Every tornado, hurricane, flood, blizzard, heat wave, record, earthquake, eruption, tsunami, wildfire and geomagnetic storm on record for May 12, in any year, each linked to its full record.
Every event with a place, colored by kind. Tap one to open its record.
By deaths, damage and strength together, across every archive.
Earthquakes
A magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck Sichuan Province, China. With the tsunami it caused, it killed 87,652 people, injured 374,171, destroyed 5,360,000 houses and did $86 billion in damage.
Earthquakes
An earthquake occurred in the province of Sichuan, China at 14:28:01 China Standard Time on May 12, 2008. 0 Ms, the earthquake's epicenter was located 80 kilometres (50 mi) west-northwest of Chengdu, the provincial capital, with a focal depth of 19 km (12 mi).
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Earthquakes
The 1866 Bingöl earthquake struck the Ottoman Empire on 12 May. 2 and was associated with faulting along the East Anatolian Fault.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Earthquakes
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Kashan, Qamsar, Kamu, Kushian, Chuka, Iran. It killed 1,500 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
Earthquakes
A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Goynuk, Turkey. It killed 675 people, destroyed 2,400 houses and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
Earthquakes
A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck Ica, Pisco, Peru. It killed 400 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage. It caused a tsunami.
Tsunamis
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck Peru. It killed 400 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
Tornadoes
An F4 tornado touched down in Holt, Antelope, Knox counties, Nebraska and tracked 40.3 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, killing 6 and injuring 10. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: S Ewing, NE.
Tornadoes
An F4 tornado touched down in Jackson County, Oklahoma and tracked 15.4 miles, 1,000 yards wide at its widest, killing 5 and injuring 25. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: NW Olustee, OK.
Tornadoes
An F4 tornado touched down in Warren, Fountain counties, Indiana and tracked 12.2 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, killing 4 and injuring 20. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Williamsport/Attica, IN.
Tornadoes
An F4 tornado touched down in Genesee County, Michigan and tracked 6.6 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest, killing 3 and injuring 116.
Tornadoes
An F4 tornado touched down in Champaign, Vermilion counties, Illinois and tracked 22.4 miles, 150 yards wide at its widest, killing 3 and injuring 10. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: SW Armstrong, IL to Alvin, IN.
125 on May 12, oldest first.
An F4 tornado touched down in Warren, Fountain counties, Indiana and tracked 12.2 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, killing 4 and injuring 20. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Williamsport/Attica, IN.
An F4 tornado touched down in Champaign, Vermilion counties, Illinois and tracked 22.4 miles, 150 yards wide at its widest, killing 3 and injuring 10. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: SW Armstrong, IL to Alvin, IN.
An F4 tornado touched down in Meigs County, Ohio and tracked 3.9 miles, 600 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 3. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Carpenter, OH.
An F3 tornado touched down in Hancock County, Indiana and tracked 4.8 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, killing 3 and injuring 20. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Wilkinson, IN.
An F3 tornado touched down in Clinton, Tipton counties, Indiana and tracked 22.2 miles, killing 3 and injuring 15. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: S Frankfort, IN.
An F3 tornado touched down in Livingston County, Illinois and tracked 2.2 miles, 150 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 5. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Odell, IL.
An F3 tornado touched down in Iroquois County, Illinois and tracked 3.2 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 4. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: S Claytonville, IL.
An F3 tornado touched down in White County, Indiana and tracked 12.1 miles, injuring 3. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Monon/Liberty/Cass, IN.
An F3 tornado touched down in Morgan County, Illinois and tracked 7 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, injuring 1. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: N Jakcsonville, IL.
An F2 tornado touched down in Carroll County, Illinois, killing 1. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: SE Mount Carroll, IL.
An F1 tornado touched down in Montgomery County, Kentucky, killing 1. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: E Mt. Sterling, KY.
An F4 tornado touched down in Jackson County, Oklahoma and tracked 15.4 miles, 1,000 yards wide at its widest, killing 5 and injuring 25. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: NW Olustee, OK.
