Every tornado, hurricane, flood, blizzard, heat wave, record, earthquake, eruption, tsunami, wildfire and geomagnetic storm on record for May 23, 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.
Tornadoes
An F4 tornado touched down in Iowa, Dane counties, Wisconsin and tracked 55 miles, 300 yards wide at its widest, killing 17 and injuring 45. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Mifflin Twp./Lost Grove/Linden Twp./Mineral Point/Waldwick Twp./Moscow Twp./Perry Twp./Primrose Twp./Montrose Twp./Orgeon Twp./Fitchburg Twp./Dunn Twp., MI.
Billion-dollar disasters
A flooding disaster that cost $3.4 billion in 2024 dollars and killed 31, on NOAA’s billion-dollar list. It lasted from May 23, 2015 to May 26, 2015.
Earthquakes
A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Tajima, Honshu, Japan. It killed 395 people, destroyed 3,333 houses and did extreme (about $25 million or more) damage.
Earthquakes
A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Manokwari, Irian Jaya, Indonesia. With the tsunami it caused, it killed 250 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
Tsunamis
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck NW. Irian Jaya, Indonesia, with a maximum water height of 3 meters. It killed 250 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
Volcanoes
Mayon, Philippines erupted with a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 3. It killed 350 people.
Floods
Beginning in May 2022, deadly floods hit northeastern India and Bangladesh. Over 9 million people in both countries have been affected, and around 300 people were killed.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Tornadoes
An F4 tornado touched down in Washita County, Oklahoma and tracked 15.5 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, killing 3 and injuring 10. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: SW Burns Flat to SE Foss, OK.
Tornadoes
An F4 tornado touched down in Roger Mills, Dewey, Woodward counties, Oklahoma and tracked 65.3 miles, 600 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 40. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Camargo, OK.
Earthquakes
A magnitude 6 earthquake struck Yunnan Province, China. It killed 120 people, injured 120, destroyed 1,900 houses and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
Tornadoes
An F4 tornado touched down in Cook, Lake counties, Illinois and tracked 10.1 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 8. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: ENE Elgin/Barrington, IL.
Tornadoes
An upper level shortwave trough moved around the longwave low over the Four Corners region. This upper distubance interacted with a surface boundary moving northward as a warm front from South Texas into a very moist airmass.
109 on May 23, oldest first.
An unrated tornado touched down in Windsor, Sullivan counties, Vermont and tracked 10.4 miles, 800 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 2. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Wethersfield, VT to Claremont/Corydon, NH.
An F4 tornado touched down in Iowa, Dane counties, Wisconsin and tracked 55 miles, 300 yards wide at its widest, killing 17 and injuring 45. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Mifflin Twp./Lost Grove/Linden Twp./Mineral Point/Waldwick Twp./Moscow Twp./Perry Twp./Primrose Twp./Montrose Twp./Orgeon Twp./Fitchburg Twp./Dunn Twp., MI.
An F4 tornado touched down in Cook, Lake counties, Illinois and tracked 10.1 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 8. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: ENE Elgin/Barrington, IL.
An F3 tornado touched down in Adams, Brown counties, Illinois and tracked 30.7 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 6. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: S Quincy/S Mound Station, IL.
An F2 tornado touched down in Dane, Jefferson counties, Wisconsin and tracked 28.2 miles, 600 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 15. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Pleasant Springs/Rockdale Twp./Oakland Twp./Oakland Centre/Jefferson Twp., WI.
An F2 tornado touched down in Lamar County, Texas and tracked 7.1 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 8. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: NW Brookston to Brookston, TX.
An F3 tornado touched down in Linn County, Missouri and tracked 12.7 miles, 150 yards wide at its widest, injuring 15. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: S Haseville/S Browning, MO.
An F4 tornado touched down in Washita County, Oklahoma and tracked 15.5 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, killing 3 and injuring 10. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: SW Burns Flat to SE Foss, OK.
An F4 tornado touched down in Roger Mills, Dewey, Woodward counties, Oklahoma and tracked 65.3 miles, 600 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 40. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Camargo, OK.
