Tornado outbreak of May 26–31, 2013
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A prolonged and widespread tornado outbreak sequence affected a large portion of the
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in late-May 2013. The outbreak was the result of a slow-moving but powerful storm system that produced several strong tornadoes across the Great Plains states, especially in
Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to th ...
and Oklahoma. Other strong tornadoes caused severe damage in
Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the sout ...
,
Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...
,
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...
, and
Michigan Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...
. The outbreak extended as far east as
Upstate New York Upstate New York is a geographic region consisting of the area of New York State that lies north and northwest of the New York City metropolitan area. Although the precise boundary is debated, Upstate New York excludes New York City and Long Is ...
. 27 fatalities were reported in total, with nine resulting from tornadoes (eight in Oklahoma and one in Arkansas). By far the most significant tornado of the outbreak was an extremely large EF3 tornado that struck areas near the town of
El Reno, Oklahoma El Reno is a city in and county seat of Canadian County, Oklahoma, Canadian County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city population was 16,989, marking a change of 1.55% from 16,729, recorded in the ...
on May 31. With a maximum width of , it was the largest tornado on record. The second highest wind speeds recorded on Earth, around , were also observed in this tornado. The twister was responsible for eight deaths, including famous storm chaser
Tim Samaras Timothy Michael Samaras (November 12, 1957 – May 31, 2013) was an American engineer and storm chaser best known for his field research on tornadoes and time on the Discovery Channel show, '' Storm Chasers''. He died in the 2013 El Reno ...
, his son Paul, and Carl Young as a result of being caught off-guard by the tornado's unprecedented width. In addition, the tornado caused 151 injures.


