Every tornado, hurricane, flood, blizzard, heat wave, record, earthquake, eruption, tsunami, wildfire and geomagnetic storm on record for May 3, 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 F5 tornado touched down in Grady, McClain, Cleveland counties, Oklahoma and tracked 37 miles, 1,430 yards wide at its widest, killing 36 and injuring 583.
Earthquakes
The 1875 Dinar earthquake occurred in Afyonkarahisar Province in present-day Turkey. 77 earthquake struck.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Tornadoes
An F5 tornado touched down in Sioux County, Iowa and tracked 13.1 miles, 1,000 yards wide at its widest, killing 9 and injuring 35. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: N Ireton to SW Hull, IA.
Earthquakes
A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Huairen, Datong, Shanxi Province, China. It killed 2,000 people, destroyed 5,800 houses and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
Earthquakes
A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck Capali, Dinar, Civril, Yaka, Turkey. It killed 1,300 people, destroyed 1,000 houses and did extreme (about $25 million or more) damage.
Billion-dollar disasters
A severe storm disaster that cost $7.1 billion in 2024 dollars and killed 51, on NOAA’s billion-dollar list. It lasted from May 3, 2003 to May 10, 2003.
Tornadoes
A record outbreak of tornadoes struck Oklahoma from late afternoon of May 3, 1999, through early morning of May 4, 1999. To date, 58 tornadoes have been recorded across portions of western and central Oklahoma.
Billion-dollar disasters
A severe storm disaster that cost $3.8 billion in 2024 dollars and killed 55, on NOAA’s billion-dollar list. It lasted from May 3, 1999 to May 6, 1999.
Tornadoes
71 tornadoes were recorded on May 3, 1999, in Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Nebraska, South Dakota, 4 of them rated violent (F4 or EF4 and above). They killed 46 people.
Earthquakes
A magnitude 6 earthquake struck San Marcos, El Salvador. It killed 125 people, injured 1,138 and did $35 million in damage.
Tornadoes
An F4 tornado touched down in Sumner, Sedgwick counties, Kansas and tracked 24 miles, 880 yards wide at its widest, killing 6 and injuring 150.
Tornadoes
An F4 tornado touched down in Logan, Payne, Noble counties, Oklahoma and tracked 35 miles, 1,760 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 26.
109 on May 3, oldest first.
An unrated tornado touched down in Warren, Mercer, Knox counties, Illinois and tracked 15 miles, 800 yards wide at its widest, killing 6 and injuring 40. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: NW Galesburg/Shanghai/Kelly Township, IL.
An F3 tornado touched down in DeKalb, Gentry, Daviess counties, Missouri and tracked 11.9 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 15. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: S McFall, MO.
An F3 tornado touched down in Barnwell, Orangeburg, Lexington counties, South Carolina and tracked 27.7 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 28. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: N Elko/Swansea/Springfield, SC.
An F2 tornado touched down in Granville, Vance counties, North Carolina and tracked 15.3 miles, 50 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 15. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: N Dabney/N Henderson/Brookston/Greystone, NC.
An F2 tornado touched down in Lexington County, South Carolina and 150 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 2. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: S Batesburg, SC.
An F5 tornado touched down in Sioux County, Iowa and tracked 13.1 miles, 1,000 yards wide at its widest, killing 9 and injuring 35. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: N Ireton to SW Hull, IA.
An F3 tornado touched down in Osceola County, Iowa and tracked 6.5 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 1. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: W Ashton to S Sibley, IA.
An F3 tornado touched down in Madison County, Iowa and tracked 7.4 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest, injuring 5. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: St. Charles, IA.
An F3 tornado touched down in Bon Homme County, South Dakota and 300 yards wide at its widest. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Tyndall, SD.
An F3 tornado touched down in Pawnee County, Kansas and tracked 11 miles, 70 yards wide at its widest, injuring 1. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: N Belpre/Larned, KS.
An F3 tornado touched down in Pawnee County, Kansas and tracked 10 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Larned, KS.
An F3 tornado touched down in Warren County, Illinois and tracked 11.2 miles, killing 1 and injuring 2. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Little York to Alexis, IL.
An F3 tornado touched down in Taylor County, Texas and tracked 7.1 miles, 300 yards wide at its widest, injuring 2. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: S Iberia to Watsonville, TX.
