 3 eventsAs the upper low continued to slowly track east across the Great Plains, storms once again formed in north Texas and the Texas panhandle and made their way eastward across western north Texas through the day and evening of the 9th.
• Tornadoes and Damaging Wind in Colorado, May 9, 2015EF0 · 4 eventsFour weak tornadoes touched down in Elbert and Lincoln Counties, but no damage was reported. However, some minor wind damage was associated with thunderstorm outflow winds in Lincoln County.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, May 9, 20151.75 in hail · 8 eventsScattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms developed during the mid afternoon through the early evening hours across Southeast Oklahoma, Southwest Arkansas, and Northeast Texas on May 9th, from the remnants of a thunderstorm complex that moved east across North Texas.
• Tornadoes and Hail in Colorado, May 9, 2015EF0 · 7 eventsA supercell thunderstorm moved north from Kiowa into Cheyenne County producing several large tornadoes. No damage was reported with the tornadoes remaining over open country.
• Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Kansas, May 9 to 10, 2015$136,000 · EF2 · 14 eventsSeveral long-track supercell thunderstorms developed during the evening hours and moved north. Seven tornadoes were reported over four hours, with some producing EF1-EF2 damage.
• Hail in Oklahoma, May 9, 20151 in hail · 1 eventA cluster of thunderstorms moved across the area during the early morning hours as a slow moving storm system reached the area.
• Hail in Texas, May 9, 20151 in hail · 4 eventsIsolated supercell thunderstorms developed over the Rio Grande River near Eagle Pass Texas during the evening. These storms produced hail and damaging winds.
• Tornadoes and Hail in Nebraska, May 9, 2015EF0 · 5 eventsTwo brief tornadoes occurred in Harlan County on this Saturday evening, with a couple reports of severe hail as well nearby. Scattered thunderstorms developed over north central Kansas between 530 and 600 p.m. CST.
• Flash Flooding and Flood in Arkansas, May 9 to 12, 20151 death · $162,000 · 70 kt wind · 26 eventsA slow-moving low pressure trough moved from the Rockies into the Plains during the 9th and 10th. Several disturbances rotating through this trough translated across the Southern Plains during this period.
• Damaging Wind in Illinois, May 9, 2015$125,000 · 61 kt wind · 1 eventShowers and thunderstorms developed during the afternoon and evening of May 9th as a warm and humid airmass spread northward into the region ahead of an approaching upper-level disturbance.
• Tornado and Flash Flood in Nebraska, May 9, 2015EF0 · 2 eventsThe supercell thunderstorm that tracked across parts of northwest Kansas continued into extreme southwest Nebraska. Law enforcement reported a tornado south of McCook which dissipated as it got closer to town.
• Hail in Texas, May 9 to 10, 20151.75 in hail · 3 eventsAn upper level trough was over the four corners region. A dryline that had been to the east of the area during the afternoon retreated westward into the eastern Permian Basin and Lower Trans Pecos during the evening hours.
• Damaging Winds and Lightning Strikes in Missouri, May 10, 2015$365,000 · 52 kt wind · 4 eventsIsolated strong to severe storms produced minor wind damage. A couple damaging lightning strikes also occurred.
• Flash Flooding and Flood in Oklahoma, May 10, 20151 death · $520,000 · 1.75 in hail · 15 eventsAs the upper low continued to traverse the region, another round of storms started early on the 10th along a boundary in central Texas. These storms developed northeastward and moved east across southern Oklahoma through the morning.
• Tornadoes and Flash Flood in South Dakota, May 10, 20159 injured · $1.5 million · EF2 · 14 eventsThunderstorms over southeast South Dakota from late morning to the start of the evening on May 10th produced several tornadoes, including one that caused injuries and severe damage in Delmont in Douglas County.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Nebraska, May 10, 20151.5 in hail · 8 eventsA potent upper level storm system moving through the central Plains brought another round of isolated severe weather to the area.
