Government or official record
Joplin Tornado Event Summary
National Weather Service Springfield
Where this source supports the record
Each entry separates the article’s editorial relevance note from its exact, section-level claims. A bibliography link without a direct claim is labeled plainly.
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Open article references → Why editors use it hereOfficial warning, path, intensity, timing, casualties, and meteorology.
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Quick read
On 22 May 2011, a rain-wrapped EF5 tornado crossed Joplin, Missouri, with winds estimated above 200 miles per hour.
Reviewed 26 July 2026 -
Trigger and conditions
A supercell rapidly intensified west of Joplin and produced a tornado that expanded from a narrow funnel into a wide violent circulation within minutes.
Reviewed 26 July 2026 -
Uncertainty
The official direct tornado toll is 158, with three additional indirect deaths commonly producing a total of 161; some summaries use either figure.
Reviewed 26 July 2026 -
Why it matters
Joplin shows that issuing a technically timely warning is only part of saving lives.
Reviewed 26 July 2026
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Quick read