An F3 tornado touched down in Fisher County, Texas and tracked 9.9 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, injuring 1. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: SW Sylvester to E McCaulley, TX.
An F3 tornado touched down in Murray, Garvin counties, Oklahoma and tracked 7.1 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest, injuring 20. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Wynnewood, OK.
An F3 tornado touched down in Collin County, Texas and tracked 9.4 miles, 300 yards wide at its widest, killing 3 and injuring 43. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: McKinney to Princeton, TX.
An F4 tornado touched down in Murray, Johnston, Atoka counties, Oklahoma and tracked 55.5 miles, 600 yards wide at its widest, injuring 3. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Caney, OK.
An F3 tornado touched down in Lincoln County, Wisconsin and tracked 6.8 miles, 10 yards wide at its widest, injuring 2.
An F3 tornado touched down in Covington County, Alabama and tracked 3.8 miles, 83 yards wide at its widest, injuring 2.
An F3 tornado touched down in Gregg, Harrison counties, Texas and tracked 59.2 miles, 440 yards wide at its widest.
An F3 tornado touched down in Wood County, Texas and tracked 7.2 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest.
25 tornadoes were recorded on May 3, 1979, in Texas, Tennessee, Arkansas.
An F3 tornado touched down in Montgomery, Elmore counties, Alabama and tracked 7 miles, 800 yards wide at its widest, killing 5 and injuring 37.
38 tornadoes were recorded on May 3, 1984, in Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Wyoming, Louisiana, Mississippi. They killed 5 people.
S. state of Alabama.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Severe thunderstorm winds uprooted trees and tore the roofs off some buildings in Gem County. Four persons sustained minor injuries when the roof came off a mobile home along State Highway 52, 25 miles northwest of Boise. Heavy rain damaged the household contents.
At 1326CST a wall cloud was sighted in the Russellville vicinity. At 1337CST a tornado touched down in the same area and moved northeast about one half mile. One inch-size hail fell at about the same time.
A cold front moved into northwest Utah during the late afternoon and early evening hours. The cold front produced thunderstorms as it moved through the area. Some of these thunderstorms produced damaging winds and even a tornado.
Hail up to golfball size caused about $381,000 damage to the wheat crop.
A woman taped several minutes of a multiple vortex tornado that passed south of her farm. As the tornado went out of view of the video, she and her two children took cover in their mobile home.
Dime size hail was reported on Tabby Lynch Road.
An F5 tornado touched down in Grady, McClain, Cleveland counties, Oklahoma and tracked 37 miles, 1,430 yards wide at its widest, killing 36 and injuring 583.
A record outbreak of tornadoes struck Oklahoma from late afternoon of May 3, 1999, through early morning of May 4, 1999. To date, 58 tornadoes have been recorded across portions of western and central Oklahoma.
71 tornadoes were recorded on May 3, 1999, in Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Nebraska, South Dakota, 4 of them rated violent (F4 or EF4 and above). They killed 46 people.
An F4 tornado touched down in Sumner, Sedgwick counties, Kansas and tracked 24 miles, 880 yards wide at its widest, killing 6 and injuring 150.
An F4 tornado touched down in Logan, Payne, Noble counties, Oklahoma and tracked 35 miles, 1,760 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 26.
An F4 tornado touched down in Kingfisher County, Oklahoma and tracked 15 miles, 880 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 11.
Minor roof damage inflicted to a business in Mayfield. Just north of Mayfield, a metal outbuilding was partially unroofed with minor roof damage inflicted to the adjacent house.
An F3 tornado touched down in Lincoln, Creek counties, Oklahoma and tracked 16 miles, 450 yards wide at its widest, injuring 13.
An F3 tornado touched down in Logan County, Oklahoma and tracked 13 miles, 880 yards wide at its widest, injuring 13.
An F3 tornado touched down in Grady, Caddo counties, Oklahoma and tracked 9 miles, 880 yards wide at its widest, injuring 4.
An F3 tornado touched down in Blaine, Canadian, Kingfisher counties, Oklahoma and tracked 21 miles, injuring 4.
An F3 tornado touched down in Caddo County, Oklahoma and tracked 6 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest, injuring 3.
An F3 tornado touched down in Canadian, Kingfisher counties, Oklahoma and tracked 22 miles, 350 yards wide at its widest.
An F2 tornado touched down in Pottawatomie, Lincoln counties, Oklahoma and tracked 18 miles, 150 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 10.
