In this article, we will be navigating through the 22 states with the most tornadoes in the US. If you wish to skip our detailed analysis, you can move directly to the 5 States with the Most Tornadoes in the US.
Tornadoes Sweeping Across America
Majority of the tornadoes in the United States take place in the Tornado Alley. However, tornadoes in the Tornado Alley states are experiencing a decline. At the same time, tornadoes are on the rise in Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee, and Kentucky. You can also take a look at the most dangerous states for natural disasters. As reported by National Geographic, climate change might be an influencing factor behind the aforementioned geographic shift since it leads to extreme weather conditions such as rainfall and heat but there is not much scientific evidence to prove the exact relationship between climate change and tornadoes.
Recently, the eastern US and Canada became victims of powerful winter storms in January. 12 tornadoes were reported across states including Florida, Alabama, and Georgia. On January 10, BBC reported that there was no electricity for more than 630,000 households in the eastern US while more than 1,300 flights were canceled as a result. Emergency was declared for 49 Florida counties. Further strong tornadoes were predicted for Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Four storm-related deaths which include two in Alabama, one in Georgia, and one in North Carolina were also recorded.
Again on March 15, BBC reported that tornadoes swept across Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio. Three fatalities were confirmed in Ohio’s Logan County as a consequence. Downed power lines also halted the reach of first responders and police in certain areas. In Indiana, 38 injuries in Randolph County were cited by the officials. Furthermore, more than 33,000 people were deprived of power across the affected states. The risk of tornadoes in other states including Texas, Georgia, and Alabama was also mentioned by the Storm Prediction Center. You can also take a look at the best places with the least natural disasters in the US.
Potential Protection Against Tornadoes
Typically, home insurance policies offer coverage for damage caused by winds and tornadoes. This includes dwelling coverage which helps in repairing damage from a tornado. Similarly, personal property coverage assists in repairing or replacing belongings that get damaged as a result of the tornado. Insurance companies providing protection against tornadoes include Chubb Limited (NYSE:CB), Beazley PLC (LSE:BEZ), and Allianz SE (ETR:ALV). Let’s take a look at the kind of protection these firms have to offer.
Chubb Limited (NYSE:CB) is the parent company of the global insurance provider, Chubb which offers insurance products covering property and casualty, accident and health, reinsurance, and life insurance. The majority of the homeowners insurance policies from Chubb Limited (NYSE:CB) offer all risk coverage under which the damage to the structure on the property or the home which is caused by the tornado is covered. However, homeowners might need to pay a special deductible in some cases. Depending on the policy, the insurer covers additional living expenses, temporary precautionary repairs, forced evacuation, and tree and debris removal following the tornado.
The parent company of specialist insurance businesses, Beazley PLC (LSE:BEZ), operates in the United States as well. Back in August 2023, the company introduced the first admitted parametric tornado disaster benefit insurance. In partnership with Sola Technologies and Spinnaker Insurance Company, Beazley PLC (LSE:BEZ) helps homeowners cater to the impact of tornadoes by offering early payments. As compared to traditional insurance, the disaster benefit is paid early following the tornado in this case. The coverage was launched for 15 US states in the Midwest and Southeast.
Allianz SE (ETR:ALV) serves as a global leader in insurance and asset management. The insurer provides various personal and corporate insurance services and operates in almost 70 countries. The company offers property, life, and health insurance as well as assistance services to credit insurance and global business insurance. Although the company’s residential book exposure to tornadoes is limited, the commercial risk is greater. Allianz SE (ETR:ALV) has reportedly shared losses on claims of up to $400 million on direct tornado hits in the United States.
Other best home insurance companies heading into 2024 have also been previously covered. Without further ado, let’s move to the 22 states with the most tornadoes in the US.
22 States with the Most Tornadoes in the US
Our Methodology:
In order to compile a list of the 22 states with the most tornadoes in the US, we sourced data from the Storm Prediction Center. We used the total number of tornadoes that were recorded for every state in 2023, the most recent year. Moving on, we identified thresholds to rank the states. Since the US encountered a maximum of 243 monthly tornadoes and a minimum of 20 monthly tornadoes during 2023, we used 243 and 20 as the upper and lower bounds respectively. Hence, we have included all the states with tornadoes that occurred within the upper and lower bounds.
Finally, the 22 states with the most tornadoes in the US were ranked in ascending order of the total tornadoes they experienced in 2023. Simultaneously, we have also added the monthly statistics for the states on our list.
