Every tornado, hurricane, flood, blizzard, heat wave, record, earthquake, eruption, tsunami, wildfire and geomagnetic storm on record for May 18, 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 8 earthquake struck Linfen, Shanxi Province, China. It killed 20,000 people and did extreme (about $25 million or more) damage.
Tornadoes
An F4 tornado touched down in Goliad County, Texas and tracked 15.1 miles, 250 yards wide at its widest, killing 114 and injuring 250. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Goliad, TX.
Tornadoes
An F5 tornado touched down in Marathon County, Wisconsin and tracked 32.7 miles, 1,500 yards wide at its widest, killing 12 and injuring 75. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: E Abbotsford to NE Wausau, WI.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Hurricane Amphan reached its peak of 145 kt (165 mph) with a central pressure of 901 mb, a category 5 storm.
Floods
The May 2004 Caribbean floods were a flood event that affected the Caribbean Islands and Hispaniola from May 18, 2004, to May 25, 2004. Moving quickly from Central America, a low-pressure area brought heavy rainfall and thunderstorms to Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic resulting in rainfall amounts exceeding 500 mm within a 7-day period.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Tornadoes
An F4 tornado touched down in Cedar, Clinton, Carroll counties, Iowa and tracked 86.7 miles, 1,000 yards wide at its widest, killing 28 and injuring 150. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Riggs/Delmar, IA to Savannah, IL.
Earthquakes
A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Cucuta,san Cayetano,villa del Rosario, Colombia. It killed 1,001 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
Earthquakes
A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck Mt St Helens, Washington, United States. With the tsunami it caused, it killed 61 people and did $2 billion in damage.
Volcanoes
St. Helens, United States erupted with a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 5. It killed 61 people and did $2 billion in damage. The eruption caused a tsunami and was accompanied by an earthquake.
Tornadoes
An F4 tornado touched down in Morgan, Cass, Menard counties, Illinois and tracked 26.2 miles, 800 yards wide at its widest, killing 12 and injuring 50. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Literberry, IL.
Tornadoes
An F4 tornado touched down in Sangamon, Logan, Macon counties, Illinois and tracked 40.1 miles, 800 yards wide at its widest, killing 11 and injuring 50. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: S Springfield to E Kenney, IL.
Billion-dollar disasters
A severe storm disaster that cost $3.2 billion in 2024 dollars and killed 27, on NOAA’s billion-dollar list. It lasted from May 18, 2013 to May 22, 2013.
169 on May 18, oldest first.
An unrated tornado touched down in Delaware, Licking, Knox counties, Ohio and tracked 50 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, killing 3. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Burlington, OH.
An F3 tornado touched down in Polk County, Iowa, injuring 4. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: S Harlan, IA.
An F3 tornado touched down in Ottawa County, Kansas and tracked 1.6 miles. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Ottawa Co./Saline Co., KS.
An F4 tornado touched down in Morgan, Cass, Menard counties, Illinois and tracked 26.2 miles, 800 yards wide at its widest, killing 12 and injuring 50. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Literberry, IL.
An F4 tornado touched down in Sangamon, Logan, Macon counties, Illinois and tracked 40.1 miles, 800 yards wide at its widest, killing 11 and injuring 50. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: S Springfield to E Kenney, IL.
An F4 tornado touched down in Kenosha, Racine counties, Wisconsin and tracked 18.9 miles, 150 yards wide at its widest, killing 8 and injuring 85. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Racine, WI.
An F4 tornado touched down in Greene, Morgan counties, Illinois and tracked 20 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, killing 8 and injuring 50. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Greasy Prairie, IL.
An F4 tornado touched down in Macoupin County, Illinois and tracked 21 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, killing 5 and injuring 30. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: W Shipman to N Gillespie, IL.
An F4 tornado touched down in Boone, McHenry, Walworth counties, Illinois and tracked 15.2 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, killing 4 and injuring 15. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Capron to Alden, IL to WI.
An F3 tornado touched down in Madison, Macoupin counties, Illinois and tracked 12.4 miles, killing 5 and injuring 30. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Prairietown/Mt. Olive/Staunton, MO.
An F3 tornado touched down in Madison, Macoupin, Montgomery counties, Illinois and tracked 25.1 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 10. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: SE Staunton to N Hillsboro, MO.
An F3 tornado touched down in Osage, Gasconade, Montgomery counties, Missouri and tracked 30.1 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 8. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: W Gasconade/Rhineland/SE Jonesburg, MO.
An F3 tornado touched down in Warren, Saint Charles, Lincoln counties, Missouri and tracked 14.9 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 6. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: S Wright/Foristell to N Wentzville, MO.
An F3 tornado touched down in Livingston County, Illinois and tracked 9 miles, killing 1 and injuring 4. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: S Pontiac/E Cayuga, IL.