Summary of events for May 3-4 1999:Following a week-long blocking weather pattern, a strong upper level trough finally moved out of the southwestern U.S.
On May 3, 1999, multiple supercell thunderstorms produced large and damaging tornadoes mainly over central Oklahoma during the late afternoon and evening hours. This tornado outbreak is arguably the most significant outbreak in Oklahoma recorded history. Although numerous towns were hit by more than 70 tornadoes across Oklahoma, the most violent tornadoes affected locations like Amber and Bridge Creek, Moore, Del City, Midwest City, Crescent, and Mulhall. The latest statistics show that 40 people died in Oklahoma as a direct result of the twisters, and 675 were injured. Numerous homes and businesses were destroyed with a total damage estimate of $1.2 billion.
From the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma.
During the nighttime hours of May 3, 1999, a deadly, long-tracked and violent high-end F4 tornado struck the town of Mulhall, Oklahoma, causing devastating damage in an around the surrounding regions. 6 km) in width.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
During the nighttime hours of May 3, 1999, a deadly, long-tracked and violent F4 tornado struck the town of Haysville, Kansas and the southern portions of the city of Wichita, Kansas. Occurring amidst a major tornado outbreak that took place across the region from May 2 to 5, this tornado, referred to as either the Haysville–Wichita tornado or more simply the Haysville tornado, killed six people in total and injured more than 145 others along its 24 mi (39 km)-long path.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
5M in damages, with the western part of town taking a direct hit, damaging and destroying about one-third of the homes and buildings in town. Occurring as part of a larger tornado outbreak occurring over the region, it was on the ground for 28 minutes, travelled approximately 15 miles (24 km) and had a peak width of 880 yards, and was the cause of 1 death and over 11 injuries.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
From May 2–5, 1999, a large, historic, and devastating tornado outbreak took place across much of the Central United States, causing catastrophic impacts. During this three-day event, 141 tornadoes touched down in these areas.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
A severe thunderstorm spawned a tornado in extreme eastern Holt County of north central Nebraska. The tornado touched down 3 miles south southeast of Ewing and travelled along a power line, lifting up and touching down again at least once.
Severe storms developed across much of West Central Texas during the evening of the 3rd and continued into the early morning hours of the 4th.
Law enforcement officials reported a brief tornado touchdown in open country. No NWS storm survey was conducted.
Tornado destroyed mobile home, damaged a wind mill and damaged an irrigation center pivot. Power lines also blown down along track.
Tornado moved north downing power lines and damaging or destroying numerous outbuildings.
An isolated severe thunderstorm formed along the dry line in the late afternoon in Dickens County.
Severe weather developed over the region during the day on May 3rd, peaked during the late afternoon hours and ended by early evening.
Severe weather developed over the region during the day on May 3rd, peaked during the late afternoon hours and ended by early evening.
Early on the 3rd, clusters of severe storms evolved into a line which produced scattered wind damage as it pushed east along and just north of I-20. An outflow boundary pushed out of this line and provided the focus for the second powerful and significant severe event.
Several severe thunderstorms moved into the northern portion of the county warning area early on the morning of May 3rd. These thunderstorms produced numerous reports of wind damage and some flash flooding.
Scattered low-topped thunderstorms, some of which were supercells, produced two tornadoes and scattered wind damage during the afternoon and early evening hours. Isolated flash flooding was also reported.
Scattered showers and thunderstorms developed quickly over eastern Iowa during the early evening hours of May 3, 2012. The thunderstorms quickly became severe, producing large hail and strong winds.
A warm front had begun to lift north across Deep East Texas and Southwest Louisiana during the early morning hours of May 3rd, in response to a developing area of surface low pressure over Westcentral Texas along a cold front that extended northeast into Central Oklahoma.
A couple weak waves of low pressure moved across New York state on the 3rd. These waves produced a few severe thunderstorms over central New York which included one tornado.
Convection from the previous day left a number of outflow boundaries across South Central Texas. These interacted with a mid to upper level shortwave trough to trigger thunderstorms.
Numerous reports of wind damage and an isolated tornado accompanied a squall line of thunderstorms that moved rapidly east-southeast. The wind damage was mainly along and south of a line from Van Buren to Greenville to Sikeston.
A series of upper-level short waves moved across the region in persistent, southwesterly upper-level flow combined with moderate instability and shear to produce several rounds of strong to severe thunderstorms across north and central Georgia.