An F3 tornado touched down in Logan, Payne counties, Oklahoma and tracked 18.4 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, injuring 5. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: E Langton/SE Stillwater to N Ingalls, OK.
An F3 tornado touched down in Jackson, Jefferson, Atchison counties, Kansas and tracked 27.4 miles, injuring 2. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: N Topeka/S Denison/N Valley Falls/SW Atchinson, KS.
An F4 tornado touched down in Fannin County, Texas and tracked 8.8 miles, 300 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 5. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Hickory Creek, TX.
An F4 tornado touched down in Atchison, Fremont, Page counties, Missouri and tracked 33.9 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, injuring 20. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: SW Watson, MO to N Clarinda, IA.
An F3 tornado touched down in Cass, Sarpy counties, Nebraska and tracked 6.3 miles, killing 2 and injuring 17. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Louisville/SW Springfield, NE.
An F3 tornado touched down in Richardson, Nemaha counties, Nebraska and tracked 8.3 miles, 35 yards wide at its widest, injuring 8. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Shubert/Stella/Nemaha, NE.
An F2 tornado touched down in Sarpy County, Nebraska, killing 1 and injuring 2. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: W Bellevue, NE.
An F3 tornado touched down in Pope County, Illinois, killing 1 and injuring 17. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: N Pope County/SE Saline County, IL.
An F3 tornado touched down in Osage, Tulsa, Rogers counties, Oklahoma and tracked 19.8 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest, killing 5 and injuring 11. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Skiatook, OK.
An F2 tornado touched down in Comanche County, Oklahoma and tracked 10.1 miles, killing 1 and injuring 1. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: E Chattanooga/NE Faxon, OK.
An F4 tornado touched down in Holt, Antelope, Knox counties, Nebraska and tracked 40.3 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, killing 6 and injuring 10. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: S Ewing, NE.
An F3 tornado touched down in Knox, Bon Homme counties, Nebraska and tracked 29.6 miles, 600 yards wide at its widest, injuring 7. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: SW Verdigre, NE to NW Springfield, SD.
An F3 tornado touched down in Perkins County, Nebraska and tracked 22.1 miles, 300 yards wide at its widest, injuring 3. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Venango to SE Madrid, NE.
An F3 tornado touched down in Custer County, Nebraska and tracked 40.1 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, injuring 3. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Oconto/E Berwyn/N Comstock/S Weissert, NE.
An F4 tornado touched down in Genesee County, Michigan and tracked 6.6 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest, killing 3 and injuring 116.
An F4 tornado touched down in Wayne County, Michigan and tracked 6.8 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, injuring 22.
An F2 tornado touched down in Gratiot County, Michigan and tracked 3.8 miles, 800 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 4.
An F3 tornado touched down in Jefferson County, Alabama and tracked 8.6 miles, 440 yards wide at its widest, injuring 5.
An F3 tornado touched down in Pierce County, Nebraska and tracked 12.8 miles, 10 yards wide at its widest.
An F3 tornado touched down in Cameron County, Texas and tracked 0.1 miles, 10 yards wide at its widest.
An F3 tornado touched down in Cameron County, Texas and tracked 0.1 miles, 10 yards wide at its widest.
An F2 tornado touched down in Tattnall County, Georgia and tracked 9.4 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 7.
An F1 tornado touched down in Effingham County, Georgia and tracked 2 miles, 50 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 3.
An F3 tornado touched down in Trigg, Christian counties, Kentucky and tracked 9.5 miles, 800 yards wide at its widest, injuring 17.
26 tornadoes were recorded on May 12, 1978, in Louisiana, Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Mississippi and more.
An F3 tornado touched down in Pettis County, Missouri and tracked 15.8 miles, 300 yards wide at its widest, injuring 23.
An F3 tornado touched down in Comanche County, Texas and tracked 13 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest, injuring 3.
An F3 tornado touched down in Erath, Palo Pinto counties, Texas and tracked 9 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest, injuring 2.
35 tornadoes were recorded on May 12, 1982, in Texas.
An F3 tornado touched down in Clark, Codington counties, South Dakota and tracked 27 miles, 1,320 yards wide at its widest.