Meteorological synopsis

On May 22, an
upper-level low A cold-core low, also known as an upper level low or cold-core cyclone, is a cyclone aloft which has an associated cold pool of air residing at high altitude within the Earth's troposphere, without a frontal structure. It is a low pressure syste ...
moved eastward over the
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, with forward progression limited by a
blocking high Blocks in meteorology are large-scale patterns in the atmospheric pressure field that are nearly stationary, effectively "blocking" or redirecting migratory cyclones. They are also known as blocking highs or blocking anticyclones.Glossary of Met ...
around the Northern Plains and Great Lakes. With ample low-level moisture streaming north ahead of the low into an area of moderate instability, scattered severe weather was anticipated over parts of
Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the wes ...
,
Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to th ...
, and
Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the sout ...
starting on May 24. The first tornado associated with the system was a small
landspout __NOTOC__ Landspout is a term created by atmospheric scientist Howard B. Bluestein in 1985 for a kind of tornado not associated with a mesocyclone. The ''Glossary of Meteorology'' defines a landspout as : "Colloquial expression describing torn ...
tornado that touched down in rural
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on May 26. The tornadic activity became more intense the following day. On May 27, while only scattered tornadoes touched down, four of them were strong and caused considerable damage in parts of Kansas and Nebraska. One tornado near
Lebanon, Kansas Lebanon is a city in Smith County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 178. History Lebanon was founded in 1876 at a site about distant from its present site. It was moved to the new site in about 188 ...
reached EF3 intensity, and an EF2 near Marysville caused major damage to several structures. In Nebraska, the town of Edgar took a direct hit from an EF2. Vigorous tornado activity continued on May 28. While the
Storm Prediction Center The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) is a US government agency that is part of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), operating under the control of the National Weather Service (NWS), which in turn is part of the National Oceani ...
only issued a slight risk that day, widespread tornadoes touched down in several states, some strong to violent. Several powerful supercell thunderstorms developed in central
Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to th ...
that afternoon, and large tornadoes were reported. Near the town of Corning, a strong EF3 carved an unusual V-shaped path through rural areas west of town, and completely destroyed two homes. An even larger tornado, an EF3 wedge that was over a quarter mile wide, touched down just west of Bennington, and remained nearly stationary in a field for over an hour. This tornado resulted in relatively moderate damage, but killed over 100 head of livestock. The tornado was originally rated EF4 based on mobile radar readings, but ground surveys did not reveal damage indicative of EF4 wind speeds, and the tornado was downgraded to an EF3 as a result. Later that evening, large tornadoes were sighted in southern
Michigan Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...
, prompting several tornado emergencies. A total of six tornadoes were confirmed to have touched down in areas near
Flint Flint, occasionally flintstone, is a sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as the variety of chert that occurs in chalk or marly limestone. Flint was widely used historically to make stone tools and sta ...
, two of which reached EF2 intensity and caused significant damage. Numerous weak tornadoes were documented in other states. On May 29, the Storm Prediction Center issued a moderate risk for parts of
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...
, Oklahoma, and
Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to th ...
. The outlook included a 10% hatched risk for tornadoes. A separate slight risk was issued for parts of
New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the Can ...
. In the main risk area, only scattered weak tornadoes touched down, though a mile-wide EF2 wedge tornado touched down in upstate New York near
Schenectady Schenectady () is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2020 census, the city's population of 67,047 made it the state's ninth-largest city by population. The city is in eastern New Y ...
. On May 30, for the second day in a row, the Storm Prediction Center issued a moderate risk with a 10% hatched risk of tornadoes, this time for eastern Oklahoma and a small part of
Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to th ...
. Numerous tornadoes touched down in Oklahoma and
Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the O ...
, including a few that were strong. An EF2 ripped through the
Tulsa Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with ...
suburb of Broken Arrow, resulting in severe damage to homes and businesses. A brief EF1 near
Tull, Arkansas Tull is a town in Grant County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 448 at the 2010 census, up from 358 in 2000. It is part of the Central Arkansas region. Geography Tull is located in northwestern Grant County at (34.446405, -92.581518) ...
unfortunately caused a fatality due to a falling tree. On the morning of May 31, a strong
cap A cap is a flat headgear, usually with a visor. Caps have crowns that fit very close to the head. They made their first appearance as early as 3200 BC. Caps typically have a visor, or no brim at all. They are popular in casual and informal se ...
was in place over much of central Oklahoma into eastern Oklahoma. With dewpoints creeping into the low 70s, the
Storm Prediction Center The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) is a US government agency that is part of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), operating under the control of the National Weather Service (NWS), which in turn is part of the National Oceani ...
early on considered upgrading part of the moderate risk forecast zone to a high risk forecast zone. As the day went on, there was no upgrade, but it became evident the atmosphere was ripe with
CAPE A cape is a clothing accessory or a sleeveless outer garment which drapes the wearer's back, arms, and chest, and connects at the neck. History Capes were common in medieval Europe, especially when combined with a hood in the chaperon. Th ...
values in excess of 4000 J/kg. With the presence of an extremely unstable air mass over central Oklahoma, the
Storm Prediction Center The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) is a US government agency that is part of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), operating under the control of the National Weather Service (NWS), which in turn is part of the National Oceani ...
issued a Particularly Dangerous Situation
Tornado Watch A tornado watch ( SAME code: TOA) is a severe weather watch product issued by national weather forecasting agencies when meteorological conditions are favorable for the development of severe thunderstorms capable of producing tornadoes. In addit ...
for much of the state during the afternoon of May 31 and lasting into the night. Later that evening, severe storms rapidly developed, and an extremely large and violent multiple-vortex tornado devastated areas near
El Reno, Oklahoma El Reno is a city in and county seat of Canadian County, Oklahoma, Canadian County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city population was 16,989, marking a change of 1.55% from 16,729, recorded in the ...
, and killed eight people including three men from the storm chasing crew,
TWISTEX TWISTEX (a backronym for Tactical Weather-Instrumented Sampling in/near Tornadoes Experiment) was a tornado research experiment that was founded and led by Tim Samaras of Bennett, Colorado, US, that ended in the deaths of three researchers in ...
. The tornado had been rated EF5 based on mobile radar readings, Other weak tornadoes and major flooding devastated parts of the
Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...
metro that evening. Further north, a powerful squall line of severe storms with several embedded strong tornadoes developed in
Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...
. One of the tornadoes, a large and rain-wrapped EF3, caused major damage in several
St. Louis St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
suburbs. Weak tornadoes touched down in several other states.


Confirmed tornadoes


Bennington, Kansas

A large, very slow-moving, and erratic EF3 wedge tornado remained on the ground for just over an hour as it executed a cyclonic loop in Ottawa County south of the town of
Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
and west of Bennington. It initially touched down several miles west of Bennington on May 28 at 5:39 p.m. CDT (2239  UTC). Upon formation, it snapped power poles and moved southeast before turning north as it approached
U.S. Route 81 U.S. Route 81 or U.S. Highway 81 (US 81) is a major north–south U.S. highway that extends for in the central United States and is one of the original United States Numbered Highways established in 1926 by the American Association of Stat ...
. As the tornado reached the northern end of the track (its strongest point), it destroyed numerous outbuildings, downed trees and power poles, damaged farm equipment, and tipped over a large semi-like truck while also moving the truck several feet. About 100 cattle were killed in this area as well. The tornado then moved to the southwest and destroyed the roof of a well constructed shed and throwing the heavy metal shed door into a field, blew a trailer , snapped many more power poles, and downed numerous trees. A home that was under construction lost all four exterior walls and a fifth-wheel camper was blown . A second home suffered minor shingle damage and impact dents in the siding from flying debris, a few more sheds/outbuildings were either damaged or destroyed, and a third home had siding and chimney damage (mostly from debris impact) and was slightly moved off of the foundation. The tornado lifted around 6:45 p.m. CDT (2345 UTC), just to the south-southwest of where it touched down.Initially, the tornado was rated as an EF4, with the rating based on Doppler on Wheels surface wind measurements, which indicated a far larger and stronger tornado. Gusts were measured far into the EF5 intensity range, with a peak value of ; however, those winds were measured above the surface. However, DOW windspeed measurements were found to be almost 264 mph (47m above ground level)