Numerous severe thunderstorms erupted along a cold front in the afternoon and evening hours. Many of the storms produced large hail, and a total of 6 tornadoes were recorded.
Severe thunderstorms developed across portions of northwestern Arkansas during the evening of the 3rd, along and east of a stationary front that stretched across the area.
31 tornadoes were recorded on May 3, 2021, in Kentucky, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, Illinois, West Virginia and more.
Multiple supercell thunderstorms developed across upstate South Carolina during the afternoon. Two tornadoes developed across the Piedmont, including one significant tornado that produced the longest tornado track in the Upstate in almost 30 years.
An isolated, cyclic supercell thunderstorm tracking along a warm front produced sporadic straight-line wind damage and spawned several tornadoes.
Scattered severe thunderstorms associated with a warm front produced a tornado across portions of the Virginia Northern Neck.
An isolated, cyclic supercell thunderstorm tracking along a warm front produced sporadic straight-line wind damage and spawned several tornadoes.
Severe thunderstorms developed across portions of eastern Oklahoma during the evening of the 3rd, along and mostly east of a stationary front that stretched across the area.
As a surface low moved northeastward across northwestern Ohio and toward central Lake Erie, a warm front extending southeastward from the low moved northeastward toward northeast Ohio and northwest Pennsylvania, while the trailing cold front swept eastward across western Ohio…
An EF3 tornado touched down in Coke County, Texas and tracked 3.53 miles, 350 yards wide at its widest.
Line of thunderstorms with embedded supercells brings all severe hazards to portions of south central Nebraska during the evening of May 3, 2024.
A QLCS moved through North and Central Georgia in the afternoon and evening hours of the 3rd. The line initially posed a robust wind threat with measured wind gusts of near 70 mph.
A major tornado outbreak took place on 3 May, 2026 across the Middle Eastern countries of Turkey and Syria. Throughout the day, several weak to strong tornadoes touched down in southern Turkey and Syria, severely damaging multiple structures and vegetation.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
15 on May 3, oldest first.
Flash flooding occured over a low water crossing located along Riley Drive approximately 2.5 miles northeast of Sleeper. A van carrying eight passengers tried to cross the low water bridge and was swept off of the road. All eight people were washed downstream.
May 3 Severe Thunderstorm Event Summary...Severe thunderstorms initially developed over the central South Plains region during the late afternoon hours of the 3rd. This activity produced large hail as it affected portions of Lubbock and Crosby Counties.
The annual spring river ice break up resulted in extensive flooding along the Kuskokwim river over the 11 days it took for the river to open up from its head waters in the Kuskokwim Valley to the mouth of the Kuskokwim River on the Bering Sea coast.
An ice jam created flooding along the Susitna River in Talkeetna. Damage estimates are from the State of Alaska Disaster disaster declaration request to the President.
Record rainfall amounts of around 12 inches fell within 48 hours across parts of middle Tennessee. This rainfall resulted in record or near record stages on parts of the Cumberland River and Tennessee River, which flow into Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake.
A few severe storms developed, mainly north of M-59 during the late afternoon and evening hours. Training of showers and thunderstorms then dumped half a foot of rain on the Flint area, stranding cars on roadways and forcing the boat evacuation of some residents.
Thunderstorms developed over northeast Iowa Wednesday evening before tracking over east central Wisconsin overnight on May 2nd into the morning of May 3rd.
An upper low moving over a warm front that stretched across northern Lower Michigan set the stage for heavy rainfall on May 3rd. Training thunderstorms (storms that move over the same location) produced 5 to 7 inches of rainfall across portions of Mason and Lake counties.
Another round of moderate to heavy rainfall fell on top of very saturated ground from recent historic flooding across the Missouri Ozarks. This rainfall led to more swollen streams, swollen rivers, and flooded low water crossings.
Spring snowfall and heavy rain caused floods in southern Quebec on 3 May 2017. In total, 5,371 residences were flooded, 4,066 people were forced from their homes, and 261 municipalities were affected, largely in the Outaouais Region, the Greater Montreal Area, the Montérégie, the Mauricie, the Gaspésie and the Côte-Nord regions.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Less than a week after a flooding event in South Louisiana another wet period unfolded over the region. A strong short wave moved east across Texas while a warm front slowly moved north from the gulf. Numerous strong storms developed over the region.
