May 2003 Tornado Statistics

 

8 May 2003 tornado near Globe, KS; photo used by permission

 

            May 2003 will go down into the record books for tornadoes in very many different ways.  Listed are the statistics for May 2003 as entered by National Weather Service Forecast Offices (WFOs) in Storm Data. A map of all May 2003 tornadoes is available here. [NOTE: paths may cross or blend together on such a large map scale.]

 

Largest Number of Tornadoes for any month since 1950:

            1. May 2003               543

            2. June 1992                399

            3. May 1995                391

            4. June 1998                376

            5. May 1991                335

            6. May 1982                329

            6. June 1990                329

            7. June 1993                313

            8. May 1998                310

            8. May 1999                310

            9. June 1999                289

          10. May 1965                273

 

            The month knocked April 1974 out of the top 10.

 

Largest Number of Tornadoes for any May since 1950:

            1. 2003                        516

            2. 1995                        391

            3. 1991                        335

            4. 1982                        329

            5. 1998                        310

            5. 1999                        310

 

Deadliest Mays on record since 1950:

            1. 1953                        163 fatalities

            2. 1955                        106

            3. 1957                          87

            4. 1985                          78

            5. 1968                          72

            6. 1999                          53

            7. 2003                          38

 

Number of Tornadoes in the first 12 days of any month

            1. May 2003               354

            2. June 1999                196

            3. April 1974                195

            4. May 1999                194

            5. June 1990                189

            6. June 1989                178

            7. June 1995                174

            8. June 1993                157

            9. June 2001                153

          10. May 1993                136

 

Number of Tornadoes in the first 12 days in May

            1. 2003                        354

            2. 1999                        194

            3. 1993                        136

            4. 2002                        134

            5. 1995                        126

           

States that set records for Number of Tornadoes in a Month

            1. Illinois           74 tornadoes    previous record 54 tornadoes in May 1995

            2. Missouri       71 tornadoes    previous record 29 tornadoes in December 1982

 

Tornadoes by WFO in May

            1. ILX              (Lincoln IL)                  40

            2. SGF             (Springfield MO)          38

            3. LZK             (Little Rock AR)           36

            4. PAH            (Paducah KY)              34

            5. AMA           (Amarillo TX)               28

            6. OUN           (Norman OK)              27

            7. EAX            (Pleasant Hill MO)        23

            8. TSA             (Tulsa OK)                   20

            9. OHX            (Nashville TN)  18

          10. ICT              (Wichita KS)                16

 

Tornadoes by WFO May 4-11, 2003

            1. SGF             (Springfield MO)          38

            2. PAH            (Paducah KY)              34

            3. EAX            (Pleasant Hill MO)        23

            4. ILX              (Lincoln IL)                  19

            4. OUN           (Norman OK)              19

            5. OHX            (Nashville TN)  18

            6. ICT              (Wichita KS)                16

            7. LSX             (St. Charles MO)         15

            8. MEG            (Memphis TN) 12

            8. TOP             (Topeka KS)               12

 

Updated February 24, 2005

by Roger Edwards and Dan McCarthy (SPC)