| Duration: | May 2, 1942 |
| Tornadoes: | ≥ 8 |
| Fujitascale: | F4 |
| Year: | 1942 |
| Damages: | $1,095,000 ($ in USD) |
| Fatalities: | 31 |
| Injuries: | ≥ 172 |
| Affected: | Central United States |
On May 2, 1942, a deadly tornado outbreak affected portions of the Central United States, particularly Northeastern Oklahoma and Southeast Kansas. In the latter areas the severe weather event produced at least four violent, long-tracked tornado families, retroactively assessed as having inflicted F4 damage, that varied in length from 55to. Altogether these claimed 29 lives and injured at least 158 people, featuring six known tornadoes, all rated F4. Besides these, the outbreak also yielded two other tornadoes, both deadly: a long-lived F3 family in Illinois that killed one person and an F2 in Missouri that killed one more. The entire outbreak killed 31 people and injured at least 172.
Prior to 1990, there is a likely undercount of tornadoes, particularly E/F0–1, with reports of weaker tornadoes becoming more common as population increased. A sharp increase in the annual average E/F0–1 count by approximately 200 tornadoes was noted upon the implementation of NEXRAD Doppler weather radar in 1990–1991. 1974 marked the first year where significant tornado (E/F2+) counts became homogenous with contemporary values, attributed to the consistent implementation of Fujita scale assessments. Numerous discrepancies on the details of tornadoes in this outbreak exist between sources. The total count of tornadoes and ratings differs from various agencies accordingly. The list below documents information from the most contemporary official sources alongside assessments from tornado historian Thomas P. Grazulis.
| Location | County / Parish | State | Time (UTC) | Path length | Width | Damage | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F4 | S of Morrison to Pawhuska to near South Coffeyville | Noble, Pawnee, Osage, Washington, Nowata | Oklahoma | 20:30–? | 85abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 1760abbr=onNaNabbr=on♯ | |||
| 3 deaths – This erratic, long-lived tornado family, up to 1miles wide, mostly hit remote areas, but did impact rural ranches, leveling structures and killing "hundreds" of cattle as it did so. Entering southeastern Pawhuska, it destroyed a 12-block swath of housing there, 30 homes in all. The death toll remained low, as most residents had sheltered in time. At least 28—possibly 32—injuries occurred. The path zigzagged, and damage often emerged on either side of the main event, indicating multiple tornadoes. | |||||||||
| F4 | S of Cushing to N of Owasso | Payne, Creek, Tulsa, Osage | Oklahoma | 21:15–? | 55abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 880abbr=onNaNabbr=on♯ | |||
| 7 deaths – This tornado family initially damaged little, tracking past Drumright, Olive, and Silver City. Passing northwest of Tulsa, it leveled some homes, along with many other structures, and felled trees. Four deaths occurred near Turley and three more north of Fisher. 20 people were injured. Secondary areas of damage were frequently noted, suggesting multiple tornadoes. | |||||||||
| F4 | Near McLoud to N of Chilesville | Pottwatomie, Lincoln, Okfuskee, Creek | Oklahoma | 21:30–? | 55abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 1232abbr=onNaNabbr=on♯ | |||
| 16 deaths – This tornado family leveled small farmhouses in the Welty–Paden–Boley area, passing a short distance south of Prague. The severest damage occurred near Chilesville, where a "small farming community" was obliterated, resulting in a dozen deaths. In all 80 people were injured. | |||||||||
| F4 | SW of Fredonia to Chanute | Wilson, Neosho | Kansas | 21:30–? | 30abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 300abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| 1 death – This was the first of three tornadoes in an 88adj=midNaNadj=mid family, one or more of which were up to 0.9miles wide, that produced relatively little F4 damage. The first tornado struck about 35 farms, leveling four homes. 10 injuries occurred. | |||||||||
| F4 | N of Iola to N of Lone Elm | Allen, Anderson | Kansas | 22:00–? | 11abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 400abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| The next member of the Fredonia family, this tornado produced F4 damage east of Colony, where it hit 24 barns and nine homes. 10 injuries occurred. | |||||||||
| F4 | E of Humboldt to NW of Xenia | Allen, Bourbon, Linn | Kansas | 22:20–? | 35abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 200abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| 2 deaths – This tornado, the final member of the Fredonia family, damaged 20 or more farmsteads. The deaths occurred near La Harpe and Mound City. 10 injuries occurred. | |||||||||
| F3 | SW of Franklin to NW of Springfield to near Waynesville | Morgan, Sangamon, Logan, DeWitt | Illinois | 01:00–? | 70abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 300abbr=onNaNabbr=on | ≥ | ||
| 1 death – A long-tracked tornado family hit eastern Franklin, destroying or damaging 105 homes there, of which at least five incurred F3 damage. Debris from Franklin was lofted 4miles. Parallel tornadoes may have caused damage in Logan County. 12 injuries occurred. | |||||||||
| F2 | SE of Fayette | Howard | Missouri | 02:10–? | |||||
| 1 death – A home was swept off its foundation. A woman inside was fatally crushed beneath a fallen chimney. Two people were injured. | |||||||||