The Terry County Sheriff's Office reported several Farm-to-Market roads closed due to flooding. In Garza County, the Southland cooperative observer measured a thunderstorm wind gust of 53 knots (61 mph).
Brief tornado observed by ham radio spotter.
A small F0 tornado touched down on the northwest shore of Lake Okeechobee just east of the Kissimmee River. The tornado moved east northeast for about 200 feet and overturned a travel trailer killing the only occupant.
An F0 tornado touched down in Okeechobee County, Florida and tracked 0.1 miles, 20 yards wide at its widest, killing 1.
On May 12, 1997, a rare and weak F1 tornado touched down in Miami, Florida. The tornado, also known as the 1997 Miami tornado, or the Great Miami tornado, was on the ground for 8 miles, causing $525,000 in 15 minutes.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
An unusually cold, late season storm system pushed a cold front through southern California, resulting in unseasonably cold conditions, and heavy snow in the mountains. The snow began falling around noon on the twelfth and continued off and on through the thirteenth.
An F3 tornado touched down in Bosque County, Texas and tracked 7 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, killing 2.
During the mid and late morning of May 12, a high precipitation supercell thunderstorm developed in west-central Wisconsin and tracked east across the state for over two and a half hours.
May 12, 2000 - Event NarrativeA cold front moved into North Texas, and became stationary along a Bonham, Dallas, Hillsboro, Goldthwaite line. Numerous hail and wind reports were received.
A tornado briefly touched down in a field about half a mile southeast of Hartsburg, crossed Illinois Route 121, then lifted. No damage was reported.
A large severe thunderstorm outbreak produced numerous reports of large hail across mainly Allegan and Barry Counties during the evening.
A warm front moved north across lower Michigan on the 12th, ushering in another warm, muggy, unstable air mass. Thunderstorms developed northeast of Grand Rapids in the afternoon, then moved east toward the Saginaw Valley and Thumb areas.
A tornado left a path of damage for 9 miles across east Bond County. The damage first started 2.5 miles north northeast of Old Ripley where several large trees were damaged. The tornado traveled east alone County Road 1300 destroying one barn and 2 machine sheds.
A second tornado formed about 100 yards southeast of the initial tornado in Bond County and traveled east for about 1.5 miles. The tornado traveled through a heavily wooded area destroying hundreds of large trees.
An F4 tornado touched down in Harper County, Kansas and tracked 1.2 miles, 500 yards wide at its widest, injuring 1.
Brief touchdown in open country.
An F3 tornado touched down in Crosby County, Texas and tracked 6 miles, 500 yards wide at its widest.
Severe thunderstorms developed mainly across the southern and central Texas panhandle during the afternoon and evening hours producing large and damaging hail and an isolated tornado.
An outbreak of severe thunderstorms occurred across portions of the Texas panhandle and the South Plains of West Texas on Thursday May 12, 2005.The weather pattern on this day was highly conducive for severe thunderstorm and tornado development.
Severe thunderstorms developed across eastern Butte County and moved across northern Meade, southern Perkins, and Ziebach Counties. The storms produced hail as large as quarters and wind gusts to 65 mph and two tornadoes in Ziebach County.
Severe weather and heavy rain was observed across the lower Missouri River Valley region, May 12th through may 13th. Numerous impacts were felt in the region, with heavy rain, wind damage, and hail.
Severe thunderstorms developed over portions of South Central Kansas during the afternoon of May 12th, 2010.
Several supercell thunderstorms with large hail and tornadoes affected much of western Oklahoma during the late afternoon and early evening. The storms evolved into a squall line that brought numerous reports of severe weather, including particularly damaging winds and hail.
For the second day in a row, severe thunderstorms pounded mainly eastern portions of South Central Nebraska, including many of the same areas affected on the 11th.
On the evening of May 12th a warm front tracking north over Lake Erie, reversed itself and moved back inland over northern Ohio. An organized convective complex with embedded supercells developed over north-central Ohio.
