Deadly severe weather outbreak in central US causes an estimated $9 billion to $11 billion in total damage and economic loss
More than 70 tornadoes, destructive hail, and powerful wind gusts caused damage across the middle of the country during a multiday severe weather outbreak that started Thursday, May 16. AccuWeather™ expert meteorologists say additional impacts and damage are expected through late Tuesday night as the severe weather threat shifts east throughout the week.
AccuWeather® Global Weather Center – May. 19, 2025 - A multiday severe weather outbreak that produced dozens of destructive tornadoes across the central United States, including a significant tornado in parts of the St. Louis metro area, caused an estimated $9 billion to $11 billion in total damage and economic loss, according to a preliminary estimate from experts at AccuWeather®.
AccuWeather® expert meteorologists say at least 70 tornadoes have been reported across the central U.S. since May 16. Damage surveys are underway to confirm additional tornado paths and classify the intensity of damage left behind. Authorities across the region have confirmed at least 28 fatalities and dozens of injuries during the severe weather outbreak.
Several tornadoes impacted highly populated areas, including an EF3 tornado that ripped through portions of northern St. Louis, Missouri, on May 16 with winds above 150 mph. More than 4,500 homes, businesses and other buildings and structures along the path of the powerful tornado were damaged or destroyed. There are reports of roof collapses, wall collapses and other catastrophic damage to buildings. Many vehicles were also damaged or destroyed by the powerful winds, downed trees and airborne debris. Trees fell onto homes, businesses and power lines, causing damage, extended power outages, and costly disruptions across the city.
At least 20 lives were lost across Kentucky during the severe weather outbreak. The community of London took a direct hit from an EF3 tornado that leveled homes and businesses. AccuWeather® expert meteorologists say it may take five to 10 years for communities hit hardest by recent tornadoes to recover, and that some communities may never fully rebuild.
“This is the second major multiday severe weather outbreak to devastate the central U.S. this spring. The damage is catastrophic in some communities, and the loss of life is tragic. Our hearts go out to the families and businesses impacted by this latest round of extreme weather in the middle of the country,” AccuWeather® Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter said. “This is the fourth major extreme weather event to claim dozens of lives in the U.S. this year, following the devastating wildfires that ripped through Southern California in January, a historic tornado outbreak in March, followed by tornadoes and flooding in the Ohio Valley in April."
AccuWeather® expert meteorologists say the multiday severe weather impact began Thursday, May 15 and intensified on the afternoon of Friday, May 16, into the overnight and early morning hours of Saturday, May 17. Large tornadoes were confirmed in Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois and Indiana.
More than 700,000 homes and businesses across 12 states lost power during the outbreak. Severe weather contributed to more than 3,000 flight delays and cancellations at airports across the country on May 16 and 17.
AccuWeather® expert meteorologists say 2025 is shaping up to be the worst year for tornadoes in the U.S. in more than a decade. There have been more than 820 preliminary reports of tornadoes so far this year, which is roughly 200 tornadoes more than the historical average for this time of year.
AccuWeather® long-range experts accurately predicted in March that the risk of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes in the central U.S. would increase dramatically in April and May.
The AccuWeather® 2025 U.S. Severe Weather Forecast predicts 1,300 to 1,450 tornadoes across the country this year, which is above the historical average of 1,225.
This is a preliminary estimate, which considers the damage, losses and disruptions that have already occurred, as well as additional impacts expected over the next week. AccuWeather® experts say the full effects of tornadoes, damaging wind gusts, hail and flash flooding continue to be felt. Some areas already impacted have not yet reported information about damage, injuries or other impacts.
AccuWeather® incorporates independent methods to evaluate all direct and indirect impacts of the storm, includes both insured and uninsured losses and is based on a variety of sources, statistics and unique techniques AccuWeather® uses to estimate the damage. It includes damage to property, job and wage losses, crops, infrastructure, interruption of the supply chain, auxiliary business losses and flight delays. The estimate also accounts for the costs of evacuations, relocations, emergency management and the extraordinary government expenses for cleanup operations and the long-term effects on business logistics, transportation and tourism as well as the long-term and short-term health effects and the medical and other expenses of unreported deaths and injuries.
AccuWeather® is the trusted source for total damage and economic loss estimates for weather disasters in the United States. Our recognized experts incorporate independent methods to evaluate all direct and indirect impacts of extreme weather events. In 2017, AccuWeather® first issued a widely quoted preliminary estimate for total damage and economic loss during catastrophic flooding from Hurricane Harvey along the Gulf Coast, which helped people in the impacted area, and across the country, to better understand the magnitude of the disaster.
This is the fourth preliminary estimate for total damage and economic loss that AccuWeather® experts have issued so far this year, outpacing the frequency of major, costly weather disasters since AccuWeather® began issuing estimates in 2017.
In late January, AccuWeather® experts issued a preliminary estimate of total damage and economic loss of $14 billion to $17 billion for a historic winter storm that brought snow, freezing temperatures and major disruptions to the Gulf Coast and southeastern U.S. AccuWeather® experts estimate that historic and deadly wildfires that swept through communities across Los Angeles County, California, in early January caused $250 billion to $275 billion in damages. In early April, AccuWeather® experts issued a preliminary estimate of total damage and economic loss of $80 billion to $90 billion after a rare multiday severe weather outbreak and atmospheric river that triggered devastating flash flooding in the central U.S.
“The impacts from tornadoes, flash flooding, wildfires and a historic winter storm along the Gulf Coast have caused a combined $353 billion to $393 billion in total damage and economic loss so far this year, according to preliminary estimates from AccuWeather,” Porter said. “AccuWeather estimates that major weather disasters in the U.S. in 2024 caused a combined $479 billion to $532 billion in total damage and economic loss. Extreme weather is impacting more people in more places. The costs of repairs, rebuilding and insurance coverage are rising. There is no doubt that extreme weather is a growing threat to the safety and financial stability of families and businesses across America."
Porter is encouraging people to ensure that emergency supplies are restocked and storm shelters and safe rooms are ready for use if needed. AccuWeather® further advises people to review insurance policies, including flood insurance policies, and to keep digital records and photographs of property and valuables.
Water damage is particularly costly to repair and is often not covered by homeowner’s insurance policies. Many people across the U.S. are underinsured for flood damage. An estimated 4 percent of homeowners in the U.S. have flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), although the uptake in the NFIP program tends to be higher in communities along waterways, such as rivers.
More than 100 times every year, AccuWeather® has been documented as providing more accurate, more advanced notifications of significant and extreme weather events that impact businesses and threaten the health, welfare and lives of individuals. AccuWeather® has proven to be the most accurate source of weather forecasts and warnings.
AccuWeather® provided the most advance notice and the earliest and most accurate warning for the destructive tornado that hit the St. Louis area on May 16. AccuWeather Expert Storm Warning meteorologists issued a lifesaving SkyGuard® Tornado Warning in Clayton, Missouri, and other parts of St. Louis, which exclusively provided 21 minutes of advance notice before the destructive tornado struck. The NWS and all other sources provided only 3 minutes of advance notice.
AccuWeather's Superior Accuracy™ is proven to save lives, prevent injuries and protect property. AccuWeather™ has a track record of weather forecasting and warnings that has saved more than 12,000 lives, prevented injury to over 100,000 people and saved companies tens of billions of dollars through better planning and decision making.
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