• Damaging Wind in Kansas, May 10, 201560 kt wind · 1 eventOn the afternoon of May 10th an isolated storm produced severe winds measured by a KS mesonet site.
• Damaging Winds in Iowa, May 10, 201556 kt wind · 2 eventsA potent upper level storm system moving through the central Plains brought another round of isolated severe weather to the area.
• Hail in Nebraska, May 10, 20151 in hail · 1 eventA thunderstorm produced quarter size hail near Dixon in extreme northeast Nebraska on the early afternoon of May 10th.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in New York, May 10, 2015$40,000 · 1.75 in hail · 6 eventsA frontal system stalled over northern New York and produced scattered thunderstorms. A few of these storms produced damaging winds and large hail during the afternoon in parts of central New York.
• Hail in South Dakota, May 10, 20152.5 in hail · 9 eventsA strong low pressure system brought severe thunderstorms to parts of northeast South Dakota which produced large hail up to the size of tennis balls. The low pressure system also produced heavy rain with heavy wet snow falling across parts of north central South Dakota.
• Tornado and Hail in Iowa, May 10, 2015EF0 · 4 eventsThunderstorms produced a tornado. damaging winds, and nickel size hail in separate locations in northwest Iowa during the afternoon of May 10th.
• Flash Flooding in New York, May 10, 2015$200,000 · 2 eventsThunderstorms developed during the afternoon hours across parts of the Genesee Valley and Finger Lakes. Training thunderstorms dropped upwards of four inches of rain across northern Livingston County in about an hour.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Indiana, May 10, 201561 kt wind · 4 eventsAn isolated severe thunderstorm produced localized 60 to 70 mph wind damage in Orange County, Indiana. Dime-sized hail was reported with the storm as it moved east.
• Hail in Florida, May 10, 20150.88 in hail · 1 eventAmple tropical moisture and instability caused scattered afternoon thunderstorms across parts of South Florida.
• Hail and Damaging Wind in Georgia, May 10, 20151 in hail · 2 eventsWidely scattered thunderstorms developing across the mountains during the early and mid-afternoon pushes into the foothills and Piedmont late in the afternoon. One storm produced localized wind damage and large hail across northern Stephens County.
• Hail in Missouri, May 10, 20150.75 in hail · 1 eventA squall line moved east across southeast Missouri, producing locally gusty winds and dime-size hail. Southwesterly deep-layer wind shear around 30 knots was sufficient to maintain the squall line within a moderately unstable atmosphere.
• Damaging Winds in Missouri, May 10, 201556 kt wind · 5 eventsA line of severe storms moved east through the forecast area. Some of the storms produced damaging winds.
• Damaging Winds in Vermont, May 10, 2015$35,000 · 55 kt wind · 5 eventsA weak frontal boundary formed some scattered thunderstorms across central and eastern Vermont during the afternoon and evening of May 10th. One particular storm intensified into severe limits with several reports of wind damage to trees in Windsor county.
• Damaging Winds in Illinois, May 10, 201556 kt wind · 2 eventsA line of severe storms moved east through the forecast area. Some of the storms produced damaging winds.
• Damaging Winds in New Hampshire, May 10, 201550 kt wind · 3 eventsA slow moving cold front dropping south from Canada produced afternoon convection. Stronger cells developed over the Hudson Valley during the early afternoon and moved east into central and southern New Hampshire.
• Damaging Wind in North Carolina, May 10, 2015$15,000 · 50 kt wind · 1 eventTropical Storm Ana made landfall along the northeast coast of South Carolina and then tracked northeastward across eastern North Carolina, producing some thunderstorm wind damage in Wilson County.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Illinois, May 10, 2015$124,000 · 52 kt wind · 9 eventsA line of thunderstorms developed well ahead of an approaching cold front during the late afternoon and evening of May 10th. Scattered wind damage occurred with the storms, particularly along and south of a Springfield to Danville line.