River flooding occurred toward the beginning of May at several sites across central and northern Iowa due to heavy rain and late season snowmelt runoff from Minnesota.
Multiple rainfall events during the early days of May caused flooding in Calumet County and Manitowoc County. Water began to over-top Shoto Dam on the West Twin River in Manitowoc County and there was some concern that the dam could fail.
Several areas were flooded due to levee overtopping or failure, flooding a number of homes and businesses. Two people died in the floodwaters in St. Charles County after driving their car into the flooded roadway.
A strong low pressure system persisted around the region for several days, helping to fuel thunderstorms. Several storms produced severe weather and flash flooding.
33 on May 3, oldest first.
Thunderstorm winds blew the roofs off four hangars at the Mountain View airport. Several hangars also had their doors blown in by the winds. A nearby grocery store also had its roof blown off.
Total $1.3 million crop damage...$600K to tobacco...$250k corn,wheat, oats...rye $15k...cabbage $50K.
Hail from golf ball to baseball size totaled numerous cars acrossvarious parts of Louisville including Churchill Downs, the International Airport, Highview, Fern Creek, Okolona, Jeffersontown, Camp Taylor and Hikes Point.
Extensive damage was done to vehicles and awnings. About 75 cars were totalled from hail damage, and 40 homes were damaged by hail. Many vehicle windshields were broken. Some house windows were also broken. Vinyl siding on some houses was damaged.
Baseball size hail damaged almost every structure in Cisne. Hail went through the decking of an old garage in Cisne. Thousands of vehicles were dented.
Baseball size hail dented hundreds of vehicles and broke many windshields. Most damage estimates ranged from 2,000 to 4,000 dollars per vehicle. At one greenhouse in Mt. Carmel, thousands of glass panes were broken at a cost of 75,000 dollars.
Baseball size hail dented some vehicles beyond repair. Some windshields were broken. Area homes suffered mainly roof and siding damage. Just about every unprotected vehicle in Albion suffered at least minimal hail damage.
High winds took down a tree and killed a woman while she was mowing her lawn on a riding lawn mower in Greencastle.
Numerous roofs heavily damaged throughout northeast Marshall.
A manufacturing plant sustained damage from golfball sized hail. Cars, roofs, and windows were also damaged in the area.
Hail was reported across much of the western half of the county, and was responsible for major damage to the county's apple crop.
Thunderstorm winds damaged a mobile home.
Severe weather developed over the region during the day on May 3rd, peaked during the late afternoon hours and ended by early evening.
A strong southern stream short wave was moving from the southern plains toward the southeast. A cold front remained nearly stationary across the Tennessee Valley and into the Southern Plains.
A strong low pressure system tracked into the Pacific Northwest on the 2nd of May with a trailing cold front that moved into Wyoming the morning of the 4th.
Thunderstorms that developed across the Dakotas early Thursday morning, May 3rd, moved into portions of west-central, and central Minnesota. A few of these storms produced large hail.
Two separate areas of slow moving, hail-producing severe thunderstorms flared up within South Central Nebraska on this Thursday afternoon and early evening, one focused in the Harlan County area and the other farther north in Howard County and vicinity.
An upper level disturbance moved across upstate New York. With a moist and unstable air mass already in place, showers and thunderstorms developed across much of the region.
Strong southerly gradient winds developed during the afternoon and evening hours on May 3 across Middle Tennessee. Two reports of wind damage were received.
Thunderstorms moved into southeast Minnesota during the early evening hours of May 3rd. One man was killed in Goodview (Winona County) when sub-severe thunderstorms winds uprooted a tree from the side of a bluff.
A cold front dropped southeast into Iowa during the late afternoon and evening of the 3rd. The atmosphere became quite unstable with temperatures rising into the low to mid 80s and dewpoints in the 55 to 60 degree range.
A cold front moved through the region during the early part of the month. Steep mid-level lapse rates and moderate instability and deep layer shear combined to produce several instances of large hail and damaging winds across portions of the Florida panhandle and southwest and…
Following a morning of sunshine on the 3rd, an upper level disturbance crossed the middle Ohio River Valley and central Appalachians during the afternoon. The combination of hot and humid conditions and the disturbance aloft resulted in strong to severe thunderstorms.