An F3 tornado touched down in Woods, Alfalfa counties, Oklahoma and tracked 10 miles, 300 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 20. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Carmen, OK.
An F3 tornado touched down in Iowa County, Iowa and tracked 4.6 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, injuring 2. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: NW Williamsburg to SE Conroy, IA.
An F2 tornado touched down in Delaware County, New York and 50 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 5. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Franklin, NY.
An F4 tornado touched down in Washington County, Kansas and tracked 13.9 miles, 600 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 6. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: W Enosdale, KS.
An F4 tornado touched down in Washington County, Kansas and tracked 7.8 miles, 600 yards wide at its widest, injuring 2. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: E Washington, KS.
An F3 tornado touched down in Jackson County, Missouri and tracked 11.7 miles, 600 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 5. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: S Martin City to Kansas City, MO.
An F3 tornado touched down in Ray, Carroll, Livingston counties, Missouri and tracked 37.7 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, injuring 6. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: NE Richmond to N Hale, MO.
An F3 tornado touched down in Holt, Atchison, Nodaway counties, Missouri and tracked 35.3 miles, 300 yards wide at its widest, injuring 4. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: S Craig to NW Pickering, MO.
An F3 tornado touched down in Marshall, Pawnee counties, Kansas and tracked 9.7 miles, 300 yards wide at its widest, injuring 2. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Home City, KS to SE Liberty, NE.
An F3 tornado touched down in Drew County, Arkansas and tracked 5.2 miles, 27 yards wide at its widest.
An F3 tornado touched down in Hunt County, Texas and tracked 2 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest, injuring 5.
An F3 tornado touched down in Hill County, Texas and tracked 7.1 miles, 33 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 49.
An F3 tornado touched down in Conway County, Arkansas and tracked 5.6 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, injuring 4.
An F3 tornado touched down in Campbell County, Wyoming and tracked 14.5 miles, 180 yards wide at its widest.
An F3 tornado touched down in Bryan County, Oklahoma and tracked 9.7 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest.
29 tornadoes were recorded on May 23, 1981, in Oklahoma, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri.
Downburst winds took the roof off a shed and blew other debris on the north side of Fort Stockton. Wind was estimated at near 60 mph by sheriff's office personnel.
An F3 tornado touched down in Grayson County, Kentucky and tracked 6 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest, injuring 16.
Houses were damaged by thunderstorm winds.
A tornado touched down on Jackson Township Road 371 and moved east, along County Route 9, known as Pen Road. A slate roof of a house was ripped off and a modular home was shifted several inches off its concrete block foundation.
Thunderstorm winds estimated at 60 mph downed 15 to 20 trees in Green Township near State Route 241. Two homes were slightly damaged by fallen trees.
An F2 tornado with maximum winds estimated at 120 MPH passed through a 3-mile section of rural Harrison County.
Numerous severe thunderstorms containing destructive large hail...damaging winds and tornadoes struck much of the central and northern Texas panhandle during the evening and into the overnight hours.
Thunderstorm winds blew down several telephone poles as well as large tree limbs.
There were several reports of hail 3/4 inch and larger from in and around Yorkville. The largest was golfball size at the intersection of Route 126 and 71.
Severe thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening hours produced numerous tornadoes...large hail...prolonged flooding and flash flooding...and damaging winds across the central and northeastern Texas Panhandle. No injuries were reported.
An EF4 tornado touched down in Gove County, Kansas and tracked 11.39 miles, 1,320 yards wide at its widest, injuring 2.
79 tornadoes were recorded on May 23, 2008, in Kansas, Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, Oklahoma, 1 of them rated violent (F4 or EF4 and above). They killed 2 people.
An EF3 tornado touched down in Pratt County, Kansas and tracked 21.9 miles, 1,430 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 2.
An EF3 tornado touched down in Edwards, Pratt, Stafford counties, Kansas and tracked 18.2 miles, 1,935 yards wide at its widest, injuring 1.
An EF3 tornado touched down in Clark, Kiowa counties, Kansas and tracked 20.9 miles, 3,170 yards wide at its widest.
An EF3 tornado touched down in Ness, Trego counties, Kansas and tracked 9.01 miles, 715 yards wide at its widest.