Based on damage indicators and the surface wind measurements, the highest winds that translated to the ground were around . Because mobile doppler radar data is not a method by which tornadoes are rated, it was later officially downgraded to an EF3. Despite the downgrade, the
National Climatic Data Center The United States National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), previously known as the National Weather Records Center (NWRC), in Asheville, North Carolina, was the world's largest active archive of weather data. Starting as a tabulation unit in New Or ...
maintains that the Bennington tornado was violent, and likely reached EF4 intensity at some point in its life. The wind gusts above the surface were among the highest ever measured/estimated on record, comparable to the highest non-tornadic gust of measured during Cyclone Olivia in 1996. Some damage was observed from areas that were not directly in the path of the tornado, suggesting a very large wind field as well. Winds of were also measured over an area approximately wide while winds covered an area in diameter. Due to the tornado's slow motion, several areas in its path were likely exposed to winds well in excess of for at least 45 minutes.


El Reno, Oklahoma

The tornado initially touched down at 6:03 p.m. CDT (2303 UTC) about west-southwest of
El Reno El Reno is a city in and county seat of Canadian County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 16,989, marking a change of 1.55% from 16,729, recorded in the 2010 census. The city was begun shortly after the 18 ...
. The storm rapidly grew and became violent. Remaining over mostly open terrain, the tornado did not impact many structures; however, measurements from mobile Doppler radars revealed extreme winds in excess of within the tornado. As it crossed
US 81 U.S. Route 81 or U.S. Highway 81 (US 81) is a major north–south U.S. highway that extends for in the central United States and is one of the original United States Numbered Highways established in 1926 by the American Association of Stat ...
, it had grown to a record-breaking width of . After crossing
Interstate 40 Interstate 40 (I-40) is a major east–west Interstate Highway running through the south-central portion of the United States. At a length of , it is the third-longest Interstate Highway in the country, after I-90 and I-80. From west to ea ...
, the tornado dissipated around 6:43 p.m. CDT (2343 UTC) after tracking for . An EF2 anticyclonic
satellite tornado A satellite tornado is a tornado that revolves around a larger, primary tornado and interacts with the same mesocyclone. Satellite tornadoes occur apart from the primary tornado and are not considered subvortices; the primary tornado and satellit ...
also occurred and such companion tornadoes tend to be observed with especially large and intense tornadoes. Although the tornado remained over mostly open terrain, dozens of storm chasers unaware of its immense size were caught off-guard. Along US 81, renowned chaser and researcher
Tim Samaras Timothy Michael Samaras (November 12, 1957 – May 31, 2013) was an American engineer and storm chaser best known for his field research on tornadoes and time on the Discovery Channel show, '' Storm Chasers''. He died in the 2013 El Reno ...
, along with his son Paul and research partner Carl Young, were killed when their vehicle was tossed by the tornado or a sub-vortex associated with it. Another amateur storm chaser was killed in the area. Other storm chasers, including
The Weather Channel The Weather Channel (TWC) is an American pay television channel owned by Weather Group, LLC, a subsidiary of Allen Media Group. The channel's headquarters are in Atlanta, Georgia. Launched on May 2, 1982, the channel broadcasts weather foreca ...
's Mike Bettes as well as
Reed Timmer Reed Timmer (born March 17, 1980) is an American meteorologist and storm chaser. He is known for starring in the Discovery Channel reality television series ''Storm Chasers'', as well as in the documentary film '' Tornado Glory'' and in the ser ...
, were either injured or had their vehicles damaged. Overall, the tornado was responsible for eight fatalities and an unknown number of injuries.