A complex of severe thunderstorms called a MCS (Mesoscale Convective System) developed across southern Kansas on Saturday night, May 2, 2020, then tracked eastward across southern Missouri and western Kentucky during the morning of May 3, 2020 before reaching Middle Tennessee in…
The first of three rounds of storms occurred as a front interacted with very unstable air to produce numerous severe thunderstorms that caused extensive hail and wind damage over portions of the area. Hail larger than golf balls was reported over the south side of Springfield.
The morning of May 3, 2020 brought a marginally severe storm into portions of east central Kansas and west central Missouri. This storm was somewhat isolated in the damage it caused, but the worsts of this two day event occurred the next day.
The first of three rounds of storms occurred as a front interacted with very unstable air to produce numerous severe thunderstorms that caused extensive hail and wind damage over portions of the area.
An early morning cluster of elevated supercell thunderstorms produced very large hail across portions of central Kansas on May 3rd, 2020.
The forecast called for a line of storms to come together in eastern Oklahoma, and then move quickly through northern and western Arkansas from the late evening of the 3rd into the wee hours of the 4th. Strong to damaging winds were the main concern.
Numerous thunderstorms impacted the region during the afternoon and evening hours of May 3rd. Lift was be supported by a shortwave trough and a cold front crossing the Ohio Valley.
Scattered thunderstorms developed during the afternoon hours ahead of a cold front moving through the Ohio Valley.
Several supercell thunderstorms and small thunderstorm clusters produced large hail and scattered damaging wind gusts. A few of the large hail and wind damage reports were considerable in nature.
A broad upper level low centered offshore from northern California produced numerous thunderstorms in southern Oregon. One long-lived thunderstorm produced damaging winds across a portion of Jackson and Josephine counties.
1 on May 3, oldest first.
Hot and humid conditions were observed across the region on this day. One fatality was reported, a young child locked in a vehicle.
4 on May 3, oldest first.
The coldest May temperature ever observed in Oklahoma City occurred on May 3, 1954. That morning, the temperature fell to a chilly 32 degrees, which is also the latest spring freeze ever recorded in the city.
From the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma.
Record breaking cold settled over the Midwest during the early morning hours of 3 May 2005. The cold was of such intensity that all time record minimums for the month of May were tied or shattered at most first order stations and many co-operative stations.
Record breaking cold settled over the Midwest during the early morning hours of 3 May 2005. The cold was of such intensity that all time record minimums for the month of May were tied or shattered at most first order stations and many co-operative stations.
Record breaking cold settled over the Midwest during the early morning hours of 3 May 2005. The cold was of such intensity that all time record minimums for the month of May were tied or shattered at most first order stations and many co-operative stations.
42 on May 3, oldest first.
The Power Plant Fire was discovered on May 3, 1992, in Ocean County, New Jersey, and burned 4,832 acres; the cause was recorded as arson/incendiarism.
The Unnamed Fire started on May 3, 1992, in New Jersey, and burned 4,465 acres.
The Four Mile Colony Fire was discovered on May 3, 1992, in Burlington County, New Jersey, and burned 2,900 acres; the cause was recorded as arson/incendiarism.
The Northridge Fire was discovered on May 3, 1992, in Montana, and burned 2,000 acres; the cause was recorded as smoking.
The Unnamed Fire was discovered on May 3, 1993, in Pinal County, Arizona, and burned 1,440 acres; the cause was recorded as arson/incendiarism.
The CLEARWATER1 Fire was discovered on May 3, 1995, in Alaska, and burned 2,960 acres; the cause was recorded as debris and open burning.
The Monte 2 Fire was discovered on May 3, 1995, in New Mexico, and burned 1,900 acres.
The Awny Fire was discovered on May 3, 1996, in New Mexico, and burned 1,280 acres.
The Second Street Fire was discovered on May 3, 1996, in Kansas, and burned 1,267 acres; the cause was recorded as debris and open burning.
The Barstow Fire was discovered on May 3, 1996, in California, and burned 1,250 acres; the cause was recorded as recreation and ceremony.
The Burleson Fire started on May 3, 1998, in New Mexico, and burned 11,002 acres.
The Unnamed Fire was discovered on May 3, 2000, in Roseau County, Minnesota, and burned 2,020 acres; the cause was recorded as arson/incendiarism.
The North Haug Fire was discovered on May 3, 2000, in Roseau County, Minnesota, and burned 1,280 acres; the cause was recorded as arson/incendiarism.
