Late-May 2008 tornado outbreak sequence
EF1 tornado that struck WaKeeney, Kansas on May 22, 2008.
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| Type | Tornado outbreak |
|---|---|
| Duration | May 22–31, 2008 |
| Tornadoes confirmed | 239 |
| Max rating1 | EF5 tornado |
| Duration of tornado outbreak2 | 9 days, 7 hours, 41 minutes |
| Highest winds |
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| Damage | $343 million (2008 USD) |
| Casualties | 13 deaths (+ 1 non-tornadic), 215 injuries |
| Areas affected | Central United States |
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1Most severe tornado damage; see Enhanced Fujita scale 2Time from first tornado to last tornado |
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1Most severe tornado damage; see Enhanced Fujita scale
The tornado outbreak sequence of May 22–31, 2008 was a series of tornado outbreaks affecting the central plains of the United States since May 22 to May 31 of 2008. It was also one of the largest continuous tornado outbreaks on record. A total 239 tornadoes were confirmed, with the most intense activity occurring across the Great Plains. One person was killed when a large wedge tornado struck Windsor, Colorado, and two more deaths were reported in Pratt County, Kansas. One person was also killed near Hugo, Minnesota on May 25 and nine were killed by an EF5 tornado that destroyed most of Parkersburg, Iowa and a small subdivision of New Hartford, Iowa (located near Waterloo, Iowa). Another death, caused by lightning related to the storms, took place in central Kansas.
On May 22, a low pressure system developed across the Rocky Mountains, with a warm front stretching across the central Plains and a trough stretching north towards Alberta and eastern British Columbia. A moderate risk had already been issued for portions of northern Kansas on May 21, and was upgraded into a high risk during the afternoon of May 22. It was the first high risk outlook in Kansas since May 5, 2007, one day after an EF5 tornado hit Greensburg, Kansas.
Severe thunderstorm and tornado watches extended from eastern Wyoming into northern Kansas early on May 22. Just before noon, a mile-wide (1.6 km) tornado was reported near Greeley, Colorado which is about one hour north of Denver. It moved northwest, an unusual path for tornadoes. It struck the town of Windsor at EF3 strength, causing extensive damage to homes and buildings in town/ One person was killed at the Missile Silo Campground near Greeley. An EF2 tornado struck the city of Laramie, Wyoming causing some damage to roofs of businesses and tossing trucks across Interstate 80. Several other tornadoes occurred in Kansas, and even a few touched down as far west as southern California that afternoon.
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