An EF3 tornado touched down in Harper County, Oklahoma and tracked 5 miles, 1,100 yards wide at its widest.
An EF3 tornado touched down in Comanche, Woods counties, Oklahoma and tracked 11 miles, 980 yards wide at its widest.
Intense supercell thunderstorms moved north across the region during the afternoon and evening hours producing 10 tornadoes, including an F4 tornado just SW of Quinter. Extremely heavy rainfall also resulted in flooding in many areas.
Large upper level trough over the western U.S. continued to eject energy out over the Central Plains, with a surface low remaining anchored over eastern Colorado with a stationary boundary draped east through the region.
Strong to severe thunderstorms affected portions of mainly central and south-central Kansas from the late evening hours of the 23rd into the early morning hours of the 24th.
Thunderstorms developed during the afternoon ahead of a dry line that was located near the Texas panhandle and Oklahoma border. The thunderstorms quickly became supercells as they moved toward southwest Kansas.
A sharp dry line moved west out of west Texas and became stationary over the far eastern plains on Sunday, May 23, 2010. Meanwhile, an unseasonably deep upper level low pressure system over the Great Basin was moving slowly east toward New Mexico.
Several clusters of intense thunderstorms moved north across the area during the late afternoon and evening hours, producing several tornadoes in northwest Kansas. Other areas nearby received hail up to the size of golf balls and wind gusts to 80 mph.
Severe thunderstorms generated hail up to around baseball size and damaging thunderstorm winds over portions of Kiowa...Prowers and Baca Counties. A tornado occurred northwest of Springfield.
With persistent low level southeast flow in place across the area and a surface dryline in place from southeast New Mexico across portions of southwest Texas, isolated supercell thunderstorms developed across southern Reeves County and northwest Pecos County.
Thunderstorms developed during the early morning hours across northeastern Oklahoma and southeastern Kansas in response to an approaching upper level disturbance and increasing low level jet.
A quasi-linear convective system moved across an unstable airmass and produced widespread severe weather.
During the morning hours on Monday, May 23rd, severe thunderstorms occurred across two counties in Middle Tennessee. This resulted in a thunderstorm wind damage events in these two counties.
A large cluster of thunderstorms increased in coverage and intensity as it accelerated eastward into a rapidly destabilizing air mass. The activity was closely related to a mid-level shortwave trough moving across Iowa and Missouri, along with a low level wind maximum.
An upper level disturbance moved out of the Ohio Valley and triggered severe thunderstorms and tornadoes across portions of central and eastern Pennsylvania. A total of 3 tornadoes were confirmed ranging in magnitude from EF1-EF2.
Driven southwest by outflow from a complex of thunderstorms in Oklahoma early this morning, a frontal boundary moved into the northeast South Plains and northern Rolling Plains by noon ahead of very moist easterly winds.
An upper level shortwave trough moved around the longwave low over the Four Corners region. This upper distubance interacted with a surface boundary moving northward as a warm front from South Texas into a very moist airmass.
For several days, a stalled cold front, combined with abundant moisture from the Gulf of Mexico combined to produce widespread rain and thunderstorms in Texas.
A slow-moving upper level trough of low pressure moved from the Rockies into the Plains on the 23rd and 24th. Very moist and slightly unstable air was in place across the Southern Plains ahead of this system.
Storms developed in the panhandles on the 23rd under the influence of an upper level trough. These storms merged into a line and moved eastward over Oklahoma producing widespread flooding.
A strong upper level disturbance moved out of northeast Mexico during the evening of the 23rd and into South Texas on the morning of the 24th. As the system reached northeast Mexico, a line of strong thunderstorms formed during the afternoon hours of the 23rd.
An EF3 tornado touched down in Hall, Motley counties, Texas and tracked 9.99 miles, 800 yards wide at its widest.
Several storms produced severe hail on this Monday late in the afternoon and into the early evening. Between noon and 1 p.m. CST, scattered showers developed over Webster and Adams Counties. There were a few embedded rumbles of thunder.
Severe thunderstorms erupted during the late afternoon ahead of a dry line. Numerous tornado producing supercell thunderstorms were observed.