A line of severe thunderstorms that developed across South Dakota and Nebraska during the afternoon of Thursday, May 12th, was a classic bow echo that surged north and east across western Minnesota.
32 tornadoes were recorded on May 12, 2022, in South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota.
A derecho developed in south central South Dakota and traveled northeast into eastern and northeastern South Dakota.
A strong cold front and upper low traversed the area during the afternoon and evening of May 12th.
33 tornadoes were recorded on May 12, 2023, in Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma.
A strong low-pressure system which had been slowly moving east off the Rocky Mountains finally progressed into central Nebraska. This left eastern Nebraska in the warm sector as a warm front moved north into the area.
Intense upper level low pressure brings arc of severe thunderstorms to portions of south central Nebraska during the afternoon hours of May 12th.
A cluster of thunderstorms developed along a dryline and moved slowly across parts of northeast Kansas during the late afternoon and evening of May 12th. At least 5 tornadoes were documented from these storms.
A closed low pressure system moved slowly across the northern Plains and spawned multiple tornadoes across north central Nebraska.
Multiple upper disturbances moved across the region from the 12th through the 16th causing a rounds of strong to severe thunderstorms which produced numerous reports of damage, flooding, and high winds.
1 on May 12, oldest first.
Hurricane Walt reached its peak of 140 kt (160 mph) with a central pressure of 915 mb, a category 5 storm.
26 on May 12, oldest first.
The same storm system that pummeled much of southwest Oklahoma on May 11, 1982, continued into north Texas on the 12th. Heavy rain quickly became the primary concern. In Wichita Falls, more than 4.5 inches of rain fell on the 12th, after more than half an inch fell on the 11th. Some homes reportedly had more than eight feet of water in them when the Holliday and McGrath Creeks rose out of their banks. The heavy rain of this period, combined with the rest of the season, gave Wichita Falls one of its wettest springs, with over 20 inches of rainfall.
From the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma.
Thunderstorms rolled across the Niagara Peninsula and then along the Lake Ontario shore counties. Only small hail was reported with the storms, however the storms produced hurricane-force winds.
Some of the worse flash flooding in recent years hit on Sunday, Mother's Day, and continued into early Monday. Around 6 inches of rain fell on ground already saturated by previous rain. For several counties, it was the worst flooding in memory.
Thunderstorm winds downed a few large trees.
The most serious flooding struck Wayne, Bollinger, and Cape Girardeau Counties, where 4 to 8 inches of rain fell, mostly in a 12-hour period. The highest totals were in northern Bollinger County, where radar estimates and unofficial measurements indicated up to 8 inches fell.
After several rounds of precipitation over Central Illinois during the first couple weeks of May, area rivers rose above flood stage at most locations.
Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour blew down trees.
Thunderstorms moved across all of central Indiana during the day of May 12 and continuing into the evening. These thunderstorms produced very heavy rain, with many areas seeing more than one round of thunderstorms. The result was extensive flash flooding.
This is the continuation of the flooding that occurred over portions of southern Missouri on May 12th and 13th.
A 12-year old boy was seriously injured by a lightning strike. Two other boys with him, ages 8 and 11, also complained of minor muscle spasms in their legs.
Ice jam/breakup flooding around McGrath.
Flooding along White River. Numerous county roads were closed. Agricultural, bottomlands, and some parks were flooded. In Anderson, some city streets were closed. In Noblesville, some businesses were affected, and many residences had basement flooding.
After recording as much as 10 to 15 inches of rain in some locations, over 400 homes were damaged or destroyed.
Ice Jammed about 50 miles downstream of Tanana on the 11th and ice continued to pack into the back of the jam and stopped near the village of Tanana on the morning of the 12th. Flooding began in Tanana at approximately 4 am on the 12th.
A round of excessive rain occurred on the 12th as a warm front lifted into the state from the Gulf Coast. Yet another cold front was poised to the north during the afternoon of the 13th.
A warm front slowly lifted northward from central Missouri into eastern Iowa and northern Illinois May 12th and 13th. Several rounds of showers and thunderstorms moved across the area producing widespread torrential rains and some hail.