The County Line Fire was discovered on May 3, 2001, in Florida, and burned 1,518 acres; the cause was recorded as arson/incendiarism.
The Blackjack Bay Complex was discovered on May 3, 2002, in Georgia, and burned 124,110 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Unnamed Fire was discovered on May 3, 2002, in Broward County, Florida, and burned 6,800 acres; the cause was recorded as misuse of fire by a minor.
The Hanover Fire was discovered on May 3, 2002, in El Paso County, Colorado, and burned 5,038 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Unnamed Fire was discovered on May 3, 2002, in Collier County, Florida, and burned 1,485 acres; the cause was recorded as railroad operations and maintenance.
The Agassiz Fire was discovered on May 3, 2003, in Marshall County, Minnesota, and burned 2,150 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The North East Weir Fire was discovered on May 3, 2003, in Minnesota, and burned 1,590 acres; the cause was recorded as arson/incendiarism.
The Cerrito Fire was discovered on May 3, 2004, in Riverside County, California, and burned 16,460 acres; the cause was recorded as equipment and vehicle use.
The Unnamed Fire started on May 3, 2005, in Florida, and burned 1,782 acres.
The Marcial Fire was discovered on May 3, 2006, in New Mexico, and burned 4,818 acres.
The Middle of Nowhere Fire was discovered on May 3, 2007, in Charlotte County, Florida, and burned 7,104 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Unnamed Fire was discovered on May 3, 2007, in Kittson County, Minnesota, and burned 3,000 acres; the cause was recorded as arson/incendiarism.
A tight pressure gradient and a strong jet stream moved over the area behind a cold front resulting in a windstorm over Central and Eastern Washington. This resulted in extensive damage, as well as a dust storm from the Moses Lake area eastward into the Upper Columbia Basin.
A tight pressure gradient combined with a cold frontal passage to produce widespread high winds and damage. Blowing dust reduced visibility to near zero in portions of the Yakima Valley and Lower Columbia Basin and forced road closures.
The Salt Creek Fire was discovered on May 3, 2011, in Kansas, and burned 1,897 acres; the cause was recorded as debris and open burning.
The Unnamed Fire was discovered on May 3, 2013, in Los Angeles County, California, and burned 2,000 acres.
The Roosa Gap Fire was reported on May 3, 2015, in Sullivan County, New York, and burned 2,759 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Carty Fire was reported on May 3, 2015, in Reynolds County, Missouri, and burned 2,146 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Louise Creek Fire was reported on May 3, 2016, in Denali County, Alaska, and burned 3,132 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Simmons Ranch Fire was reported on May 3, 2018, in Donley County, Texas, and burned 2,262 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Tye River Fire was reported on May 3, 2018, in Rockbridge County, Virginia, and burned 2,057 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Five Fire was reported on May 3, 2020, in Kings County, California, and burned 2,000 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Five Fire was reported on May 3, 2020, in Kings County, California, and burned 2,000 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Natick Fire was reported on May 3, 2023, in Thomas County, Nebraska, and burned 1,849 acres.
The SE Thief Fire was reported on May 3, 2023, in Marshall County, Minnesota, and burned 1,702 acres.
The Backburn Fire was reported on May 3, 2025, in Rolette County, North Dakota, and burned 1,343 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The backburn Fire was reported on May 3, 2025, in Rolette County, North Dakota, and burned 1,342 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Tower Fire was reported on May 3, 2026, in Kern County, California, and burned 2,469 acres.
The South Canal- Lafayette (34) Fire was reported on May 3, 2026, in Lafayette County, Florida, and burned 2,265 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
29 on May 3, oldest first.
An earthquake struck Karahuyuk (Thurm), Turkey.
An earthquake originating in the Central Apennines was felt in Rome and Spoleto on 29 April 801. It is reported in two independent contemporary sources, Einhard's Royal Frankish Annals and the Liber Pontificalis.
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An earthquake struck Neishabur-Shadyak, Iran. It did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Huairen, Datong, Shanxi Province, China. It killed 2,000 people, destroyed 5,800 houses and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Rhodes, Greece. With the tsunami it caused, it killed few people (about 1 to 50).
The 1491 Cyprus earthquake occurred on 24 April 1491, and resulted in extensive damage across the island of Cyprus and some limited damage in the Levant.
