TORNADOES MAP · HISTORICAL ARCHIVE
May 22, 2011 Tornadoes: Joplin and other U.S. tornadoes
May 22, 2011 has 159 reported fatalities and 48 tornado tracks in this SPC release. Explore the historical context and map.
May 22, 2011 ranks 5 by reported fatalities among source dates in this U.S. archive, with 159 reported deaths across 48 tornado tracks.
Explore May 22, 2011 on the map ↗- Reported fatalities
- 159
- Reported injuries
- 1,218
- Single-track records
- 48
- Touchdown states
- 11
Missing fatality fields: 0; missing injury fields: 0. These figures cover all U.S. tracks on this source date, not only the named event.
Joplin and other U.S. tornadoes: historical context
An EF5 tornado struck Joplin, Missouri, on May 22. The NWS retrospective describes extensive casualties in the Joplin area and additional severe weather in southwest Missouri. This page counts every U.S. archive track assigned that date, so the national daily total is distinct from the death toll of the Joplin tornado itself. NWS retrospective on the Joplin tornado.
Where did the tornadoes begin?
The archive records touchdowns in 11 states on this date. 3 tracks affected more than one state and are counted once. Whole-track casualties cannot be assigned to individual states from the touchdown field.
| Touchdown state | Tracks beginning here |
|---|---|
| Oklahoma | 11 |
| Wisconsin | 10 |
| Missouri | 7 |
| Iowa | 6 |
| Illinois | 5 |
| Minnesota | 4 |
| Arkansas | 1 |
| Indiana | 1 |
| Kansas | 1 |
| North Dakota | 1 |
| Texas | 1 |
Recorded damage ratings
Original F and EF labels are preserved. Ratings describe surveyed damage, not measured winds. Unrated records: 0.
Records with the most reported fatalities
Up to eight records, ordered by reported fatalities, then rating number and archive ID. Missing fatality values sort last. Open a record to see its source time, time zone, and track details.
| Record / touchdown | Rating | Reported fatalities | Reported injuries |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri · 2011-1105221634-01 | EF5 | 158 | 1,150 |
| Minnesota · 2011-1105221313-01 | EF1 | 1 | 48 |
| Oklahoma · 2011-1105221752-01 | EF3 | 0 | 4 |
| Iowa · 2011-1105221333-02 | EF2 | 0 | 3 |
| Iowa · 2011-1105221340-01 | EF2 | 0 | 0 |
| Minnesota · 2011-1105221505-01 | EF2 | 0 | 0 |
| Wisconsin · 2011-1105221615-01 | EF2 | 0 | 1 |
| Missouri · 2011-1105221710-01 | EF2 | 0 | 0 |
Records without a start position: 0. These remain in the totals even when they cannot be plotted. Map lines join recorded endpoints and do not show a detailed damage path or observed movement. Open all 48 records for this date.
How these dates are ranked
“Worst” here means the largest sum of reported tornado fatalities for a source calendar date in the U.S. archive, 1950–2025. It does not rank financial losses, measured winds, or the number of tornadoes. Equal fatality sums share a rank; tied dates appear chronologically, including any tie at tenth place.
Each whole track counts once, including interstate tornadoes. We group by the recorded start date, preserving the source’s dates and time zones rather than converting them to UTC or a storm-reporting day. A track crossing midnight keeps its whole-track casualties on its start date. A multi-day outbreak can therefore span more than one daily page.
Totals sum available values; a missing value is not a zero. Any missing casualty fields are identified alongside the totals, and a total with no known values is “Unavailable.” Rankings use known fatality sums. Earlier reporting was less complete, especially for weaker tornadoes. Different release versions, geographic coverage, and event definitions can produce different totals in historical accounts.
Source: NOAA SPC 1950–2025 single-track CSV. Latest event date: 2025-12-28. Full data methodology.