Could 2024 become the top year for tornadoes in America? 

> Preliminary tornado reports for 2024 are already well above the historical average 
 
> Only seven states have not reported tornadoes so far this year 

 > Amid a surge of interest in extreme weather, AccuWeather expert 
meteorologists say storm chasing is best left to professionals and 
safety must remain the top priority  

AccuWeather Global Weather Center – July 17, 2024

Millions of people are expected to head to movie theatres across the country in the coming days to watch Twisters, the sequel to the 1996 hit film Twister, but the biggest tornado story this year may not be on the big screen.

AccuWeather’s team of long-range expert meteorologists is now forecasting 1,475 to 1,675 tornadoes in the United States this year.  AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Expert Paul Pastelok accurately predicted back in March that the region known as “Tornado Alley” would roar back to life. 

“As AccuWeather has been forecasting since late winter, 2024  has been an incredibly active year for tornadoes in the United States,” said Pastelok. “There have been multiple tornado outbreaks this spring in the Midwest and Plains. Hurricane Beryl spun up dozens of tornadoes from the Texas coast all the way to upstate New York. We’re barely halfway through the year; we expect to see more tornado threats during this hurricane season. Another severe weather outbreak or two in the fall is also possible." 

More than 1,400 preliminary tornado reports have been filed so far this year, well above the historical average of 997 tornadoes for this time of year.  
 
America typically experiences 1,255 tornadoes annually, according to the historical average.  

Texas & Midwest top the tornado tally map

After an average winter and early spring, tornado outbreaks at the end of April and the month of May quickly raised 2024 above average. Since then, a steady stream of tornado reports has kept that number going up. 

Texas currently tops the list with 142 tornadoes reported, followed by Nebraska and Iowa.  

Oklahoma is known for its history of powerful storms and destructive tornadoes, as well as being the backdrop of the 1996 blockbuster Twister and the new film Twisters. Oklahoma has reported 73 tornadoes so far this year, tied with Ohio.  

Tornadoes have been reported in 43 states so far this year. The only states where tornadoes have not been reported in 2024 are Idaho, Nevada, Delaware, Vermont, Maine, Hawaii, and Alaska. 

Tornadoes are possible and have been reported in all 50 states when conducive weather patterns and meteorological conditions align. 

Why Midwest tornadoes are drastically different than tropical tornadoes

Tornadoes spun up by tropical storms and hurricanes are dramatically different, compared to tornadoes featured in movies like Twister.  

Tornadoes embedded in rain bands of tropical storms and hurricanes are typically fast-moving and short-lived, and are often wrapped in rain and can be nearly impossible to see. Those brief but powerful tornadoes can cause just as much, if not more, damage than the sustained winds from a Category 1 hurricane at landfall. 

Tornadoes in the Plains and Midwest often develop in discrete supercells. These storms can grow and mature without competing for space or energy. Rotating wall clouds and funnels in the Plains and Midwest can often be seen from miles away if they are not obscured by rain.  

Supercell tornadoes are also capable of becoming long-track tornadoes, which can travel for 50-200 continuous miles and cause catastrophic damage. The Tri-State tornado of 1925 left behind a 219-long path of devastation and claimed 695 lives after it ripped across parts of Missouri, Illinois and Indiana. 

 
AccuWeather expert meteorologists say Hurricane Beryl was a prolific tornado producer.  

In addition to issuing the most accurate track and intensity forecasts for Hurricane Beryl, along with issuing a track forecast a day ahead of any other known source, AccuWeather expert meteorologists correctly predicted that Beryl would produce numerous tornadoes as it made landfall in Texas on July 8 and moved inland.   

Nearly 80 preliminary tornado reports were filed between July 8 and 10, and more than 40 tornadoes have been confirmed following storm damage surveys. Several tornadoes were confirmed as far away as upstate New York, more than 1,400 miles away from where Beryl made landfall in Texas.  

AccuWeather expert meteorologists issued an alert about the tornado threat three days before Beryl made landfall in Texas. 

Hurricane Ivan holds the record for the most tornadoes linked to a tropical system with 120 reported.  

