Joplin Tornado: Five Years Later by the Numbers

On May 22, 2011, one of the most historic tornadoes ever recorded ripped through the city of Joplin, Mo. As we approach the fifth anniversary of this deadly, devastating storm, it’s important to take a look at the statistics to fully understand its magnitude and impact.

• Storm rating: EF5
• Total damage: $2.9 billion
• Number of fatalities: 168
• Number of injuries: 1,000+
• Homes destroyed: 7,000+
• Peak width: 1 miles
• Peak wind speed: 200 mph
• Length of tornado path: 22.1 miles
• Duration: 38 minutes
• Warning lead time before storm hitting Joplin: 19 minutes

Unfortunately, the Joplin Tornado broke records in multiple ways as far as damages and fatalities go. It is the costliest and deadliest American tornado since modern record-keeping began in 1950 and it is the seventh deadliest tornado ever recorded. The deadliest recorded tornado is the Tri-State Tornado of 1925, which killed 695 people in Missouri, Illinois and Indiana.
 
Source: National Weather Service Springfield, Mo., Forecast Office
Photo Credit: NOAA