A second consecutive afternoon and evening of scattered thunderstorms developed along an active dryline. Thunderstorms initially developed across the eastern South Plains and quickly became severe under an extremely unstable atmosphere.
A significant impulse ejected northeast, moving atop a quasi-stationary wavy frontal zones that extended from the Deep South into the Carolinas. A surface wave and|a 40 to 50 kt low-level jet accompanied the impulse.
A surface cold front and mid-level short wave associated with a large, deep upper-level trough over the central U.S. swept through the region.
An EF3 tornado touched down in Lipscomb, Beaver, Ellis counties, Texas and tracked 15.7 miles, 1,500 yards wide at its widest.
A vigorous upper level low pressure system developed across southern Nevada. Significant wind shear and instability developed as moisture was drawn north into the Panhandles setting the stage for a very long duration and higher end severe episode.
Isolated supercells that developed in the Texas Panhandle and moved into far northwestern Oklahoma with tornadoes and wind reported on the 23rd.
Returning Gulf of Mexico moisture into the South Plains of West Texas fueled widespread severe thunderstorm development across the region on the afternoon and evening of the 23rd.
The combination of strong instability and locally enhanced upper level winds produced isolated severe thunderstorms during the evening hours across the Big Country and Concho Valley.
With a highly unstable airmass in place, a meandering front, a dryline, and a shortwave trough all worked together to generate multiple rounds of thunderstorms May 23 and 24.
Extensive line of thunderstorms brings broad swaths of damaging winds, along with a few tornadoes, to portions of south central Nebraska during the late evening hours of May 23rd into the early morning hours of May 24th.
27 tornadoes were recorded on May 23, 2024, in Nebraska, Texas, Oklahoma, North Dakota.
Thunderstorms developed over the central Nebraska Panhandle during the mid afternoon hours of May 23rd. As this activity moved east into better moisture and wind shear, storms became severe. Large hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes were reported.
In the evening hours of the 23rd, a few storm cells fired off of a cold front coming in from the northwest. As the evening progressed, the scattered storms formed a well organized line of storms.
The approximately 36-hour period, beginning during the initial hours of the 24th, featured three unique severe convective episodes across the WFO Norman Forecast Area.
A strong supercell thunderstorm tracked south-southeast across far northeast Weld, southwest Logan and northwest Washington Counties.
A lingering stalled front remained in the forecast area 5/23, but a embedded shortwave in the general troughing pattern moved in during the afternoon and evening hours, leading to scattered convection to develop.
3 on May 23, oldest first.
Hurricane Chan-Hom reached its peak of 115 kt (130 mph) with a central pressure of 927 mb, a category 4 storm.
Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Yaas was a relatively strong and very damaging tropical cyclone that made landfall in India's eastern State of Odisha, and brought significant impact to West Bengal during late May 2021. The second cyclonic storm, second severe cyclonic storm, and second very severe cyclonic storm of the 2021 North Indian Ocean cyclone season, Yaas formed from a tropical disturbance that the Indian Meteorological Department first monitored on 23 May.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Mawar developed over the Northwest Pacific Ocean in the second half of May. It moved northwestward from near Chuuk to eventually cross the Mariana Islands near Guam and Rota.
15 on May 23, oldest first.
One of the costliest Oklahoma City hail storms in history pummeled the city on May 23, 1968. Hail the size of baseballs fell over much of the city, resulting in more than 40,000 insurance claims over the 90,000 square mile path of the storm. The final cost was more than $20 million. The parent thunderstorm also caused flash flooding, that left two to four feet of water in some underpasses, and a lightning strike that started a fire which killed two people.
From the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma.
Heavy rainfall throughout the month resulted in flash flooding along the Little Nemaha River in Otoe County on May 9th, the 23rd, and the 27th. Damage estimates to public structures amounted to $618,000 and nearly $6 million to crops.
Heavy rains resulted in flash flooding and flooding along the Little Nemaha River and across Nemaha County from the 9th through the 12th, the 23rd, and the 25th through the 31st. Damage to bridges and culverts was estimated at $682,000 and damage to crops was $2.1 million.
