Months › May
May
Recorded events with May start dates, all years 1950 to 2026, 50 states and DC.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
Hazard mix in May
| Hazard | May events | Share of that hazard's year |
|---|---|---|
| Hail | 101,149 | 23.8% |
| Wind | 89,464 | 12.7% |
| Flood | 23,468 | 12.8% |
| Tornado | 17,729 | 21.8% |
| Drought | 6,273 | 7.3% |
| Other | 5,047 | 11.0% |
| Cold | 2,296 | 4.3% |
| Lightning | 2,135 | 11.8% |
| Winter | 2,099 | 0.7% |
| Heat | 992 | 1.8% |
| Fog | 772 | 4.2% |
| Wildfire | 612 | 6.4% |
| Tropical | 148 | 1.3% |
States in May
| State | May events | Leading hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 35,794 | Hail |
| Kansas | 20,298 | Hail |
| Oklahoma | 18,061 | Hail |
| Missouri | 12,568 | Hail |
| Nebraska | 9,868 | Hail |
| Iowa | 9,767 | Hail |
| Illinois | 9,018 | Wind |
| North Carolina | 7,217 | Hail |
| Kentucky | 7,133 | Wind |
| Arkansas | 7,005 | Wind |
| Ohio | 6,629 | Wind |
| Virginia | 6,330 | Wind |
| Georgia | 6,212 | Wind |
| Tennessee | 6,141 | Wind |
| Colorado | 5,824 | Hail |
| Indiana | 5,788 | Wind |
| Minnesota | 5,738 | Hail |
| South Dakota | 5,152 | Hail |
| Pennsylvania | 5,133 | Wind |
| Alabama | 5,086 | Wind |
| New York | 4,939 | Wind |
| Mississippi | 4,772 | Wind |
| South Carolina | 4,482 | Hail |
| Wisconsin | 4,444 | Hail |
| Louisiana | 4,276 | Wind |
| Florida | 4,201 | Wind |
| Michigan | 3,496 | Wind |
| New Mexico | 3,256 | Hail |
| West Virginia | 2,927 | Wind |
| Montana | 2,598 | Wind |
| North Dakota | 2,232 | Hail |
| Maryland | 2,051 | Wind |
| Wyoming | 1,878 | Hail |
| California | 1,575 | Wind |
| New Jersey | 1,384 | Wind |
| Massachusetts | 1,082 | Wind |
| Idaho | 1,061 | Wind |
| Utah | 886 | Wind |
| Vermont | 771 | Wind |
| Arizona | 631 | Wind |
| Maine | 593 | Wind |
| New Hampshire | 568 | Wind |
| Nevada | 563 | Wind |
| Connecticut | 557 | Wind |
| Oregon | 530 | Hail |
| Washington | 507 | Wind |
| Alaska | 391 | Flood |
| Hawaii | 382 | Other |
| Delaware | 244 | Wind |
| Rhode Island | 82 | Wind |
| District of Columbia | 63 | Wind |
Questions and answers
What kind of severe weather is most common in May?
Hail, with 101,149 of the 252,184 events NCEI has recorded in Mays since 1950; wind follows with 89,464.
Which states record the most events in May?
Texas (35,794), Kansas (20,298), Oklahoma (18,061), Missouri (12,568), Nebraska (9,868). Larger states and states with denser reporting record more events.
What share of the year's events fall in May?
12.8% of all recorded events since 1950 occurred in May.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database through 30 Jun 2026, events by month of the recorded start date. Built 30 Sep 2026.