An F3 tornado touched down in Madison County, Illinois and tracked 14.9 miles, killing 1 and injuring 3. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: W Collinsville/E Edwardsvillle to E Carpenter.
An F2 tornado touched down in Saint Charles, Jersey counties, Missouri and tracked 3 miles, 50 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 15. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Grafton, IL.
An F3 tornado touched down in Gasconade, Franklin counties, Missouri and tracked 6.8 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, injuring 5. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Hermann, MO.
An F3 tornado touched down in Montgomery, Christian counties, Illinois and tracked 13.5 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest, injuring 1. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Nokomis/Rosamond to N Pana.
An F2 tornado touched down in Johnson County, Arkansas and tracked 5.7 miles, killing 1 and injuring 15. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Harmony, AR.
An F2 tornado touched down in Menard, Mason counties, Illinois and tracked 5.1 miles, killing 1 and injuring 4. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: SE Mason City, IL.
An F2 tornado touched down in Champaign County, Illinois and tracked 3 miles, killing 1 and injuring 3. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Pesotum, IL.
An F5 tornado touched down in Marathon County, Wisconsin and tracked 32.7 miles, 1,500 yards wide at its widest, killing 12 and injuring 75. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: E Abbotsford to NE Wausau, WI.
An F4 tornado touched down in Cedar, Clinton, Carroll counties, Iowa and tracked 86.7 miles, 1,000 yards wide at its widest, killing 28 and injuring 150. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Riggs/Delmar, IA to Savannah, IL.
An F4 tornado touched down in Ogle, Winnebago, Boone counties, Illinois and tracked 47.4 miles, 600 yards wide at its widest, killing 4 and injuring 30. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Stillman Valley, IL.
An F4 tornado touched down in Bureau, Lee counties, Illinois and tracked 19.9 miles, killing 1 and injuring 10. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: La Moille to Viola, IL.
An F4 tornado touched down in Bureau, Lee counties, Illinois and tracked 40.2 miles, 300 yards wide at its widest, injuring 10. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: SW New Bedford to Ashton, IL.
An F3 tornado touched down in Langlade County, Wisconsin and tracked 10.2 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, killing 3 and injuring 34. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Antigo, WI.
An F3 tornado touched down in Trempealeau, Eau Claire counties, Wisconsin and tracked 15.7 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 15. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: W Osseo/N Augusta, WI.
An F3 tornado touched down in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin and tracked 5.2 miles, killing 1 and injuring 4. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: W Fall Creek, WI.
An F2 tornado touched down in Oneida County, Wisconsin and tracked 17.6 miles, killing 2 and injuring 25. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: SW Harshaw/N Rhinelander, WI.
An F2 tornado touched down in Price County, Wisconsin and tracked 9.4 miles, killing 2 and injuring 4. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Pennington/W Prentice, WI.
An F3 tornado touched down in Dane County, Wisconsin and tracked 8.5 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: S Burke to S Deansville, WI.
An F2 tornado touched down in Ogle County, Illinois and tracked 5.8 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, killing 1. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: S Byron, IL.
An F4 tornado touched down in Goliad County, Texas and tracked 15.1 miles, 250 yards wide at its widest, killing 114 and injuring 250. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Goliad, TX.
An F2 tornado touched down in Limestone, Freestone counties, Texas and tracked 40.1 miles, killing 3 and injuring 12. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Ben Hur/Fairfield, TX.
An F2 tornado touched down in Red River County, Texas, killing 1 and injuring 1. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Detroit, TX.
The 1902 Goliad, Texas, tornado was a F4 tornado that struck the town of Goliad, Texas, United States, on Sunday, May 18, 1902. A total of 114 people died, 250 were injured, and $125,000 damage occurred.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
An F3 tornado touched down in Canadian, Oklahoma, Logan counties, Oklahoma and tracked 47.2 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, injuring 10. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: SE Union City/W Yukon/N Lockhart/Guthrire, OK.
An F4 tornado touched down in Knox, Cedar, Yankton counties, Nebraska and tracked 25.1 miles, 1,000 yards wide at its widest, killing 4 and injuring 15. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: NE Bloomfield, NE to Gayville, SD.
An F3 tornado touched down in Lincoln County, South Dakota and tracked 10.3 miles, 300 yards wide at its widest, killing 1. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: N Beresford/W Fairview, SD.
An F3 tornado touched down in Antelope County, Nebraska and tracked 25.5 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, injuring 1. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: SW Clearwater/SW Plainview, NE.
An F3 tornado touched down in Alexander County, North Carolina and tracked 10.1 miles, 175 yards wide at its widest, injuring 6. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: N Taylorsville, NC.
An F3 tornado touched down in Davidson County, North Carolina and 175 yards wide at its widest, injuring 5. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Shiloh/NW Lexington, NC.