Heavy rains of 15 to 18 inches saturated soils throughout the month of May in Johnson County and resulted in flash flooding on the 23rd and the 26th. Damage to bridges and culverts was estimated at $404,000 and crop damage was estimated at $1.58 million.
A stationary front over Iowa, Wisconsin, and Michigan over the weekend brought with it severe thunderstorms and heavy rains, which caused widespread flooding over Southeast Michigan.
A persistent stationary front continued to remain across Iowa and Northern Illinois. Two squall lines developed in the late afternoon in Western Iowa, one north and one south of the stationary front. These squall lines raced east across Eastern Iowa and Northern Illinois.
Some of the highest water levels in years were recorded on northern New Mexico streams and rivers as near record temperatures sent a wave of snow melt runoff into the watersheds of the upper Rio Grande and Pecos Rivers while heavy snowmelt from Colorado filled the Animas River…
A stalled frontal boundary resulted in numerous, slow-moving strong to severe thunderstorms across portions of central and south-central Kansas from the afternoon hours on May 23rd, to the early morning hours on May 24th.
After a break of several weeks, very heavy rain producing thunderstorms again rolled over a number of counties during the evening and early morning hours. Dickinson County again was hit hard for the second time in the month with significant flooding along the Smoky Hill river.
Large upper level trough over the western U.S. continued to eject energy out over the Central Plains, with a surface low remaining anchored over eastern Colorado with a stationary boundary draped east through the region.
Thunderstorms developed during the early morning hours across northeastern Oklahoma and southeastern Kansas in response to an approaching upper level disturbance and increasing low level jet.
A Pacific low moved into the four corners region on the 17th and migrated northeast into the Dakotas through the 22nd, bringing another round of heavy precipitation aided by a tap of Gulf of Mexico moisture.
Heavy rainfall from training showers and thunderstorms produced flash flooding across Chittenden and Lamoille Counties in Vermont beginning in the afternoon and evening of May 23.
Beginning in May 2022, deadly floods hit northeastern India and Bangladesh. Over 9 million people in both countries have been affected, and around 300 people were killed.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Several rounds of showers and thunderstorms occurred from Friday, May 23 through Tuesday, May 27, 2025. Total Rainfall amounts ranged between 2-5 inches, with localized amounts up to 8.6 inches.
16 on May 23, oldest first.
Several trees were downed by winds.
An isolated severe thunderstorm in Ottawa County produced dime-size hail at Miami and near Commerce.
A classic bow echo moved through eastern portion of State producing widespread wind damage. The hardest hit area was around Hugo in northern Lenoir county where 12 homes were damaged, three of which were ripped apart.
Late evening severe thunderstorms rolled across the northeast half of south-central Nebraska dropping hail and heavy rains with their passage. The thunderstorms moved southeast across Howard and Merrick counties near 10 pm and dumped hail the size of softballs near St.
Golfball to tennis ball size hail affected much of the Dodge City area.
A supercell thunderstorm produced baseball size hail from northwest to southeast across parts of Johnson County. The total damage costs for dented cars, smashed windows, and damaged roofs in Vienna was estimated near 7 million dollars.
A line of severe thunderstorms produced intense wind gusts across portions of south central Nebraska during the late afternoon and evening of May 23. There were numerous reports of 80 mph winds which caused minor to moderate damage in 16 counties.
A line of severe thunderstorms moved into north central Kansas early the morning of the 24th. Hail to the size of half dollars fell, and winds to 70 mph were reported across the region. Minor damage was reported, mainly to tree limbs, power lines, and some structures.
The largest hailstone ever recorded in Oklahoma fell on this date in 2011. The hailstone, six inches in diameter, fell 2 miles north of Gotebo. Damaging hail with a diameter of 2 to 3 inches was also seen farther east and north toward Carnegie, western parts of Oklahoma City, and Kingfisher.
From the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma.
During the early morning hours of May 23, an area of low pressure entered the Upper Great Lakes Region. Substantial amounts of warm air and deep moisture entered northern Ohio from the southern United States.