22 States with the Most Tornadoes in the US
22. Wisconsin
Total Number of Tornadoes (2023): 20
Wisconsin recorded a total of 20 tornadoes in 2023. The state encountered these during 5 months, including March, April, June, July, and September. The highest count of tornadoes was 13 during April 2023.
21. Minnesota
Total Number of Tornadoes (2023): 25
25 tornadoes occurred in Minnesota in 2023. Out of these, 15 took place during the month of June. Therefore, Minnesota is another state with the most tornadoes in the United States.
20. Pennsylvania
Total Number of Tornadoes (2023): 26
Pennsylvania witnessed one of the highest tornadoes among other US states in 2023. The highest monthly breakdown of tornadoes in the state is 12 in August, 9 in July, 3 in June, and 2 in April.
19. Wyoming
Total Number of Tornadoes (2023): 27
In 2023, a total of 27 tornadoes occurred in Wyoming. 20 of them took place during June while the remaining 7 were recorded in May. This ranks Wyoming among other states with a high tornado count in the US.
18. Missouri
Total Number of Tornadoes (2023): 27
Missouri ranks as another state with a high number of tornadoes. 27 tornadoes hit the state in 2023, with 10 of them taking place during April.
17. Arkansas
Total Number of Tornadoes (2023): 36
From August to December, no tornadoes were recorded in Arkansas. The highest number of tornadoes was 16 in the month of March. Hence, Arkansas ranks as one of the US states with the most tornadoes in the country.
16. Louisiana
Total Number of Tornadoes (2023): 38
The states with the most tornadoes in the United States include Louisiana as well. In 2023, 38 tornadoes were recorded in the state. 17 of them took place during January.
15. Kansas
Total Number of Tornadoes (2023): 39
39 tornadoes hit the US state of Kansas in 2023. 18 of the total tornadoes were recorded during the month of May. Hence, Kansas ranks among the states with the most tornadoes in the US.
14. Kentucky
Total Number of Tornadoes (2023): 41
Kentucky ranks as another state with the highest count of tornadoes in the United States. In 2023, the state saw 41 tornadoes. The highest monthly tornadoes were in January, April, and December, with all of them recording 7 tornadoes each.
13. Florida
Total Number of Tornadoes (2023): 47
States with the most tornadoes in the US include Florida which witnessed 47 tornadoes in 2023. 14 in April, 9 in June, and 6 in October account for the highest monthly tornadoes in the state.
12. Oklahoma
Total Number of Tornadoes (2023): 48
48 tornadoes struck the US state of Oklahoma in the preceding year, 2023. According to the monthly statistics for the state, 14 of these tornadoes hit the state during June 2023.
11. Indiana
Total Number of Tornadoes (2023): 51
The total number of tornadoes in Indiana was 51 in 2023. Furthermore, 23 of these tornadoes occurred in April. No tornados took place during the months of January, September, October, November, and December.
10. Tennessee
Total Number of Tornadoes (2023): 53
Tennessee is another US state with a high number of tornadoes as evident from the overall tornado count of 53 in 2023. The highest monthly tornadoes were reported during the months of March, April, and December.
9. Ohio
Total Number of Tornadoes (2023): 56
Tornadoes take place in Ohio as well. These tornadoes were seen to occur during six months of 2023. August dominated the monthly tornado statistics by recording 20 tornadoes. June followed with its 12 tornadoes while 10 tornados were recorded in April.
8. Georgia
Total Number of Tornadoes (2023): 58
Georgia encountered 58 tornadoes in 2023. January recorded the highest monthly tornadoes in the state. Four months including May, September October, and November witnessed no tornadoes.
7. Iowa
Total Number of Tornadoes (2023): 73
73 tornadoes hit the US state of Iowa in 2023 thereby ranking it as another state with the most tornadoes. While four months of the year saw no tornadoes, the highest number of monthly tornadoes was recorded at 28 in March 2023.
6. Nebraska
Total Number of Tornadoes (2023): 81
Nebraska ranks among the US states with the most tornadoes. In 2023, the state recorded a total of 81 tornadoes. The majority of these took place during the month of May.
Click to continue reading and see 5 States with the Most Tornadoes in the US.
Suggested articles:
- Top 15 Countries for Dental Tourism
- 15 Countries with the Best Healthcare in Europe
- 15 Countries with Highest Economic Mobility in the World
Disclosure: None. 22 States with the Most Tornadoes in the US is originally published on Insider Monkey.