An F3 tornado touched down in Marion County, Indiana and tracked 4 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 150. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Indianapolis, IN.
An F3 tornado touched down in Phillips County, Arkansas and tracked 10.1 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, killing 12 and injuring 60. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Elaine, AR.
An F3 tornado touched down in Arkansas, Phillips counties, Arkansas and tracked 30.9 miles, 250 yards wide at its widest, killing 8 and injuring 30. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Tichnor to Wabash, AR.
An F2 tornado touched down in Houston County, Texas and tracked 2.3 miles, 75 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 5. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Weldon, TX.
An F2 tornado touched down in Rusk, Shelby counties, Texas and tracked 9.4 miles, 50 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 1. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: W Timpson, TX.
An F2 tornado touched down in Houston County, Texas and tracked 7.7 miles, 50 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 23. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Weches/Tadmor, TX.
An F3 tornado touched down in Dubuque, Jackson counties, Iowa and tracked 14.4 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: NE Bernard/N Zwingle to La Motte, IA.
An F4 tornado touched down in Washington, Burt counties, Nebraska and tracked 19.6 miles, 300 yards wide at its widest, injuring 1. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: W Tekamah, NE.
An F3 tornado touched down in Polk, Story counties, Iowa and tracked 14.9 miles, 880 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 12. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: White Oak to S Colo, IA.
An F3 tornado touched down in Burt, Harrison, Monona counties, Nebraska and tracked 29.6 miles, 300 yards wide at its widest, injuring 1. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Tekamah, NE to Castana, IA.
An F3 tornado touched down in Crawford, Sac counties, Iowa and tracked 17.5 miles, 800 yards wide at its widest. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: W Deloit to S Odebolt, IA.
An F3 tornado touched down in Greene County, Iowa and tracked 5.5 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: NW Paton, IA.
An F4 tornado touched down in Clay, Montague counties, Texas and tracked 29.6 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, killing 3 and injuring 15. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Stoneburg, TX.
An F4 tornado touched down in Denton County, Texas and tracked 7.7 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 5. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: N Sanger, TX.
An F3 tornado touched down in Chase County, Kansas and tracked 14.9 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest, injuring 2.
An F4 tornado touched down in Young County, Texas and tracked 2 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 100.
An F3 tornado touched down in Brown County, Kansas and tracked 0.5 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest.
An F3 tornado touched down in Doniphan County, Kansas and tracked 6.5 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest.
An F3 tornado touched down in Benton County, Iowa and tracked 4.3 miles, 300 yards wide at its widest.
An F3 tornado touched down in Benton County, Iowa and tracked 4.3 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest.
An F3 tornado touched down in Adams County, Colorado and tracked 4.1 miles, 440 yards wide at its widest.
An F4 tornado touched down in Cimarron, Baca counties, Oklahoma and tracked 38.6 miles, 440 yards wide at its widest.
An F3 tornado touched down in Cherry County, Nebraska and tracked 18.8 miles, 50 yards wide at its widest.
25 tornadoes were recorded on May 18, 1977, in Oklahoma, Colorado, North Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Texas, South Dakota, 1 of them rated violent (F4 or EF4 and above).
An F3 tornado touched down in Tensas Parish, Louisiana and tracked 9 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest.
An F3 tornado touched down in Madison Parish, Louisiana and tracked 5 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest.
An F4 tornado touched down in Lawrence, Giles counties, Tennessee and tracked 29 miles, 1,000 yards wide at its widest, killing 3 and injuring 32.
An F4 tornado touched down in Limestone, Madison, Jackson counties, Alabama and tracked 39 miles, 1,300 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 55.
79 tornadoes were recorded on May 18, 1995, in Texas, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, Louisiana and more, 2 of them rated violent (F4 or EF4 and above). They killed 4 people.
A power pole was blown down.
The F2 tornado began in Mayo in Central Mercer County and produced consistent high F1 to low F2 tornado damage across Mercer and Southern Woodford Counties.
An F3 tornado touched down in Cumberland County, Tennessee and tracked 9 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest, injuring 20.
A supercell thunderstorm moved out of Mississippi into Colbert County producing numerous reports of large hail. A small tornado touched down about two miles east of the Muscle Shoals airport (MSL) and moved on a path about six and one-half miles in length.
Numerous trees were downed. Hardest hit was the area along the Union County line, where trees fell across roads and damaged utility lines.
Thunderstorm winds tore the roof off a volunteer fire station and caused damage to several buildings in Devine. Half-inch hail was reported with the storm and city power was knocked out for an hour after midnight.
On Thursday May 18, 1995, a powerful and destructive F4 tornado struck several towns near the city of Huntsville, Alabama, killing one person and causing extensive damage and devastation, including the destruction of the Anderson Hills subdivision. The tornado touched down just northwest of Athens.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
A line of severe thunderstorms moved through the district during the afternoon of the 18th. Several trees were down on Beach Drive in NW D.C., and numerous others were reported down in the Federal sector (downtown).
