An extended period of significant tornado activity affected the Central United States in late May 2016. This outbreak sequence came less than two weeks after another damaging tornado outbreak that affected similar areas. The most prolific day was May 24 when 44 tornadoes touched down with at least 12 of them spawned by an intense, long-tracked supercell near Dodge City, Kansas. The strongest tornado from this outbreak was a violent EF4 tornado on May 25 that caused severe damage near Solomon, Abilene, and Chapman, Kansas, injuring eight. Overall, 98 tornadoes were confirmed.

Meteorological synopsis During the week of May 22–27, a southwards dip in the jet stream occurred in the West near Colorado, with favorable thermodynamics advecting northwards and setting the potential for a tornado outbreak. In the early afternoon of May 22, an Enhanced risk was issued by the Storm Prediction Center for extreme southwestern Kansas, the Oklahoma Panhandle, and northern Texas. Numerous tornadoes touched down along the dryline that evening, with the strongest tornadoes touching down in Texas. This included a large, rain-wrapped EF3 tornado that destroyed homes and vehicles near Big Spring. Another EF3 tornado destroyed oil pump jacks near Garden City, while two EF2 tornadoes in the same general area snapped numerous trees and power poles and destroyed, damaged additional pump jacks, and destroyed a mobile home. Less widespread tornado activity occurred on May 23, with mainly scattered weak tornadoes occurring across central and southern Plains. However, a large nighttime wedge tornado caused EF3 damage to metal power poles near Turkey, Texas that night.

A significant outbreak of strong tornadoes affected Kansas on May 24. A single cyclic supercell produced about a dozen highly visible tornadoes near Dodge City, with several reports of multiple tornadoes on the ground simultaneously. A total of five EF3 tornadoes and three EF2 tornadoes were confirmed in western Kansas that evening, affecting rural areas near Dodge City, Jetmore, Ness City, Lewis, and Kinsley. These tornadoes caused extensive damage to trees, power poles, vehicles, farm machinery, and a few homes. Scattered weak tornadoes were also observed across other parts of Kansas and other states as well. Less significant activity was expected on May 25, and only a few tornadoes occurred, though this included a half-mile wide EF4 wedge tornado that tracked from near Solomon to east of Chapman, Kansas. This violent tornado obliterated farm homes, debarked trees, bent railroad tracks, and mangled farm machinery and vehicles beyond recognition, though only eight minor injuries occurred along the path. Another significant outbreak of tornadoes occurred was expected to occur across Kansas on May 26, and a Moderate Risk with a 15% hatched risk area for tornadoes was issued by the Storm Prediction center. Despite this, early initiation of storms combined with an unfavorable wind profile prevented a significant outbreak from occurring. However, a high-end EF1 tornado caused considerable damage in Bryan, Texas, while EF1 and EF2 tornadoes occurred simultaneously near Navasota, resulting in heavy damage. Despite producing numerous strong to violent tornadoes, this outbreak sequence mainly affected rural areas, resulting in no fatalities and few injuries. A total of 98 tornadoes were confirmed as a result of the outbreak sequence.

Confirmed tornadoes

Note: Four tornadoes were confirmed, but a lack of damage indicators prevented a rating on the Enhanced Fujita scale.