• Damaging Wind in Illinois, May 10, 20151 death · $45,000 · 52 kt wind · 1 eventA squall line over eastern Missouri moved east across southern Illinois, producing locally strong winds. Southwesterly deep-layer wind shear around 30 knots was sufficient to maintain the squall line within a moderately unstable atmosphere.
• Tornadoes and Hail in Iowa, May 10, 2015$1.4 million · EF1 · 9 eventsA closed upper low lifted out to the west of Iowa with the surface low tracking northeast to near the Iowa-South Dakota border. A warm front extended southeast into Iowa and lifted north as the dry line pushed into western Iowa during the afternoon.
• Tornado and Flash Flood in Arkansas, May 10 to 11, 20152 deaths · 8 injured · $1.7 million · EF2 · 7 eventsScattered showers and thunderstorms developed during the afternoon and evening hours over Northeast Texas, Southwest Arkansas, and portions of Southeast Oklahoma on May 10th, near a residual weak surface boundary draped along the Red River from showers and thunderstorms that had…
• Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Texas, May 10 to 11, 2015$615,000 · EF1 · 35 eventsScattered showers and thunderstorms developed during the afternoon and evening hours over Northeast Texas, Southwest Arkansas, and portions of Southeast Oklahoma on May 10th, near a residual weak surface boundary draped along the Red River from showers and thunderstorms that had…
• Flash Flooding and Hail in Texas, May 11, 2015$47,000 · 57 kt wind · 10 eventsA line of thunderstorms moved through southeast Texas during the late night through early morning hours and produced strong wind gusts and very heavy rainfall that caused some flash flooding.
• Flash Flooding and Hail in Texas, May 11, 20152.5 in hail · 12 eventsAn upper level trough moved through the southern plains and a cold front pushed into South Central Texas. These features acted on a moist, unstable airmass in the warm sector developing thunderstorms. Some of these storms produced heavy rain, large hail, and damaging wind gusts.
• Tornado in Louisiana, May 11, 2015EF0 · 1 eventA weak and short lived tornado developed near Iota.
• Hail and Damaging Wind in Tennessee, May 11, 2015$2,000 · 1 in hail · 2 eventsIsolated thunderstorms developed during the late morning and afternoon hours of May 11 on the Cumberland Plateau. One storm became severe and produced large hail and damaging winds near Jamestown.
• Hail in Indiana, May 11, 20151 in hail · 2 eventsA cold front moved into a weakly unstable environment, producing scattered thunderstorms. Pockets of strong wind aloft mixed down but struggled to reach severe levels.
• Damaging Winds in Indiana, May 11, 2015$14,000 · 50 kt wind · 5 eventsScattered thunderstorms developed during the mid afternoon hours ahead of an approaching cold front.
• Damaging Winds in Indiana, May 11, 2015$76,000 · 61 kt wind · 5 eventsA north-south line of scattered thunderstorms intensified as it moved through the eastern half of central Indiana, producing wind damage across a few counties in east-central Indiana during the afternoon of May the 11th.
• Damaging Winds in Kentucky, May 11, 2015$8,000 · 50 kt wind · 4 eventsScattered thunderstorms developed during the mid afternoon hours ahead of an approaching cold front.
• Damaging Winds in Ohio, May 11, 201555 kt wind · 5 eventsA cold front moved into a weakly unstable environment, producing scattered thunderstorms. One storm developed in Allen county, Indiana and moved into northwestern Ohio, eventually bowing out as winds aloft mixed down. Sporadic reports of wind damage occurred in parts of the area.
• Damaging Winds in Kentucky, May 11, 2015$11,000 · 56 kt wind · 31 eventsA strong spring storm system tracked across the central Plains to the lower Great Lakes region, sparking several rounds of thunderstorms across the lower Ohio Valley.