Golf ball-size hail was reported.
A very costly hailstorm passed across northeast Iowa into extreme northwestern Illinois, bringing several waves of hail greater than 1.5 inches. While there were a few reports of tornadoes; by far the most significant damage was done by large hail.
Angola Airport had 21 aircraft and 3 hangars damaged. In surrounding area farm buildings, homes and business, utility towers also damaged.
37 tornadoes were recorded on May 18, 2000, in Iowa, Illinois, New York, Arkansas, Indiana, Missouri.
A strong cold front crossed eastern New York late on May 18. At the same time, very strong winds aloft moved over the area. The combination of the instability, and lift ahead of the front, spawned a line of thunderstorms.
The same frontal boundary meandering about Southern Iowa and Central Illinois lifted into Central Iowa and North Central Illinois by afternoon.
A very dynamic weather situation took shape over Iowa. The strength of the system was more typical for for mid April rather than mid May. An intense low pressure center developed over the central Rockies. A warm front extended east from the low across Iowa.
The 2003 Bendigo tornado was an F2 tornado which hit the city of Bendigo, Victoria, Australia about 6:30 pm on 18 May 2003. Wind speeds ranged from 210 km/h to 240 km/h at the core of the storm.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
27 tornadoes were recorded on May 18, 2010, in Texas, Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, Oklahoma.
Severe thunderstorms producing many tornadoes along with large hail and strong thunderstorm wind gusts tracked across much of the Texas Panhandle from the early evening hours into the early morning hours.
Southeast low level wind flow increased ahead of a low pressure system over northern Colorado the afternoon of May 18 2010. A strong low level southeast jet combined with dynamics of the low to create a favorable environment for severe thunderstorms.
An EF4 tornado touched down in Pawnee County, Kansas and tracked 7 miles, 1,100 yards wide at its widest.
High instability was in place as an upper level wind maxima moved out of the base of a deep upper trough in the west.
Another cold front stalled across north Texas, leading to favorable conditions for thunderstorms and severe weather.
48 tornadoes were recorded on May 18, 2017, in Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri.
On this date in 2017, it was a busy severe weather day across Oklahoma and western north Texas. Along with widespread storms producing damaging wind and hail, there were also several weak tornadoes across western and eastern parts of Oklahoma. A significant storm across southwest parts of Oklahoma hit a Mesonet observation site near Walters, yielding a 104-mph wind gust.
From the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma.
A slow-moving, strong upper level storm system moved from the Central Rockies into the Central Plains on the 18th and 19th.
Multiple rounds of severe thunderstorms over a two day period produced numerous weak tornadoes and wind damage reports across the Missouri Ozarks. Training of storms led to localized heavy rainfall and minor flooding reports.
A line of storms fired along and just ahead of a dryline and cold front on the afternoon of the 18th and continued eastward across the state overnight into the 19th.
A line of storms fired along and just ahead of a dryline and cold front on the afternoon of the 18th and continued eastward across the state overnight into the 19th.
An EF3 tornado touched down in Runnels County, Texas and tracked 18.01 miles, 1,760 yards wide at its widest.
An EF3 tornado touched down in Runnels County, Texas and tracked 5.79 miles, 1,760 yards wide at its widest.
An EF3 tornado touched down in Coleman County, Texas and tracked 7.84 miles, 300 yards wide at its widest.
A highly sheared environment coupled with a very unstable airmass resulted in the development of strong tornadoes during the early morning hours of May 18. At least seven of the eight tornadoes damaged or destroyed several hundred homes across portions of West Central Texas.
A strong upper level low pressure system moved into central California during the afternoon of May 18.
25 tornadoes were recorded on May 18, 2019, in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas.
The beginning of a very active period, the 18th started with a complex of thunderstorms that grew upscale producing wind and tornadoes in the morning and then finished with isolated supercells producing large hail across northern Oklahoma.
A squall line moved through northwestern Arkansas during the early afternoon hours of May 18th.
A slow moving upper level low pressure system produced showers and thunderstorms across the Ohio Valley.
An EF3 tornado touched down in Ellis County, Oklahoma and tracked 6 miles, 50 yards wide at its widest.
An EF3 tornado touched down in Gove, Sheridan counties, Kansas and tracked 13.33 miles, 416 yards wide at its widest.
An EF3 tornado touched down in Hitchcock County, Nebraska and tracked 10.68 miles, 250 yards wide at its widest.
An EF3 tornado touched down in Sheridan County, Kansas and tracked 4.24 miles, 230 yards wide at its widest.
An EF3 tornado touched down in Comanche County, Kansas and tracked 8.18 miles, 800 yards wide at its widest.
