2024 Tornado Activity Reached Near-Historic Levels Across the U.S.

The severe weather that occurred in the U.S. in 2024 can be characterized as near historic and resulted in the second-highest number of tornadoes since record-keeping began in 1950, according to NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center (SPC), which is part of the National Weather Service.

An Active Severe Weather Year

Currently, 1,796 tornadoes have been preliminarily confirmed across the U.S. in 2024, the second-most on record, only 21 behind the historic 2004 severe weather season, which saw 1,817 tornadoes. 

“Tornadic storms threaten communities across the U.S. every year, but we will remember 2024 for its powerful and impactful spring storms, the remarkable tornadic events accompanying landfalling hurricanes, and yet another near-record year for severe thunderstorm related losses across the United States,” said Russell Schneider, Ph.D., director of SPC, which is based in Norman, Oklahoma.
 

Spring Roared to Life

Following a historically active March in 2023 and 2022, severe weather reports in 2024 remained near average across the U.S. through much of April. Then, activity quickly increased to near-historic levels for about a month-long period as a series of severe weather outbreaks in late April, early May, and mid-to-late May impacted portions of the Plains to the lower Ohio Valley. By the end of May 2024, 1,032 tornadoes – the second most on record from January to May – had been confirmed. The infamous 2011 season remains in first with 1,237 tornadoes. 

Active Tropical Cyclone Tornado Season

Severe weather remained active in July 2024, partly due to Hurricane Beryl, which produced 68 tornadoes. Hurricane Ivan in 2004 holds the record with 118 tornadoes. Tornadoes associated with tropical cyclones remained active in August with Hurricane Debby, September with Hurricane Helene, and October with Hurricane Milton. 

In all, 2024 saw 185 tornadoes resulting from tropical cyclones, which historically ranks third highest behind 2004 (317 tornadoes) and 2005 (237 tornadoes). Although the vast majority of tornadoes associated with tropical cyclones are rated EF-0 or EF-1, six EF-3 tornadoes occurred in 2024. This surpassed the 5 EF-3 tornadoes that occurred during the previous 29-year period from 1995 to 2023, the historical period of record for tropical cyclone tornadoes. Three of the six EF-3 tornadoes in 2024 occurred in association with Hurricane Milton.
 

2024 Goes Out Like A Lion

The year’s capstone was a severe weather outbreak across portions of the Southeast U.S. that produced nearly 100 tornadoes on December 28, the most tornadoes in a single day for 2024.

Six New State Records

The historically active tornado season of 2024 resulted in six new state annual tornado records:

• Illinois – 142 tornadoes, breaking the previous record of 125 set in 2006

• Iowa – 125 tornadoes, breaking the previous record of 120 set in 2004

• New York – 32 tornadoes, breaking the previous record of 25 in 1992

• Ohio – 74 tornadoes, breaking the previous record of 61 in 1992

• Oklahoma – 152 tornadoes, breaking the previous record of 148 in 2019

• West Virginia – 20 tornadoes, breaking the previous record of 14 in 1998
   

Tornado Fatalities Remained Near-Normal

Despite the near-historic year for tornado counts, the 54 direct tornado-related fatalities were well below the 20-year average of 78 fatalities and were spread across 17 states. More than half – 33 of the 54 tornado fatalities in 2024 – occurred in manufactured and mobile homes.
 

2024 Tornado Records

Location of the 1,796 confirmed tornadoes in 2024 by EF Rating

Check out the SPC Year-In-Review for more details on the historic 2024 tornado year.