Between the late evening of Wednesday the 23rd and early morning hours of Thursday the 24th, a parade of primarily elevated strong to severe thunderstorms produced large hail and a few estimated wind gusts up to 70 MPH within a concentrated southwest-to-northeast corridor.
Scattered to numerous strong to severe, discrete thunderstorm cells developed across the Piedmont during the afternoon ahead of a slow-moving, nearly stationary backdoor cold front. The storms were prolific hail producers, with some producing larger than baseball size hail.
During the late afternoon on the 23rd, severe thunderstorms developed across south central Texas to the south and southwest of San Antonio.
An upper level trough remains across the western U.S. This helped spark a couple of severe thunderstorms across western Nebraska.
Several reports of severe hail occurred from near Harlan County Lake to Aurora on this Thursday. A fairly large shield of rain, with a few embedded thunderstorms, moved northeast across south central Nebraska from late morning through mid-afternoon.
An isolated severe thunderstorm moved from north to|south across a portion of Southeast Texas on Tuesday, May 23. The|storm produced several reports of damage from multiple locations|between Huntsville and Conroe along the storm`s path through|Walker and Montgomery counties.
4 on May 23, oldest first.
The record for the hottest May temperature ever recorded in Wichita Falls came on two consecutive days, May 23rd and 24th back in the year 2000. The temperature rose to 110 degrees on both days.
From the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma.
Record high temperatures were reported. A 78 year old woman, who attempted to walk for help after her vehicle became stuck in sand, perished from heat exposure.
High temperatures reached the upper 80s to lower 90s from May 23rd to May 26th. Three people died of heat related illnesses in Will County and one person died from a heat related illiness in Cook County.
Hot temperatures and high humidity contributed to the hot car death of an infant in Davidson County on May 23.
1 on May 23, oldest first.
2 mi. N of Gotebo recorded 6 inches, Oklahoma’s hail: diameter, as the State Climate Extremes Committee lists it.
42 on May 23, oldest first.
The Unnamed Fire started on May 23, 1985, in California, and burned 2,627 acres.
The Unnamed Fire started on May 23, 1989, in New Mexico, and burned 2,876 acres.
The Hunter Fire was discovered on May 23, 1992, in California, and burned 1,350 acres; the cause was recorded as equipment and vehicle use.
The Unnamed Fire was discovered on May 23, 1992, in Ocean County, New Jersey, and burned 1,000 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Soda Fire was discovered on May 23, 1994, in California, and burned 3,380 acres; the cause was recorded as equipment and vehicle use.
The Unnamed Fire started on May 23, 1995, in New Jersey, and burned 1,317 acres.
The Mesa Complex was discovered on May 23, 1996, in California, and burned 4,500 acres; the cause was recorded as arson/incendiarism.
The Seven Mile Fire was discovered on May 23, 1996, in California, and burned 2,690 acres; the cause was recorded as equipment and vehicle use.
The Mexico 8 Fire was discovered on May 23, 1999, in Santa Cruz County, Arizona, and burned 1,645 acres; the cause was recorded as recreation and ceremony.
The Bay Creek Complex was discovered on May 23, 1999, in Florida, and burned 984 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Chisholm fire was a forest fire in the Canadian province of Alberta that burned in the late spring of 2001. It is known for its exceptional intensity and fire behavior.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The Baldy Fire was discovered on May 23, 2001, in Perry County, Mississippi, and burned 2,442 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Milepost 78 Fire was discovered on May 23, 2002, in Alaska, and burned 115,328 acres; the cause was recorded as equipment and vehicle use.
The West Fork Chena Fire was discovered on May 23, 2002, in Alaska, and burned 22,252 acres; the cause was recorded as debris and open burning.
The Iliamna Fire was discovered on May 23, 2003, in Alaska, and burned 5,460 acres; the cause was recorded as debris and open burning.
The Unnamed Fire started on May 23, 2005, in Florida, and burned 1,750 acres.