An EF3 tornado touched down in Kiowa County, Kansas and tracked 10.41 miles, 500 yards wide at its widest.
An EF3 tornado touched down in Kiowa, Edwards counties, Kansas and tracked 15.84 miles, 500 yards wide at its widest.
An EF3 tornado touched down in Pratt County, Kansas and tracked 11.45 miles, 500 yards wide at its widest.
An EF3 tornado touched down in Pratt, Stafford, Reno counties, Kansas and tracked 32.65 miles, 1,760 yards wide at its widest.
43 tornadoes were recorded on May 18, 2025, in Mississippi, Colorado, Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska.
A major tornado outbreak occurred across the Great Plains and Mid-South regions of the United States from May 18 to May 21, 2025. This event follows another tornado outbreak that occurred just days prior in the Ohio Valley.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
On the afternoon of May 18, scattered thunderstorms ignited over the Big Country, initiated by an upper trough digging southeast over the Intermountain West. These storms formed along a dryline and rapidly intensified, spreading east into western North Texas.
A bowing MCS entered northwest Mississippi during the morning hours with plentiful instability. This segment resulted in damaging winds before quickly weakening as it headed east.
Two separate rounds of severe weather impacted south central Nebraska on this day and brought a variety of severe weather. The first round of thunderstorms produced a combination of wind and hail along with the first flooding rains of the season.
Numerous severe storms moved into SW Nebraska from northeast Colorado and northwest Kansas and led to numerous reports of hail, wind and tornadoes.
Thunderstorms developed over northeastern Colorado and northwestern Kansas during the late afternoon hours of May 18th.
A deep upper-level trough continued to progress eastward across the Central and Southern Plains on the 18th, promoting another round of intense severe weather across the northwestern portion of the WFO Norman Forecast Area.
Numerous thunderstorms developed across the area leading to multiple hail reports, with the largest being 2 inches in diameter located in Wheeler and 5 S of St. Francis. Severe wind gusts were also reported as well, with the strongest being 63 mph 9 NNW of McDonald.
Severe storms produced damaging wind gusts across north central Mississippi.
Four tornadoes occurred just to the south and east of metro Denver in the early afternoon of Sunday, May 18th.
Multiple rounds of severe weather impacted many areas of Kansas. The initial round developed during the mid-afternoon hours with numerous large hail reports across central and south-central Kansas.
A regional outbreak of tornadoes occurred across portions|of western into south-central Kansas during the afternoon to|evening hours of Sunday 18 May 2025.
2 on May 18, oldest first.
Hurricane Able crossed the coast near Lucaya, Freeport, Bahamas as a category 1 hurricane, 75 kt (85 mph), central pressure 982 mb. The 1951 Atlantic hurricane season was the first hurricane season in which tropical cyclones were officially named by the United States Weather Bureau. The season officially started on June 15, when the United States Weather Bureau began its daily monitoring for tropical cyclone activity; the season officially ended on November 15.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Hurricane Amphan reached its peak of 145 kt (165 mph) with a central pressure of 901 mb, a category 5 storm.
20 on May 18, oldest first.
A tin roof was blown off a shed.
A cold front moved slowly south across southeast Michigan on the morning and afternoon of the 18th. Thunderstorms developed along and ahead of the front. A number of these became severe, producing marginally severe hail.
Flash flooding occurred during the morning hours of the 18th across Ottawa and Kent Counties as a result of as much as 5 inches of rain between 9 p.m. EST on the 17th and 2 a.m. EST on the 18th. The heaviest band of rain fell in a band from Grand Haven east to Rockford...
Leftover thunderstorms from the evening of May 17th eventually moved through Kenosha County during the pre-dawn hours on the 18th, and left in their wake flash flooding conditions around Somers.
A rotating supercell developed in southeast Ohio, then moved across Mason and Jackson counties. The large hail damaged houses and vehicles. In its wake, a larger complex of thunderstorms moved through.
Numerous trees downed in the ? country club. Three-quarter inch diameter hail also fell in Sabina.
The May 2004 Caribbean floods were a flood event that affected the Caribbean Islands and Hispaniola from May 18, 2004, to May 25, 2004. Moving quickly from Central America, a low-pressure area brought heavy rainfall and thunderstorms to Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic resulting in rainfall amounts exceeding 500 mm within a 7-day period.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
A local television meteorologist reported that three persons were swept away by a swollen small stream in the Pedernales sector of Cabo Rojo. Two were rescued, but a flood death ocurred when the car stalled crossing the flooded bridge over small stream Los Sosas on highway 103.
South of a frontal zone, repetitive showers and thunderstorms moved west to east across Perry and Morgan Counties during the afternoon and evening hours of the 18th. The heaviest rains favored southern portions of Perry County and western sections of Morgan County.