Could 2024 become the top year for tornadoes in America? 

Following multiple severe weather outbreaks this spring, 2024 is now the second most active year for tornadoes, according to records dating back to 1950. A staggering 2,250 preliminary tornado reports were filed in 2011.  

AccuWeather expert meteorologists say it is unlikely that the number of tornadoes reported this year could outpace the record-shattering year of 2011, but there is a slight possibility that it could happen. 

To surpass the number of tornadoes reported in 2011, the scenario would require weather patterns similar to those seen in 2004, when 844 tornadoes were reported between July 11 and Dec. 31 of that year. Tornadoes from Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne, as well as two major severe weather outbreaks that fall, led to the surge of tornado reports in the second half of 2004.  

The peak of hurricane season activity typically arrives in mid-August and could spin up more tornado threats this summer and fall.  

AccuWeather expert meteorologists warned of an “explosive” season when the 2024 U.S. Hurricane Forecast was first issued in March. AccuWeather is forecasting 20-25 named storms and four to six direct impacts on the United States this year. 

Storm chasing grows in popularity, but safety must remain the top priority 

The 1996 release of Twisters put storm chasers in the spotlight, and interest in storm chasing and meteorology continues to grow with the popularity of social media and livestreaming.  

“Extreme weather in the United States can be extremely visual, but it can also be challenging to capture. Professional storm chasers know how to safely approach severe weather threats while documenting their development,” said AccuWeather Director of Programming and Content Operations, Trish Mikita. “Videos and photos of extreme weather events captured by professional storm chasers can help meteorologists and broadcasters clearly relay safety threats to the public. People are much more likely to take action and treat severe weather warnings seriously if they can see visuals of the impacts in real-time.” 

But storm chasing is an activity that should be left to experienced professionals. AccuWeather Multimedia Journalist and Meteorologist Tony Laubach has documented 19 tornadoes and has logged more than 19,000 miles on the road so far this year. In his entire professional storm-chasing career since 2002, Tony has documented 431 tornadoes and has driven more than 500,000 miles across America while chasing and covering storms.  
 

"Storm chasing in real life is quite different from what you see in the movies. There is a lot of driving, a lot of forecasting, then a lot more driving.  And it takes a lot of patience to get into the right position to safely document a supercell that could produce a tornado at any moment,” said Laubach. “It is incredible to witness the power of extreme weather up close, but not too close, and to help warn the public when a dangerous storm is approaching, but it’s crucial that storm chasers respect Mother Nature. Safety always has to be the top priority on the road. That includes having a reliable, capable vehicle, making sure you have plenty of gas, but most importantly, giving the storm enough space to allow you to change routes and escape quickly in case the storm does something unexpected.” 

As technology and live video capabilities continue to advance amid a surge of interest in storm chasing and meteorology, AccuWeather expert meteorologists and leaders say safety must remain the top priority.   

“Our professional storm chasers have years of experience and have witnessed the formation of hundreds of tornadoes and other severe weather threats. That ground-truth reporting is invaluable when it comes to public safety. Expert meteorologists use radar, satellite, and other types of data to detect many severe weather threats, but a tornado that is visually confirmed and reported by a professional storm chaser or trained storm spotter can provide valuable additional information to meteorologists issuing weather warnings,” said Mikita. “We are grateful for the hard work and dedication of professional storm chasers to help document extreme weather across the country, providing unique visuals to showcase the impacts of severe weather, and providing valuable additional information to meteorologists that are issuing severe weather warnings to the public.” 

AccuWeather Forecast Graphics

Additional AccuWeather Resources:

‘Tornado alley’ has been expanding over the past 50 years, new study finds   

The science behind how tornadoes form   

10 tornado facts you might not know  

6 life-threatening tornado myths debunked    

Identifying nature’s dangerous whirlwinds: A guide to 5 types of tornadoes   

What day is the peak of tornado season? 

Tornado machine: Beryl may end up the most prolific tornado-producing hurricane 

Hyperactive tornado year continues after near-record May   

1,000 tornado reports: Worst year for twisters since 2011