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An earthquake struck Switzerland. It did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
An earthquake struck Oaxaca,tamazulapan, Mexico.
An earthquake struck Maracaibo, Venezuela.
The 1875 Dinar earthquake occurred in Afyonkarahisar Province in present-day Turkey. 77 earthquake struck.
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A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck Capali, Dinar, Civril, Yaka, Turkey. It killed 1,300 people, destroyed 1,000 houses and did extreme (about $25 million or more) damage.
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Tabriz, Iran. It killed many people (about 101 to 1,000) and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Bavispe, Mexico. It killed 51 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage. It caused a tsunami.
The 1887 Sonora earthquake occurred at 22:13 UTC on 3 May in the Teras mountain range of northwestern Mexico. It was widely felt, with some damage being recorded up to 200 kilometers (120 mi) from the epicenter in both Mexico and the United States.
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A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Off East Coast Honshu, Japan.
A magnitude 4.3 earthquake struck Western, Turkey. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 5 earthquake struck Yunnan Province, China.
A magnitude 6 earthquake struck San Marcos, El Salvador. It killed 125 people, injured 1,138 and did $35 million in damage.
The 1965 San Salvador earthquake occurred at 04:01 in the morning on May 3, 1965. 9 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe).
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A magnitude 5.1 earthquake struck SW, Shiraz, Mamasani, Iran. It did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
A magnitude 6 earthquake struck Baotou, Beijing, Hohhot, Nei Mongol, China. It killed 23 people, injured 330 and did extreme (about $25 million or more) damage.
The 1996 Baotou earthquake occurred on May 3, 1996, at 11:32 local time. The epicenter was located west of Baotou, Inner Mongolia, China.
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A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Taiwan. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Canete, Chile.
0 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of VII. One injury occurred and a non-destructive tsunami was observed.
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A magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck Tonga Islands. It injured 1. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 5.4 earthquake struck Mourmouri, Abdanan, Dehloran, Iran. It injured 8.
A magnitude 6 earthquake struck Osh, Batken, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan. It destroyed 537 houses and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
A magnitude 2.1 earthquake struck West Rand, South Africa. It killed 7 people and injured 6.
1 on May 3, oldest first.
The 2018 lower Puna eruption was a volcanic event on the island of Hawaiʻi, on Kīlauea volcano's East Rift Zone that began on May 3, 2018. It is related to the larger eruption of Kīlauea that began on January 3, 1983, though some volcanologists and USGS scientists have discussed whether to classify it as a new eruption.
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5 on May 3, oldest first.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Island of Rhodes, Greece, with a maximum water height of 3 meters. It killed few people (about 1 to 50).
A tsunami with a source recorded as earthquake and landslide struck N. Mexico. It killed 51 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 4.3 earthquake struck Western Turkey.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Southeast of, Taiwan, with a maximum water height of 0.13 meters.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 8 earthquake struck Tonga, with a maximum water height of 0.27 meters. It injured 1.
3 on May 3, oldest first.
A G3 (strong) geomagnetic storm began May 3, 1949, reached Kp 7 and lasted 9 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 31; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 50 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G3 (strong) geomagnetic storm began May 3, 1952, reached Kp 7 and lasted 12 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 56; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 50 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G3 (strong) geomagnetic storm began May 3, 1967, reached Kp 7 and lasted 21 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 87; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 50 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
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A severe storm disaster that cost $3.8 billion in 2024 dollars and killed 55, on NOAA’s billion-dollar list. It lasted from May 3, 1999 to May 6, 1999.
A severe storm disaster that cost $7.1 billion in 2024 dollars and killed 51, on NOAA’s billion-dollar list. It lasted from May 3, 2003 to May 10, 2003.
A severe storm disaster that cost $2.6 billion in 2024 dollars and killed 2, on NOAA’s billion-dollar list. It lasted from May 3, 2020 to May 5, 2020.
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Lightning killed one man and injured another as they were standing on a Lake Manawa boat dock. The two men had been loading their boat onto a trailer when the lightning hit them and they both fell backwards into the water.
Lightning apparently struck a tree, traveled along the saturated ground, entered a tent and killed a 22-year-old National Guardsman during a routine artillery training weekend at McGuire Air Force Base. The lightning also injured five others, two critcially and one seriously.
Building high pressure over Florida led to moderate east winds and a high risk of rip currents at the Atlantic beaches of southeast Florida.
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.