The Bull Mountain Fire was discovered on May 23, 2006, in Patrick County, Virginia, and burned 3,696 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Mooseheart Fire was discovered on May 23, 2007, in Alaska, and burned 21,508 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Pigeon Branch Fire was discovered on May 23, 2007, in Greene County, Tennessee, and burned 2,115 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Rocking Jbh Fire was discovered on May 23, 2008, in Brewster County, Texas, and burned 7,220 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Tonclonukna Creek Fire was discovered on May 23, 2009, in Alaska, and burned 164,318 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Kantishna River Fire was discovered on May 23, 2009, in Alaska, and burned 31,338 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The H12 Fire was discovered on May 23, 2010, in Colfax County, New Mexico, and burned 5,100 acres; the cause was recorded as debris and open burning.
The Arlene Fire was discovered on May 23, 2011, in Arizona, and burned 10,610 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Lamar Fire was discovered on May 23, 2011, in Prowers County, Colorado, and burned 2,000 acres.
An 80-year old man was killed when his controlled burn got out of control due to gusty winds. Also, a large grassfire burned approximately 750 acres in Denton County; including 2 barns.
The Duck Lake Fire was discovered on May 23, 2012, in Luce County, Michigan, and burned 21,069 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Felipe Fire was discovered on May 23, 2013, in San Diego County, California, and burned 2,781 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Galahad Fire was reported on May 23, 2014, in Coconino County, Arizona, and burned 6,137 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Black River Tank Fire was reported on May 23, 2014, in Graham County, Arizona, and burned 3,244 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Spring Fire was reported on May 23, 2014, in Graham County, Arizona, and burned 1,378 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Sloan Canyon Fire was reported on May 23, 2020, in Union County, New Mexico, and burned 1,173 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The McDonald Tank Fire was reported on May 23, 2021, in Apache County, Arizona, and burned 3,550 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Sycamore Canyon Fire was reported on May 23, 2021, in Pima County, Arizona, and burned 1,858 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Elgin Bridge Fire was reported on May 23, 2022, in Santa Cruz County, Arizona, and burned 2,149 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Volunteer Fire was reported on May 23, 2023, in Coconino County, Arizona, and burned 2,675 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Rocky Fire was reported on May 23, 2024, in Graham County, Arizona, and burned 1,597 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The 340 Fire was reported on May 23, 2026, in Wakulla County, Florida, and burned 3,400 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Quartz Fire was reported on May 23, 2026, in Pershing County, Nevada, and burned 2,448 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Country Meadow Fire was reported on May 23, 2026, in Benton County, Washington, and burned 2,000 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Moore Fire was reported on May 23, 2026, in Ada County, Idaho, and burned 1,400 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Mile Marker 44 Fire - Broward Fire was reported on May 23, 2026, in Broward County, Florida, and burned 1,200 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
23 on May 23, oldest first.
An earthquake struck Baghdad, Iraq.
A magnitude 6 earthquake struck Yunnan Province, China. It killed 120 people, injured 120, destroyed 1,900 houses and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
An earthquake struck Oaxaca, Mexico. It did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
An earthquake struck Istanbul, Turkey. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Jerusalem, Nabulus, Al-Karak, Israel, Jordan. It killed many people (about 101 to 1,000).
An earthquake struck Callao, Peru. It caused a tsunami.
An earthquake struck Khalki, Greece. It caused a tsunami.
An earthquake struck Sea of Alboran, Algeria. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Manokwari, Irian Jaya, Indonesia. With the tsunami it caused, it killed 250 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
An earthquake struck Kathmandu, Nepal.
A magnitude 8 earthquake struck Mandalay, Mogok, Maymyo, Myanmar. It did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
An earthquake struck Kaimana, Indonesia. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Tajima, Honshu, Japan. It killed 395 people, destroyed 3,333 houses and did extreme (about $25 million or more) damage.
An earthquake struck Japan Trench. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 6 earthquake struck Shandong Province, China. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Fiji Islands.
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Turkey. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck NW Coast, South Island, New Zealand. It killed 3 people and did $3 million in damage.
A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck Thessaloniki, Volvi, Langadas, Greece. It injured 2.
A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck Talakag-Malaybalay, Mindanao, Philippines. It killed 1 person and injured 2.
A magnitude 8.2 earthquake struck Macquarie Station, New Zealand, Macquarie Island, Australia. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck Yanyuan, Ninglang, Sichuan, Yunnan, China. It killed 2 people, injured 605 and did $36 million in damage.