An upper level disturbance interacted with an old frontal boundary and a tropical airmass to produce torrential rain across the Concho Valley and San Angelo. This very heavy rain caused flash flooding and resulted in many homes flooded and several swift water rescues.
Excessive heavy rainfall was widespread across Northern Louisiana during the morning hours of May 18th. This convection developed from an upper level disturbance that moved into the region from Central Texas.
Thunderstorms developed early in the morning producing flash flooding across the eastern areas of the county warning area. These storms exited the area by mid morning. More storms developed in the evening as well across the Edwards Plateau and Hill Country.
A cold front was located to the north of the Mid-Atlantic and warm and humid conditions persisted through the evening hours. A bay breeze formed across North-Central Maryland and led to multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms in this area.
Wait for it.
The synoptic pattern remained little changed from the previous day with deep moisture in place. Several bands of very heavy rainfall pushed north from the Carolinas in the late afternoon and evening as weak area of low pressure over the southeast lifted slowly northward.
The synoptic pattern remained little changed from the previous day with deep moisture in place. An axis of very heavy rainfall pushed north across the Carolinas in the late afternoon and evening as the weak area of low pressure over the southeast lifted slowly northward.
A very slow moving low pressure system advanced east from the central Plains. Unusually deep moisture was pushed northward into the Great Lakes region, ahead of this low. Multiple rounds of heavy rain fell in parts of northern lower Michigan on the 17th and 18th.
Significant rainfall fell across all of Lower Michigan on May 17 and 18 with many locations in Southwest Lower Michigan reporting over 3 inches of rain. This was the culmination of an already wet week that had experienced three separate episodes of heavy rain.
An upper-level low became cut-off over the southern Appalachian region for several days leading to persistent rainfall and eventually some flooding.
Intense late afternoon and early thunderstorms produced large hail and localized flash flooding across a part of north central Kansas. Beloit was hit the hardest as hail reached 2 in diameter.
14 on May 18, oldest first.
Baseball-size hail fell from a severe thunderstorm over Hollis, in Harmon County, on May 18, 1979. The hail destroyed thousands of windows and damaged most of the roofs in the town. Two people were injured when they were hit by the hail.
From the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma.
Trees and power lines were blown down throughout the county. Some of the worst damaged was done in Lawrenceburg. Windows were blown out of some homes and several outbuildings were destroyed. Some cars were damaged by falling trees.
A squall line raced across southern and central counties at about 50 MPH. Brief wind gusts of 40 to 50 MPH were widespread. The highest measured wind speed was around 55 MPH at both Elkins and Beckley.
Thunderstorm winds blew down some large trees.
Along Rocklick Creek a tree fell through the middle of a mobile home. Trees were blown around Harman and Patterson.
Baseball size hail damaged crops and injured farmers in the area.
Thunderstorm winds near kendallville downed large trees and power lines.Thunderstorms moving across north side of county damaged farmbuildings, a church, homes and utility towers.
Location was Plymell.
A series of supercell storms dumped hail from golfball to softball size across a large portion of the northern half of the IND CWA. The storms moved across a warm front that stretched across central Indiana.
After a series of hail producing storms pounded northern Illinois, the last storm in the line ahead of an approaching cold front took on a small bow echo and swept across the north suburbs of Chicago. The first report of damage was a barn flattened at Pingree Grove.
A series of thunderstorms (six) formed and moved over a two county area over a 2 and a half hour period. Over $4 million dollars worth of damage was reported. The most intense damage was reported in the Jamaica and Georgetown (Vermilion County) areas.
An auto dealership reported minor roof damage and some signs blown over.
5 on May 18, oldest first.
Chicago had its first heat wave of the season on the 18th and 19th of May with high temperatures around 90 and high humidity. There were 2 heat-related deaths. Both were elderly people in a nursing home.
A woman working as a seamstress in her apartment in Bossier City, LA, was found dead. The death was determined by the county coroner as heat related.
ABoth were non-U.S. residents and were found outside.
Hot temperatures in the mid to upper 90s were experienced in the lower elevations of southeast Arizona on May 18. The Pima County Medical Examiner confirmed that heat was the primary cause of death for one elderly individual found outdoors in Saint David.
Hot temperatures around 6 degrees above normal were experienced in the Tucson area. The Pima County Medical Examiner confirmed that heat was a contributing factor of death for an individual in Tucson.
2 on May 18, oldest first.
Record and near record low temperatures in the 20s during the early morning of May 18th produced a hard freeze across Vermont. This led to a damaging, potentially devastating freeze for several crops as they were in advanced budding stages.
Two cold water drownings were discovered in the month of May due to area waterways running fast and cold from snowmelt. One occurred on the American River near Oregon Bar. Another occurred on the Sacramento River and was a 23 year old fisherman.