• Hail in Mississippi, May 11, 20151 in hail · 1 eventDaytime heating combined with ample moisture to bring scattered storms to the region. Some of these storms were strong, producing hail.
• Lightning Strike in South Carolina, May 11, 20151 injured · 1 eventA man was indirectly struck by lightning while under his truck.
• Damaging Wind in South Carolina, May 11, 201550 kt wind · 1 eventIsolated to scattered thunderstorms developed in the early afternoon hours along the sea breeze. A few of the storms became strong enough to produce strong wind gusts.
• Damaging Winds in Kentucky, May 11, 201555 kt wind · 7 eventsScattered strong to severe thunderstorms produced isolated instances of severe across portions of eastern Kentucky during the late afternoon hours of May 11, 2015.
• Damaging Winds in Mississippi, May 11 to 12, 201560 kt wind · 2 eventsA stalling cold front provided a focus for thunderstorms across southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi during the afternoon hours on the 11th and 12th. Several reports of severe weather were received both afternoons.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Ohio, May 11, 2015$103,000 · 58 kt wind · 36 eventsScattered thunderstorms developed during the mid afternoon hours ahead of an approaching cold front.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in South Carolina, May 11, 2015$15,000 · 1 in hail · 8 eventsSevere thunderstorms rolled through the Midlands and produced damaging winds and some large hail. Most wind damage was to trees and powerlines.
• Damaging Winds in Michigan, May 11, 2015$10,000 · 54 kt wind · 7 eventsThunderstorms producing damaging winds impacted Lenawee, Monroe, and Wayne counties.
• Flash Flood and Hail in North Carolina, May 11, 2015$6,000 · 1 in hail · 4 eventsScattered thunderstorms developed over the mountains during early and mid-afternoon. A couple of these produced localized excessive rain, hail and/or wind damage.
• Damaging Winds in Tennessee, May 11, 201550 kt wind · 5 eventsWidely scattered thunderstorms developed in a moderately unstable air mass with limited shear. The storms produced sub-severe hail while producing a few gusts with adequate velocity to down some trees in a few spots.
• Hail and Damaging Wind in Florida, May 11, 2015$5,000 · 1 in hail · 2 eventsSurface high pressure was over northern Florida with a mean layer but light south-southwest flow. Sea breezes over an unstable airmass sparked a few strong storms.
• Damaging Winds in Louisiana, May 11 to 12, 201555 kt wind · 3 eventsA stalling cold front provided a focus for thunderstorms across southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi during the afternoon hours on the 11th and 12th. Several reports of severe weather were received both afternoons.
• Flash Flood in New York, May 11, 2015$100,000 · 1 eventIntense rainfall from a thunderstorm caused flash flooding in the city of Fulton during the late afternoon hours. Just over an inch of rain fell in less than a half hour. The flowing water washed away the foundation and collapsed basement walls of two houses on Seneca street.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Ohio, May 11, 2015$12,000 · 50 kt wind · 5 eventsWell in advance of a surface cold front, afternoon heating had temperatures in the mid and upper 80s. Dew points were in the mid 60s. Clusters of thunderstorms formed and moved through southeast Ohio during the afternoon and early evening.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Florida, May 11, 2015$16,000 · 1 in hail · 6 eventsWeak easterly flow led to a sea breeze collision over the western half of the Florida peninsula, generating scattered thunderstorms during the afternoon and early evening hours. A few of these storms produced hail up to 1 inch in diameter and damaging wind gusts.
• Hail in Oregon, May 11, 20151 in hail · 1 eventCold air aloft combined with surface heating to create widespread convection across southern Oregon...and several of the thunderstorms became severe.
• Damaging Wind in Virginia, May 11, 2015$1,000 · 50 kt wind · 1 eventA stationary boundary triggered a few showers and thunderstorms on the 11th. An isolated thunderstorm became severe due to an unstable atmosphere.
