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Storms That Hit

SPC Tornado Database · NWS Storm Events

The May 22, 2011 EF5 Tornado in Missouri, near Joplin

The Joplin tornado in the federal records: its 22-mile path, the toll, the 48 tornadoes of that day and the cities nearby.

Data: NOAA NHC HURDAT2 and NOAA SPC tornado and hail reports, through 2025 · Updated

On May 22, 2011 an EF5 tornado in Missouri killed 158 people and injured 1,150, the deadliest of the 73,458 tornadoes in the SPC record since 1950. Its path was 21.6 miles long and up to 1,600 yards wide. It came within 2 miles of Joplin, MO, and within 25 miles of 26 cities on this site. It was one of 48 tornadoes recorded that day in 11 states, 2 of them EF3 or stronger, which together killed 159.

Rating
EF5
Killed / injured
158 / 1,150
Path
22 mi

1,600 yd wide

Tornadoes that day
48

159 deaths in all

The NWS account, Redings Mill, Missouri

“This is the beginning of the EF-5 tornado that impacted a large portion of the city of Joplin. This tornado started in the very extreme northern portions of Newton County initially touching down one half mile southwest of the intersection of JJ Highway and Newton Road in Newton County.”

Cities within 25 miles of the path

Cities nearest the tornado's path
CityDistance from the path
Diamond, MOunder 1 mi
Joplin, MO2 mi
Galena, KS4 mi
Granby, MO5 mi
Webb City, MO8 mi
Carl Junction, MO9 mi
Sarcoxie, MO9 mi
Baxter Springs, KS9 mi
Neosho, MO10 mi
Quapaw, OK10 mi
Pierce City, MO11 mi
Carthage, MO11 mi

The nearest 12 of 26. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (path from start to end point), NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (account).

More notable storms

All notable storms →Missouri storm history →

Why these storms and how each figure is counted: methodology.