1 on May 18, oldest first.
Lake Maloya recorded 11.28 inches, New Mexico’s all-time greatest 24-hour precipitation, over May 18, 1955 to May 19, 1955, as the State Climate Extremes Committee lists it.
34 on May 18, oldest first.
The Watkins Fire was discovered on May 18, 1992, in Montana, and burned 1,200 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Old Anders Fire was discovered on May 18, 1992, in Montana, and burned 1,000 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Indian Fire was discovered on May 18, 1993, in New Mexico, and burned 1,326 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Buffalo Creek Fire was discovered on May 18, 1996, in Colorado, and burned 11,875 acres; the cause was recorded as recreation and ceremony.
The Horseshoe Fire was discovered on May 18, 1996, in Arizona, and burned 8,650 acres; the cause was recorded as debris and open burning.
The Unnamed Fire was discovered on May 18, 1997, in California, and burned 2,283 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Max Fish Camp Fire was discovered on May 18, 1999, in Broward County, Florida, and burned 10,000 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
Extremely dry condition and combined with wind caused a controlled-burn grass fire to spread in the village, destroying three homes. The fire damaged less than a quarter of an acre of land and came under control before spreading to the nearby woods.Injuries: one person: burns.
The Vineyard Fire was discovered on May 18, 2000, in New Mexico, and burned 1,200 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Garcia Fire was discovered on May 18, 2002, in Catron County, New Mexico, and burned 988 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Adobe Fire was discovered on May 18, 2006, in Hidalgo County, New Mexico, and burned 12,806 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Pipeline Fire was discovered on May 18, 2006, in Lincoln County, New Mexico, and burned 7,214 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Hurricane 2 Fire was discovered on May 18, 2006, in Washington County, Utah, and burned 2,811 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Sky Ranch Fire was discovered on May 18, 2006, in Washington County, Utah, and burned 1,727 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Eppers Fire was discovered on May 18, 2006, in Chaves County, New Mexico, and burned 1,400 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Mustang Fire was discovered on May 18, 2007, in Washoe County, Nevada, and burned 1,412 acres; the cause was recorded as firearms and explosives use.
The Carter Fire was discovered on May 18, 2008, in Curry County, New Mexico, and burned 1,350 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Meridian Boundary Complex (Meridian Road) Fire was discovered on May 18, 2010, in Oscoda County, Michigan, and burned 8,586 acres; the cause was recorded as debris and open burning.
The Meridian Boundary Complex (Range 9) Fire was discovered on May 18, 2010, in Kalkaska County, Michigan, and burned 1,040 acres; the cause was recorded as debris and open burning.
The Atlantic Fire was discovered on May 18, 2011, in Martin County, Florida, and burned 1,047 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Foster Ranch Fire was discovered on May 18, 2011, in Wichita County, Texas, and burned 1,000 acres; the cause was recorded as power generation/transmission/distribution.
The Camp Roberts Fire was reported on May 18, 2016, in San Luis Obispo County, California, and burned 3,712 acres.
The Elm 2 Fire was reported on May 18, 2017, in Fresno County, California, and burned 10,343 acres.
The Frier Fire was reported on May 18, 2018, in Lea County, New Mexico, and burned 2,944 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Villegreen Fire was reported on May 18, 2020, in Las Animas County, Colorado, and burned 1,731 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Weeping Willow Fire was reported on May 18, 2021, in Polk County, Florida, and burned 1,833 acres.
The Dry Branch Fire was reported on May 18, 2022, in Hamilton County, Texas, and burned 1,407 acres.
The Pass Fire was reported on May 18, 2023, in Catron County, New Mexico, and burned 59,833 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Wildcat Fire was reported on May 18, 2024, in Maricopa County, Arizona, and burned 14,402 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Sandy Fire was a large wildfire south of Simi Valley in Ventura County, California. The fire ignited on May 18, 2026, and was contained on May 27 after burning 2,183 acres (883 ha).
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The Sailor Cap Fire was reported on May 18, 2026, in Owyhee County, Idaho, and burned 8,292 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The River Fire was reported on May 18, 2026, in Kern County, California, and burned 3,535 acres.
The Sandy Fire was reported on May 18, 2026, in Ventura County, California, and burned 2,183 acres.
The Kress Fire was reported on May 18, 2026, in Swisher County, Texas, and burned 1,551 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
14 on May 18, oldest first.
A magnitude 8 earthquake struck Linfen, Shanxi Province, China. It killed 20,000 people and did extreme (about $25 million or more) damage.
An earthquake struck Southern Italy.
A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Cucuta,san Cayetano,villa del Rosario, Colombia. It killed 1,001 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
An earthquake struck Florence, S. Martino, Bossi, Italy. It did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Bismarck Sea, Papua New Guinea.