A warm front slowly lifted northward from central Missouri into eastern Iowa and northern Illinois May 12th and 13th. Several rounds of showers and thunderstorms moved across the area producing widespread torrential rains and some large hail.
Thunderstorms moved across parts of northern Illinois during the morning hours of May 13th producing very heavy rain and flooding. Flash flooding was reported in some locations.
During the evening and nighttime hours of May 11th, an area of low pressure located over southern Wisconsin slowly progressed northeast over the upper Great Lakes. A frontal boundary extended southeast of the low, across portions of Indiana into southern Ohio.
A cold front moved into and across the region during the afternoon and evening of the 12th. A warm, moist, and unstable air mass existed over eastern Oklahoma ahead of the front.
A large MCS developed along a cold front and moved across the entire region. Storms within in the MCS produced small hail, damaging winds and flash flooding.
Slow moving thunderstorms produced copious amounts of rain that led to flash flooding for some locations. Communities of Webster, San Leon and Angleton were hardest hit.
High water resulted in a flash flood fatality in Brown County. Heavy rains earlier in the month had caused abnormal high flow on Pecan Bayou.
An upper disturbance moving through a warm, moist and unstable environment set the stage for the development of isolated severe thunderstorms, heavy rainfall and flooding over portions of west and central Upper Michigan during the afternoon and evening of the 12th.
Scattered thunderstorms developed along an instability ribbon from central to northeast Wisconsin during the afternoon hours on Thursday (5/12). The strongest storms produced large hail across this area.
A strong low-pressure system which had been moving slowly off the lee side of the Rocky Mountains had finally progressed into central Nebraska. This left western Iowa in the warm sector as a warm front moved north into the area.
9 on May 12, oldest first.
A strong cold front approaching the mid-Atlantic region including the District of Columbia, produced violent thunderstorm winds and damaging lightning. The north part of the district was hardest hit.
Probably the costliest southern Wisconsin hailstorm in the past 100 years struck the northern parts of Marquette and Green Lake Counties during the mid to late morning hours.
Pine, Oak, and Pecan trees over a 15 mile wide area were flattened along with 2 homes destroyed, 5 homes suffering major damage, 30 homes suffering minor damage, 3 mobile homes totally destroyed and one new motor home crushed by a fallen tree. No injuries or deaths occurred.
Moisture increasing south of a warm front moved northward into western Texas. Instability increased east of a dry line, where thunderstorms were able to develop despite a strong cap.
A broad region of thunderstorms progressed through the region. Some of these storms reached severe criteria and producing damaging winds.
An area of low pressure centered over eastern Nevada brought bands of rain showers to western Nevada. Some of the stronger showers briefly kicked up northerly winds.
A volatile environment featured a warm front from parts of east central South Dakota into western Minnesota, with a dryline extending to the southwest into Nebraska.
Major severe weather event unfolds across south central Nebraska during the afternoon and evening of May 12th, including wind gusts of 80 to 90 MPH.
Severe thunderstorms moved across the state of Louisiana and produced two swaths of wind that produced significant damage.
2 on May 12, oldest first.
High pressure was in place over the region from the 11th through the 14th, creating a warming trend with inland temperatures 5 to 15 degrees above normal for that time of year. Temperatures in the lower deserts ranged from 97 up to 105 during these few days.
High pressure over the Southwest allowed for temperatures across the Phoenix area to warm up above 100 , which is about 7-10 degrees above normal for this time of the year.
1 on May 12, oldest first.
On May 12th just after noon, a swimmer was pulled from the confluence of the American River near Auburn after emergency personnel responded for reports of a drowning.
39 on May 12, oldest first.
The Stoddard 2 Fire started on May 12, 1984, in California, and burned 2,458 acres.
The Unnamed Fire started on May 12, 1986, in California, and burned 16,383 acres.
The Unnamed Fire started on May 12, 1989, in Florida, and burned 3,825 acres.
The Unnamed Fire started on May 12, 1989, in Florida, and burned 1,476 acres.
The Camp Fire started on May 12, 1989, in New Mexico, and burned 1,301 acres.