• Damaging Wind in Kentucky, May 11, 2015$10,000 · 1 eventWell in advance of a surface cold front, afternoon heating had temperatures in the mid and upper 80s and dew points in the mid 60s. Clusters of thunderstorms formed and moved through northeast Kentucky during the late afternoon and early evening.
• Hail and Damaging Wind in North Carolina, May 11, 2015$30,000 · 1 in hail · 3 eventsAn unseasonably warm and moist air mass in advance of a strong late spring cold front brought isolated severe thunderstorms to the Blacksburg, VA National Weather Service forecast area. The bulk of the severe thunderstorms were mainly east of the Blue Ridge.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in West Virginia, May 11, 2015$14,000 · 50 kt wind · 7 eventsWell in advance of a surface cold front, afternoon heating had temperatures in the mid 80s to around 90 in the lowlands. Dew points were in the mid 60s. Clusters of thunderstorms formed and moved into western West Virginia during the late afternoon and early evening.
• Damaging Winds in Ohio, May 11, 2015$276,000 · 55 kt wind · 9 eventsA low pressure system moved slowly through the upper Midwest on May 11th. Northern Ohio was located in the warm sector out ahead of an approaching cold front. A tornado watch was issued for northwest and north central Ohio with only isolated severe storms occurring.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Virginia, May 11, 2015$17,000 · 1 in hail · 9 eventsAn unseasonably warm and moist air mass in advance of a strong late spring cold front brought the first significant severe thunderstorm event to the Blacksburg, VA National Weather Service forecast area of the 2015 calendar year.
• Damaging Wind in New York, May 11, 201550 kt wind · 1 eventA slow-moving frontal boundary was situated close to the region across far northern New York. With an unseasonably warm and humid air mass in place, showers and thunderstorms developed across the southern Adirondacks during the afternoon and evening hours on Monday, May 11th.
• Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in Texas, May 11 to 12, 2015$725,000 · 70 kt wind · 22 eventsA frontal boundary stalled north of the South Texas region during the morning hours on May 11th. Scattered thunderstorms developed in the afternoon over the Brush Country. A supercell thunderstorm was nearly stationary over southern Duval County for several hours.
• Flash Flood and Debris Flow in Virginia, May 11, 20152 eventsSlow-moving and persistent storms across parts of central and southern Grayson County produced rainfall of 1 to 3 inches with isolated amounts up to 5 inches in a few hours.
• Damaging Winds in Ohio, May 11, 2015$553,000 · 50 kt wind · 12 eventsShowers and thunderstorms developed ahead of a pre-frontal trough that was pivoting across the region. With modest instability and shear, several storms produced damaging winds, bringing trees down across eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania.
• Flash Flooding and Hail in Texas, May 11 to 12, 2015$2.2 million · 1 in hail · 18 eventsDeep tropical moisture pooled ahead of a dissipating late season front across the ranchlands, and combined with an impulse of jet stream energy during the afternoon and evening hours of May 11th.
• Hail in Oregon, May 11, 20151 in hail · 1 eventInstability, moisture and a upper level jet ahead of a broad trough off the coast of Oregon were the ingredients for severe thunderstorms over parts of Southeast Oregon on the afternoon of the 11th.
• Lightning Strike in West Virginia, May 11, 2015$1,000 · 1 eventAn unseasonably warm and moist air mass in advance of a strong late spring cold front ignited scattered thunderstorms across southeast West Virginia.
• Damaging Winds in Pennsylvania, May 11, 2015$76,000 · 50 kt wind · 22 eventsShowers and thunderstorms developed ahead of a pre-frontal trough that was pivoting across the region. With modest instability and shear, several storms produced damaging winds, bringing trees down across eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania.

Every billion-dollar disasterEvery storm of 2015Tornadoes in 2015

NOAA NCEI, U.S. Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters (2025), https://doi.org/10.25921/stkw-7w73, and the Storm Events Database for the episodes.