May 18–21, 2013 tornado outbreak
Multiple supercells associated with the storm system as seen on May 20 at 2:40 p.m. CDT (1940 UTC)
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| Type | Tornado outbreak |
|---|---|
| Duration | May 18–21, 2013 |
| Tornadoes confirmed | 67 |
| Max rating1 | EF5 tornado |
| Duration of tornado outbreak2 | 2 days, 17 hours, 42 minutes |
| Highest winds |
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| Largest hail | 4.25 in (10.8 cm) in diameter (N of Bigheart, OK on May 20) |
| Damage | $2–5 billion |
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1Most severe tornado damage; see Enhanced Fujita scale 2Time from first tornado to last tornado Part of the Tornadoes of 2013 |
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1Most severe tornado damage; see Enhanced Fujita scale 2Time from first tornado to last tornado
The tornado outbreak of May 18–21, 2013 was a significant tornado outbreak that affected parts of the Midwestern United States and lower Great Plains. This event occurred just days after a deadly outbreak struck Texas and surrounding southern states on May 15. On May 16, a slow moving trough crossed the Rockies and traversed the western Great Plains. Initially, activity was limited to scattered severe storms; however, by May 18, the threat for organized severe thunderstorms and tornadoes greatly increased. A few tornadoes touched down that day in Kansas and Nebraska, including an EF4 near Rozel, Kansas. Maintaining its slow eastward movement, the system produced another round of severe weather nearby. Activity significantly increased on May 19, with tornadoes confirmed in Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, and Illinois. In Oklahoma, two strong tornadoes, one rated EF4, caused significant damage in rural areas of the eastern Oklahoma City metropolitan area; two people lost their lives near Shawnee. The most dramatic events unfolded on May 20 as a large EF5 tornado devastated parts of Moore, Oklahoma, killing 24 people. Thousands of structures were destroyed, with many being completely flattened. Several other tornadoes occurred during the day in areas further eastward, though the majority were weak and caused little damage.
The severe threat shifted towards damaging straight-line winds on May 21 as a large squall line developed across the southern states. Further north in Ontario, three tornadoes, including an EF2, touched down. Over the following five days, the system responsible for the outbreak moved very little across the Eastern United States. By May 24, it virtually stalled off the coast of New England, resulting in several days of heavy rain across the region. It later moved northeastward and was last noted by the Weather Prediction Center late on May 26 over southeastern Canada. During the storm's eleven-day trek across the United States, it produced at least 60 tornadoes, four of which were rated EF3 or higher. Over 1,000 reports of damaging winds were received by the Storm Prediction Center as well. The system's slow movement also resulted in record-breaking rainfall in North Dakota, New York and Vermont. Additionally, during the overnight of May 25–26, unusually cold air behind the cyclone resulting in record-late snowfall across northern New England.
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