Weldon Spring–Northern St. Louis County, Missouri

This large rain-wrapped tornado touched down at 7:50 p.m. CDT (0050 UTC) on May 31, southwest of Weldon Spring in St. Charles County, Missouri. It first produced EF1 damage as it downed trees, blew over empty trailers, and caused minor damage to construction equipment. It moved generally east-northeast into Weldon Spring Heights (on the south side of Weldon Spring) and caused roof, window, and solar panel damage to a few structures as well as downing more trees before crossing
Interstate 64 Interstate 64 (I-64) is an east–west Interstate Highway in the Eastern United States. Its western terminus is at I-70, U.S. Route 40 (US 40), and US 61 in Wentzville, Missouri. Its eastern terminus is at an interchang ...
. The tornado continued moving east-northeast through densely populated residential areas of southern St. Charles County. Roofing was torn off of a middle school and blown , many houses suffered varying degrees of roof (from minor damage to removal of entire roof), wall (from minor damage to total collapse), and overall structural damage, and hundreds of trees were downed. Damage in this area ranged from EF1 to EF2. A shed was destroyed, a garage door was compromised and the roof was removed and blown away, another garage had a wall collapsed, and two more garages were completely destroyed. The tornado reached its maximum intensity to the east-northeast of Weldon Spring, west-southwest of St. Charles and Harvester, and south of St. Peters. Three adjacent frame homes at this location sustained total loss of their roofs and exterior walls, and this small pocket of damage was rated EF3. The tornado continued causing damage in residential areas further to the east and northeast, snapping many trees and causing roof and wall damage to many homes. A few homes had their roofs entirely ripped off, and damage along this portion of the path was rated EF1 to EF2. Crossing the Missouri River, the tornado moved into St. Louis County and Earth City, Bridgeton, and the northern side of Maryland Heights as it moved along
Interstate 70 Interstate 70 (I-70) is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from I-15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to a park and ride lot just east of I-695 in Baltimore, Maryland, and is the fifth-longest Interstate in the co ...
near its intersection with Interstate 270. The tornado produced a mixture of EF1 and EF2 damage in this densely built-up commercial and industrial area. A casino on the east bank of the river had roof and siding damage and a tree limb was thrown into one of the walls. Many trees, power poles, and highway signs were downed in the area, a hotel sustained shingle and window damage, and the canopy was damaged at a Mobil gas station. The roof was damaged and windows were broken at an
ITT Technical Institute ITT Technical Institute (ITT Tech) was a private for-profit technical institute with its headquarters in Carmel, Indiana and many campuses throughout the United States. Founded in 1969 and growing to 130 campuses in 38 states of the United Stat ...
building and a vehicle was flipped in the parking lot. Nearby, large doors were blown in at a warehouse-type building and three delivery trucks were blown over. Trees and power lines were downed and several homes and commercial buildings were damaged at mainly EF1 strength in nearby Bridgeton to the east of SSM DePaul Health Center. One apartment building in Bridgeton sustained EF2 damage, and debris fell onto vehicles and trees fell onto houses in the area as well. The tornado weakened to EF1 strength and maintained this intensity for the remainder of its path. It moved just north of the St. Louis base of the
Missouri Air National Guard The Missouri Air National Guard (MO ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Missouri, United States of America. It is, along with the Missouri Army National Guard, an element of the Missouri National Guard. As state militia units, the units i ...
at
Lambert–St. Louis International Airport St. Louis Lambert International Airport is the primary commercial airport serving metropolitan St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Commonly referred to as Lambert Field or simply Lambert, it is the largest and busiest airport in the state o ...
in
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(which had previously taken a direct hit from an
EF4 tornado The Enhanced Fujita scale (abbreviated as EF-Scale) rates tornado intensity based on the severity of the damage they cause. It is used in some countries, including the United States, Canada, China, and Mongolia. The Enhanced Fujita scale repla ...
on April 22, 2011), causing tree and power pole damage. The tornado moved into residential areas on the northern side of Ferguson, downing trees and power poles, a few of which landed on homes and cars. More trees were downed and one home suffered minor roof damage in the Dellwood area. The tornado downed even more trees as it crossed Interstate 270 again east of Florissant. Several trees landed on houses in the area and seven power poles were snapped along the interstate. The tornado moved north of Bellefontaine Neighbors, then northeast of town as it moved along Interstate 270. in diameter trees were downed, one of which fell onto a house. It moved due east, causing widespread tree damage as it moved into the Riverview area in the extreme northeastern sections of the City of St. Louis. The tornado downed many trees on the banks of the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it fl ...
, where it lifted at 8:25 p.m. (0125 UTC) just northeast of exit 34 on Interstate 270. The tornado was rated a mid-grade EF3, with winds up to . It was on the ground for 35 minutes, traveled , and had a maximum path width of . Two minor injuries occurred in St. Charles County.