The Unnamed Fire started on May 12, 1989, in Florida, and burned 1,148 acres.
The Unnamed Fire was discovered on May 12, 1994, in Roseau County, Minnesota, and burned 800 acres; the cause was recorded as arson/incendiarism.
The Dennison Fork Fire was discovered on May 12, 1995, in Alaska, and burned 1,880 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Fire 532148 was discovered on May 12, 1995, in Alaska, and burned 1,500 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Mhm Nw 42 Fire was discovered on May 12, 1995, in Alaska, and burned 1,320 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Tolbert Fire was discovered on May 12, 1997, in Nevada, and burned 4,017 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Unnamed Fire was discovered on May 12, 2001, in Clinch County, Georgia, and burned 2,681 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Unnamed Fire was discovered on May 12, 2001, in Florida, and burned 1,691 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Los Lament Fire was discovered on May 12, 2002, in Hidalgo County, New Mexico, and burned 2,000 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Luhi Fire was discovered on May 12, 2003, in Hawaii, and burned 4,930 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The First Fire-Code 1 Fire was discovered on May 12, 2003, in North Carolina, and burned 2,300 acres; the cause was recorded as firearms and explosives use.
The Cottonwood Fire was discovered on May 12, 2004, in Riverside County, California, and burned 1,845 acres; the cause was recorded as recreation and ceremony.
The Brent Fire was discovered on May 12, 2006, in Moore County, Texas, and burned 2,430 acres; the cause was recorded as equipment and vehicle use.
The Unnamed Fire was discovered on May 12, 2007, in Roseau County, Minnesota, and burned 2,100 acres; the cause was recorded as arson/incendiarism.
The San Filippo Fire was discovered on May 12, 2008, in Brevard County, Florida, and burned 6,981 acres; the cause was recorded as arson/incendiarism.
The Sedan Fire was discovered on May 12, 2008, in Union County, New Mexico, and burned 2,850 acres.
The Beach Fire was discovered on May 12, 2008, in Brevard County, Florida, and burned 1,106 acres; the cause was recorded as arson/incendiarism.
The East Tucker Fire was discovered on May 12, 2008, in Florida, and burned 1,003 acres; the cause was recorded as equipment and vehicle use.
The Unnamed Fire was discovered on May 12, 2009, in Apache County, Arizona, and burned 3,946 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Unnamed Fire was discovered on May 12, 2009, in Volusia County, Florida, and burned 1,144 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Mi. 17 East End Rd Fire was discovered on May 12, 2009, in Alaska, and burned 1,074 acres; the cause was recorded as power generation/transmission/distribution.
The Bomb Fire was discovered on May 12, 2009, in Highlands County, Florida, and burned 1,001 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Fire 2009037 was discovered on May 12, 2009, in Bailey County, Texas, and burned 1,000 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Cutler Fire was discovered on May 12, 2009, in New Mexico, and burned 920 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Cobalt Fire was discovered on May 12, 2011, in Florida, and burned 3,700 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Sunflower Fire was discovered on May 12, 2012, in Maricopa County, Arizona, and burned 17,618 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Baca Fire was reported on May 12, 2017, in Catron County, New Mexico, and burned 11,139 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Pinery Fire was reported on May 12, 2018, in Cochise County, Arizona, and burned 1,200 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Deakle Road Fire was reported on May 12, 2020, in Mobile County, Alabama, and burned 1,090 acres.
The High Park Fire was reported on May 12, 2022, in Teller County, Colorado, and burned 1,572 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Mayfield Fire was reported on May 12, 2022, in San Saba County, Texas, and burned 1,295 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Popovitch Creek Coal Seam Fire was reported on May 12, 2024, in Denali County, Alaska, and burned 3,954 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Jenkins Creek Fire was reported on May 12, 2025, in St. Louis County, Minnesota, and burned 16,490 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Munger Shaw Fire was reported on May 12, 2025, in St. Louis County, Minnesota, and burned 1,259 acres.
24 on May 12, oldest first.
A magnitude 7 earthquake struck Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. It caused a tsunami.
