May 22 event

May 23 event

May 24 event

May 25 event

May 26 event

Solomon–Abilene–Chapman, Kansas

This violent and long-lived wedge tornado was on the ground for 25.09 mi (40.38 km) and lasted for at least 90 minutes, producing at least mid-range EF4 damage at its most intense point.^[117] It first touched down near the Ottawa County community of Niles just after 7:07 PM local time.^[118]

The tornado moved eastward and reached EF3 strength to the north of Solomon, where a home lost its roof and exterior walls, and numerous trees were snapped. As the tornado crossed into Dickinson County and moved through rural areas northeast of Solomon, significant weakening occurred as EF1 tree and house damage was noted along this segment of the path. Re-intensification began to occur to the south of Talmage where a two-story house had much of its second floor destroyed, sustaining EF2 damage. A nearby home sustained EF1 damage to its roof as well.^[119] The tornado strengthened further as it passed to the north of Abilene, causing significant damage. A house near the corner of Gulf Road and 2700 Avenue sustained EF3 damage and was left with only interior rooms standing, while another home and a large metal outbuilding sustained EF2 damage.

High-end EF3 damage was noted along Hawk Road, where a large but poorly anchored home was completely flattened. The most intense damage in this area occurred at the intersection of Indy Road and 2700 Avenue, where a split-level home was completely swept away, leaving only the basement behind. Anchor bolts were present at this location, though the home's subflooring was poorly anchored, and an EF4 rating was applied. Outbuildings were also destroyed in the vicinity, and a two-story farm home sustained lesser damage.^[120] Further to the east, the tornado narrowed and weakened back to EF1 strength as it passed through areas to the northeast of Abeline, causing mainly minor tree damage. However, it strengthened back to EF2 intensity as it crossed I-70/US 40, snapping and denuding numerous large trees.

The tornado then reached its peak strength as it passed just southwest of Chapman, which was placed under a tornado emergency, producing EF4 damage as it crossed Old Highway 40. A few farmsteads in this area were damaged or destroyed, including one where a large, anchor-bolted brick farm home was completely leveled and largely swept away. Only the basement and a pile of debris was left behind at this location. Part of the concrete foundation was severely cracked from the force of the house being ripped away, leaving rebar exposed. While officially given a wind speed estimate of 180 mph (290 km/h) by the damage survey team, the entry for this tornado in the National Climactic Data Center mentions that the wind speed may have approached over 200 mph (320 km/h), or EF5 intensity. However, the area around the house foundation was not swept clean of debris, preventing a rating higher than EF4.^[121]

Several vehicles and large pieces of heavy farm machinery in the vicinity were thrown and mangled beyond recognition. Numerous large trees were also denuded and debarked in this area, outbuildings were obliterated, and a set of railroad tracks was bent horizontally by the force of the tornado.^[122] While officially rated mid-range EF4, a NWS Topeka employee noted that "Thankfully, the tornado didn't hit any larger cities. Had this hit a city, like Abilene, where there's more structures to hit, this could have very well been an EF5 and we would have had perhaps fatalities."^[123] The tornado began to weaken as it passed south of Chapman, causing extensive tree damage and inflicting low-end EF3 damage to a large farm house. To the southeast of Chapman, a home was shifted off of its foundation at EF1 intensity before the tornado dissipated shortly after 8:30 PM. The tornado reached a maximum width of 1/2 mile wide along its path, and damaged or destroyed roughly 20 homes in Dickinson County. No fatalities and eight minor injuries occurred as a result of this tornado.^{[124][125][126][119]}