A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck Yunnan Province, China. It injured 15 and did $60 million in damage.
1 on May 23, oldest first.
Mayon, Philippines erupted with a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 3. It killed 350 people.
12 on May 23, oldest first.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck Constantinople, Turkey.
A tsunami with a source recorded as earthquake struck Istanbul, Turkey.
A tsunami with a source recorded as earthquake struck Central Peru, with a maximum water height of 2 meters.
A tsunami struck Cornwall, England, United Kingdom.
A tsunami with a source recorded as earthquake struck Khalki Islet, Greece.
A tsunami with a source recorded as earthquake struck Sea of Alboran, Algeria.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck NW. Irian Jaya, Indonesia, with a maximum water height of 3 meters. It killed 250 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
A tsunami with a source recorded as earthquake struck Kaimana, Indonesia, with a maximum water height of 0.5 meters.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Japan Trench, with a maximum water height of 0.83 meters.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6 earthquake struck Shandong Province, China, with a maximum water height of 3 meters.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Asia Minor, Turkey.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 8.1 earthquake struck Macquarie Island, Australia, with a maximum water height of 0.15 meters.
5 on May 23, oldest first.
A G4 (severe) geomagnetic storm began May 23, 1940, reached Kp 8- and lasted 30 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 78; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 47 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G3 (strong) geomagnetic storm began May 23, 1956, reached Kp 7 and lasted 39 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 95; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 50 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G3 (strong) geomagnetic storm began May 23, 1989, reached Kp 7+ and lasted 36 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 68; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 48 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G4 (severe) geomagnetic storm began May 23, 2000, reached Kp 8 and lasted 27 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 93; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 45 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G4 (severe) geomagnetic storm began May 23, 2002, reached Kp 8+ and lasted 12 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 78; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 43 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
1 on May 23, oldest first.
A flooding disaster that cost $3.4 billion in 2024 dollars and killed 31, on NOAA’s billion-dollar list. It lasted from May 23, 2015 to May 26, 2015.
15 on May 23, oldest first.
Lightning struck and killed a man in Palmdale.
Lightning started a fire at Fayerweather Hall at Maryville College. The fire gutted the entire third floor of the 100 year-old structure. Smoke and water damaged the remainder of the building. Up to 100 firefighters were involved in the two hour effort to extinguish the blaze.
A 7-year-old boy was struck by lightning under a tree in his backyard, and died in a hospital three days later.
Strong easterly swells contributed to a rip related death.
A body boarder who got caught in a rip current drowned in Virginia Beach.
A typical Spring time day brought sea conditions of six to eight foot waves and west to northwest winds of 20 gusting to 30 knots to the San Francisco coastline.
A swimmer drowned when captured by a rip current off Galveston Island.
Enhanced onshore flow created rough surf and numerous strong rip currents that kept local beach patrols extremely busy during the Memorial Day holiday weekend.
Two people were caught in a rip current near 7th Avenue in Myrtle Beach.
Persistent breezy onshore flow created an elevated risk of rip currents along the coast.
A strong line of thunderstorms develop across portions of southeast Georgia and southeast South Carolina in the afternoon hours. This line eventually impacted the coast and the adjacent Atlantic coastal waters, primarily producing strong wind gusts.
An 18 year old male was swept away and drowned in a rip current north of the Packery Channel off Padre Island on May 23. The individual was found on two days later on J.P. Luby Beach.
A man in his mid 20s going into cardiac arrest within a rip current was pulled from the water, and EMS needed to perform CPR and other lifesaving techniques. He was transported to Atlantic General Hospital in critical condition then later died.
Agitated Gulf seas occurred on the afternoon and evening of May 23rd, leading to an elevated risk for rip currents at local beaches. Pronounced easterly swell was noted in offshore buoys as well as via eyewitness accounts from those in the surf that weekend.
A young lady drowned in Lake Michigan, at McKinley Marina. Winds were around 10 mph during the afternoon, with an onshore component. Lake water temperatures were dangerously cold in the 40s. The young lady was found 30 to 40 feet outside of the breakwater.
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.