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Key Points:
- Twenty-three states from South Dakota to Florida had at least one tornado reported, including an EF-4, during a severe weather outbreak May 6–10 that caused significant damage and loss of life.
- The deadliest tornado of the year-to-date was an EF-4 that occurred on May 21 in Greenfield, Iowa and caused five fatalities.
- A derecho with winds of up to 100 mph occurred on May 16 in Houston, Texas, causing significant damage and seven fatalities.
- Four new Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters were confirmed in May. The year-to-date total currently stands at 11 disasters.
- March to May 2024 was the sixth-warmest spring on record for the contiguous U.S. and precipitation ranked in the wettest third of the historical record for the month of May 2024.
The average temperature of the contiguous U.S. in May was 62.3°F, 2.1°F above average, ranking 13th warmest in the 130-year record. May temperatures were above average across much of the eastern contiguous U.S. including Florida, which saw its warmest May on record. Last month ranked among the top 10 warmest Mays on record in thirteen additional states. Conversely, near- to below-average temperatures were observed in portions of the central and northern Rocky Mountains.