Non-tornadic events

On May 28,
Amarillo, Texas Amarillo ( ; Spanish for "yellow") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of Potter County. It is the 14th-most populous city in Texas and the largest city in the Texas Panhandle. A portion of the city extends into Randall County ...
was battered by a major hailstorm. An estimated 35,000 vehicles and thousands of homes were damaged in the storm, with insured losses expected to reach $400 million. In addition to the tornadoes, the Oklahoma City metro area was subjected to severe flash flooding on May 31 and into the early morning hours of June 1, with initial estimates of 7 to 12 inches of rain having fallen as storms continued to
train In rail transport, a train (from Old French , from Latin , "to pull, to draw") is a series of connected vehicles that run along a railway track and transport people or freight. Trains are typically pulled or pushed by locomotives (often ...
across the area during the evening and overnight hours. The flooding combined with damage from the tornadoes complicated efforts of emergency services personnel to render aid to areas impacted by the storm. With the flooding and tornadoes occurring simultaneously, a family of seven sought refuge from a tornado in a drainage ditch in southern Oklahoma City. They were soon overwhelmed by flood waters and a four-year-old boy was swept away and died. An infant was also swept away but was rescued and hospitalized in critical condition. At least nine people were killed as a result of the floods. One person remained missing as of June 3. This became the deadliest floods in Oklahoma since 1984. On May 29, a man was killed by a falling tree in
Verona, New York Verona (called ''Te-o-na-ta-le'', "''pine forest''" by the Haudenosaunee) is a town in southwestern Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 6,293 at the 2010 census. The town was named after Verona, Italy. Verona is located so ...
during a severe thunderstorm. Flash flooding in
Scott County, Arkansas Scott County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2010 census, the population was 11,233. The county seat is Waldron. Scott County is Arkansas' 28th county, formed on November 5, 1833, and named for Andrew Scott, a ju ...
killed four people, including a sheriff. Missouri authorities confirmed three deaths as a result of high water that occurred in the counties of
Lawrence Lawrence may refer to: Education Colleges and universities * Lawrence Technological University, a university in Southfield, Michigan, United States * Lawrence University, a liberal arts university in Appleton, Wisconsin, United States Preparator ...
,
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and
Reynolds Reynolds may refer to: Places Australia *Hundred of Reynolds, a cadastral unit in South Australia *Hundred of Reynolds (Northern Territory), a cadastral unit in the Northern Territory of Australia United States * Reynolds, Mendocino County, Calif ...
.


Aftermath

More than 210,000 customers were left without power: 89,000 in Missouri, 86,000 in Oklahoma, 31,000 in Illinois, 3,000 in Arkansas, 1,000 in Kansas, and 500 in Indiana. According to the state transportation department, portions of more than 200 roads in Oklahoma were closed due to flooding. On May 31, the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (abbreviated as NOAA ) is an United States scientific and regulatory agency within the United States Department of Commerce that forecasts weather, monitors oceanic and atmospheric conditio ...
(NOAA) announced it would no longer furlough employees under sequestration due to the outbreak of tornadoes. A baseball game between The
Saint Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals hav ...
and
San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Y ...
was postponed due to the storm. Another baseball game between the Texas Rangers and
Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The ...
was postponed.


See also

*
List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks These are some notable tornadoes, tornado outbreaks, and tornado outbreak sequences that have occurred in North America. #''The listing is U.S.-centric, with greater and more consistent information available for U.S. tornadoes. Some North Americ ...
**
List of tornadoes with confirmed satellite tornadoes This article is a list of tornadoes that had at least one confirmed satellite tornado. A satellite tornado is one that revolves around a larger, primary tornado and interacts with the same mesocyclone. Satellite tornadoes occur apart from the prima ...
*
Tornado outbreak of May 18–21, 2013 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 souther ...
– a similar outbreak that occurred around a week earlier


Notes


References


External links


Storm Chasing Account of Bennington Tornado with Additional Photos
{{DEFAULTSORT:May 26-31, 2013 tornado outbreak Tornadoes of 2013 Tornadoes in Kansas Tornadoes in Missouri Tornadoes in Oklahoma F3 tornadoes Tornado outbreaks 2013 in Kansas 2013 in Missouri 2013 in Oklahoma 2013 natural disasters in the United States Disasters in Oklahoma May 2013 events in the United States Satellite tornadoes