An earthquake struck Switzerland. It did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck Ica, Pisco, Peru. It killed 400 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage. It caused a tsunami.
An earthquake struck Remiremont,fougerolles,faucogney, France.
An earthquake struck Norcia, Italy. It killed 200 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
An earthquake struck Greece-Albania.
An earthquake struck Soncino, Italy.
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Kashan, Qamsar, Kamu, Kushian, Chuka, Iran. It killed 1,500 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
An earthquake struck Osmancik, Ankara, Turkey. It killed 200 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
The 1866 Bingöl earthquake struck the Ottoman Empire on 12 May. 2 and was associated with faulting along the East Anatolian Fault.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Goynuk, Turkey. It killed 675 people, destroyed 2,400 houses and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Papua New Guinea. It caused a tsunami.
An earthquake struck Central, Italy.
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Salta, Argentina.
A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck Burdur, Turkey. It killed 56 people, injured 150 and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Vanuatu Islands. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck Kaliandak, Sumatra, Indonesia.
A magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck Sichuan Province, China. With the tsunami it caused, it killed 87,652 people, injured 374,171, destroyed 5,360,000 houses and did $86 billion in damage.
An earthquake occurred in the province of Sichuan, China at 14:28:01 China Standard Time on May 12, 2008. 0 Ms, the earthquake's epicenter was located 80 kilometres (50 mi) west-northwest of Chengdu, the provincial capital, with a focal depth of 19 km (12 mi).
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck Tajikistan. It killed 1 person.
A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck Dolakha, Nepal. It killed 117 people and injured 2,800.
3, 18 kilometres (11 mi) southeast of Kodari. The epicenter was on the border of Dolakha and Sindhupalchowk, two districts of Nepal.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
A magnitude 5.4 earthquake struck Lima, Callao, Chilca, Peru. It killed 2 people, injured 11 and destroyed 4 houses.
This is a list of earthquakes in 2022. Only earthquakes of magnitude 6 or above are included, unless they result in significant damage and/or casualties, or are notable for some other reason.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7 earthquake struck Sea of Japan. It did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck Peru. It killed 400 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
A tsunami struck Asia Minor, Turkey.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Solomon Sea, Papua New Guinea.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Vanuatu Islands.
3 on May 12, oldest first.
A G3 (strong) geomagnetic storm began May 12, 1938, reached Kp 7- and lasted 6 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 76; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 52 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G5 (extreme) geomagnetic storm began May 12, 1949, reached Kp 9- and lasted 33 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 153; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 42 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G3 (strong) geomagnetic storm began May 12, 2021, reached Kp 7 and lasted 6 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 42; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 50 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
7 on May 12, oldest first.
A man who went for a swim off Sunset Beach, disappeared in the surf. Lifeguards and sheriff deputies, using helicopters and divers searched the area daily. The body was recovered on May 16, almost two miles to the northwest.
A 28 year old man died when he was struck by lightning while he was fishing along the Delcambre canal. Another fisherman 25 yards away was not injured.
A man drowned in a rip current at an unguarded section of Miami Beach near 44 Street and Collins Avenue.
Lightning struck a ranch worker and a dog, killing both.
A 22 year old man was pulled out to sea in a rip current and drowned on May 12 2007.
A low pressure system, which was tracking eastward, was centered over the Illinois/Indiana border during the early morning hours of May 11th. A secondary low pressure system began to develop over eastern North Carolina during the late afternoon on the 11th.
Four people were wading in the water at Tolovana Beach, Oregon. Three were rescued. One person drowned.
Gathered from this site’s archives: the tornado record (NOAA SPC, and Grazulis before 1950), IBTrACS and the National Hurricane Center, NOAA NCEI’s Storm Events Database, Regional Snowfall Index, billion-dollar disasters list, State Climate Extremes Committee and hazard databases, USGS, NIFC, GFZ Potsdam’s Kp index (CC BY 4.0), the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma, and Wikidata (CC0), with article leads from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0, each credited where it appears. Rebuilt 2026-09-24.