An earthquake struck Lifuka Island, Tonga Islands. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Susehri, Turkey. It killed 64 people.
A magnitude 6 earthquake struck Bali, Indonesia.
A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck Mt St Helens, Washington, United States. With the tsunami it caused, it killed 61 people and did $2 billion in damage.
A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck Serbia, Balkans NW. It injured 50 and did $5 million in damage.
A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck S Coast, Guatemala.
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck Bunda, Tanzania. It killed 2 people and destroyed 690 houses.
A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Manabi Province, Ecuador. It killed 1 person and injured 162.
A magnitude 5.1 earthquake struck Qiaojia, Yunnan Province, China. It killed 4 people, injured 24 and did $17 million in damage.
1 on May 18, oldest first.
St. Helens, United States erupted with a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 5. It killed 61 people and did $2 billion in damage. The eruption caused a tsunami and was accompanied by an earthquake.
4 on May 18, oldest first.
A tsunami struck Ligurian Sea - Nice, France.
A tsunami struck Sydney Harbor, Australia.
A tsunami with a source recorded as earthquake struck Lifuka Island, Tonga.
A tsunami with a source recorded as volcano and landslide struck Washington, United States, with a maximum water height of 250 meters. It killed 61 people.
12 on May 18, oldest first.
A G2 (moderate) geomagnetic storm began May 18, 1934, reached Kp 6 and lasted 6 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 29; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 55 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G2 (moderate) geomagnetic storm began May 18, 1940, reached Kp 6- and lasted 9 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 34; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 57 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G2 (moderate) geomagnetic storm began May 18, 1952, reached Kp 6 and lasted 36 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 37; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 55 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G1 (minor) geomagnetic storm began May 18, 1959, reached Kp 5 and lasted 3 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 24; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 60 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G1 (minor) geomagnetic storm began May 18, 1969, reached Kp 5 and lasted 3 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 20; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 60 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G1 (minor) geomagnetic storm began May 18, 1982, reached Kp 5+ and lasted 3 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 20; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 58 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G2 (moderate) geomagnetic storm began May 18, 1990, reached Kp 6+ and lasted 6 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 31; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 53 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G1 (minor) geomagnetic storm began May 18, 1992, reached Kp 5+ and lasted 3 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 16; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 58 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G1 (minor) geomagnetic storm began May 18, 1999, reached Kp 5 and lasted 3 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 27; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 60 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G1 (minor) geomagnetic storm began May 18, 2002, reached Kp 5+ and lasted 3 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 14; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 58 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G1 (minor) geomagnetic storm began May 18, 2013, reached Kp 5+ and lasted 3 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 19; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 58 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G1 (minor) geomagnetic storm began May 18, 2015, reached Kp 5+ and lasted 6 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 15; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 58 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
4 on May 18, oldest first.
A severe storm disaster that cost $3.2 billion in 2024 dollars and killed 27, on NOAA’s billion-dollar list. It lasted from May 18, 2013 to May 22, 2013.
A severe storm disaster that cost $4.9 billion in 2024 dollars, on NOAA’s billion-dollar list. It lasted from May 18, 2014 to May 23, 2014.
A severe storm disaster that cost $1.7 billion in 2024 dollars, on NOAA’s billion-dollar list. It lasted from May 18, 2023 to May 19, 2023.
A severe storm disaster that cost $4.9 billion in 2024 dollars and killed 5, on NOAA’s billion-dollar list. It lasted from May 18, 2024 to May 22, 2024.
7 on May 18, oldest first.
A teenager swimming with two friends got caught in a rip current that extended 250 yards offshore. He tried to swim against it, tired and drowned. His body was discovered two hours later near Lifeguard Station 22.
A 19-yr old man was killed by lightning as he was walking along the shoulder of U.S. Highway 36 during a thunderstorm.
On May 18th, 2003 at around 11:30 am EDT, a 22-foot boat capsized in rough seas about 1/4 mile west off Moriches Inlet resulting in 3 deaths.An unusually strong high pressure system over New England combined with a weak low pressure system well east of the Southern Mid Atlantic…
Tuesday afternoon, two men were fishing on Trotter Lake in northern Hinds county. A thunderstorm developed near the lake and one of the men was struck by a fatal lighting strike.
Scattered thunderstorms developed over the area associated with a cold front. Lightning associated with one of the storms killed a man who was in a boat fishing on Canyon Ferry Reservoir.
The 2015 Salgar landslide was a landslide that struck the municipality of Salgar in Colombia on May 18, 2015. The landside was triggered by heavy rains that fell on the watershed of the Libordiana stream, and resulted in around 100 deaths and the destruction of portions of the residential area of Salgar.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
A ridge of high pressure extending from that Atlantic into the Carolinas, setup light southeast flow across the southwest Florida coastline. One man drowned after being caught in a rip current.
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.