May 22 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Sunday, May 22, 2016EF#LocationCounty / ParishStateStart Coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax widthDamage(2016 USD) EF0KennewickBentonWA0650–0652Members of the public recorded a brief tornado. EF0NW of HowardwickDonleyTX2230–2231Small tree limbs were broken by this brief tornado. EF1NW of HowardwickDonleyTX2239–2248Trees were snapped or uprooted and a power pole was broken at its rotten base by this large cone tornado. EF3SSW of Knott to WNW of ElbowHowardTX2313–0000This large rain-wrapped tornado occurred to the west of Big Spring. A well-constructed home had its roof completely destroyed and multiple exterior walls collapsed, and two other homes had large sections of their roofs removed. An oil pumpjack was overturned, a car was thrown , and another car was moved several feet. Two poles were bent, wooden power poles were snapped, and a small barn suffered major loss of roof panels. Trees were damaged along the path as well, with trees partially debarked, trunks snapped, and trees uprooted. EF0WNW of ArtasCampbellSD2330–2335A brief landspout tornado touched down in an open field, causing no damage. EF0SE of WakaOchiltreeTX2344–2351A pivot irrigation system was damaged. EF2S of Lakeview to W of EstellineHallTX2344–2359This large but intermittent multiple-vortex tornado passed near the rural community of Plaska, snapping numerous trees and power poles. Several pivot irrigation systems were flipped as well. EF0E of StantonHowardTX2351–2359An anticyclonic tornado associated with the Big Spring EF3 tornado remained over open fields, causing no damage. EF1SSE of FarnsworthOchiltreeTX2357–0005A barn was destroyed, and power lines and two large sections of pivot irrigation were damaged by this large multiple-vortex wedge tornado. EF1SSE of FarnsworthOchiltreeTX0004–0007Trees were snapped, power lines were damaged, and pivot irrigation systems were flipped. EF1N of DeerfieldKearnyKS0012–0021Tornado moved along an unusual northwesterly path, producing little damage. EF1S of PerrytonOchiltreeTX0015–0020Tree limbs were snapped, a power pole was damaged, and debris was scattered in a field. EF0S of ElbowHowardTX0017–0028Tornado remained over open country, causing no damage. EF2NW of Sparks ToddSD0025–0035Eight to ten power poles were snapped and several large trees were heavily damaged. EF0NNW of WolfKearnyKS0029–0037Tornado formed after the previous Kearny County tornado dissipated, producing no damage as it moved along a northwesterly path over open fields. EF1SW of WinnerTrippSD0035–0037A house sustained roof and siding damage, a pole shed was destroyed, several livestock trailers were blown several yards, and a few trees were downed. EF0SW of ElbowGlasscockTX0038–0040A brief tornado touched down over open country, causing no damage. EFUNW of CanadianOchiltreeTX0049–0051A rain-wrapped cone tornado remained over open grassland, causing no damage. EF2N of Garden CityGlasscockTX0055–010714 power poles were snapped about above the ground and a metal building sustained a loss of roof panels. EF1W of Friend to WSW of Shallow Water Kearny, Wichita, ScottKS0110–0144Large wedge tornado moved along an erratic path through open fields, causing little damage. The tornado was likely capable of producing EF3 or stronger damage based on video evidence. EF3N of Garden CityGlasscockTX0142–0154A large 640 model oil pumpjack was overturned, indicative of EF3 strength winds. Tree branches were broken along other sections of the path. EF0NW of CanadianOchiltreeTX0145–0146A tornado moved over open grassland, producing no observable damage. EF2NW of Garden CityGlasscockTX0156–0202A single-wide mobile home was rolled and destroyed, another mobile home sustained roof damage, and an oil pumpjack was overturned. A metal barn had its roof purlins buckled and trees had their trunks snapped as well. EF1SW of Shallow WaterScottKS0200–0220A pivot irrigation sprinkler was damaged by the tornado. EF0SSW of Garden CityGlasscockTX0202–0208Short-lived tornado remained over open country, causing no damage. EF0N of YpsilantiStutsmanND0210–0212Brief tornado remained over open fields, causing no damage.

May 23 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Monday, May 23, 2016EF#LocationCounty / ParishStateStart Coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax widthDamage(2016 USD) EF0N of JuniataAdamsNE1937–1940Brief landspout tornado in an open field caused no damage. EF0N of GranvilleSiouxIA2141–2142A brief landspout tornado caused no damage. EF0NNW of WoodwardWoodwardOK0125–0141Large but weak tornado moved slowly along a meandering intermittent path, damaging two outbuildings. The University of Massachusetts X-Pol Doppler radar measured EF0 strength winds within the tornado. EFUSSE of SelmanHarperOK0224–0234Tornado remained over open country and caused no damage. The University of Massachusetts X-Pol Doppler radar measured EF0 strength winds within the tornado. EF3ESE of TurkeyMotley, HallTX0230–0306A strong wedge tornado bent several large steel electrical poles to the ground. Trees were also uprooted. The tornado moved along an unusual northwestward path.

May 24 event