Mid-May 2010 tornado outbreak

The Mid-May 2010 Tornado Outbreak was a tornado outbreak that took place from May 18, 2010 to May 21, 2010. It affected a large area from Wyoming to Ohio. May 19 was the worst of the tornado outbreak, when multiple tornadoes were reported across Oklahoma along a dry line. A high risk was also issued for Oklahoma that day.

Meteorological synopsis

On May 18, a low pressure area was situated in and Ohio, while a cold front was draped across into Texas. A moderate risk was issued by the SPC for areas in Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Kansas. Tornado activity increased during the evening hours. Multiple tornadoes were reported in the Texas Panhandle. VORTEX2 was able to get valuable information from the storm systems and tornadoes in the area. However, not many tornadoes hit urban areas and many remained in open country. The next day, the SPC issued its fifth high risk. The high risk was located in Oklahoma. Dry line activity increased on that day, and many meteorologists predicted a tornado outbreak for Oklahoma, the second in 9 days. 2 supercells formed in west Oklahoma and tracked across the state. There were many tornado reports from these supercells, especially in Kingfisher County. KWTV, a CBS affiliate in Oklahoma City, VORTEX2, meteorologists, and several storm chasers were tracking these storms. After passing Oklahoma City during the early evening hours, several other supercells formed near the Tulsa area and merged with the main systems, forming a bow echo. One tornado that formed from the bow echo came from a tail-end charlie, a supercell that is at the end of a bow echo. The tornado was reported from a storm chaser and was a multiple vortex tornado. Although the storms in Oklahoma produced many tornadoes that day, there weren't as many as predicted. On May 20, the low was centered over parts of Missouri. A cold front was on the left side of the low and a warm front was on the right side. Dr. Greg Forbes of the Weather Channel gave a TOR:CON index (the percentage of a tornado within 50 miles of a point) of ⁵/₁₀ across much of the Southeastern United States. A few tornadoes were reported that day.

Confirmed tornadoes

May 18 event

Note: includes a few tornadoes in the early hours of May 19 related to the same supercells.

May 19 event

May 20 event

May 21 event

See also

• Tornadoes of 2010
• Tornado Alley
• List of United States tornadoes in May 2010