U.S. Tornado Count in 2016 Slightly Below the Annual Average

The year of 2016, there were a total of 1,059 tornadoes across the U.S. (with the month of May, 2016 having some of the more photogenic tornadoes). How does this compare to other years? According to the 2005-2015 tornado climatology, there was an average of 1,402 tornadoes across the nation. Tornado activity for 2016 was below the 2005-2015 average. 

Each year, there are about ~100,000 thunderstorms that occur in the United States. Of these ~100,000 storms, only about 10.0%, or ~10,000 thunderstorms, reach severe limits (≥58mph winds; ≥1.0″ diameter hail). Within these ~10,000 severe thunderstorms each year in the U.S., about ~1,000 of them produce tornadoes, according to tornado records dating back to the 1950s.

Tornadoes were reported each month in 2016. The most active months for tornadoes were May, April, and August, respectively; with more tornadoes occurring in May than any other month. All but 7 states had tornadoes, and the states that did not have reported tornadoes were: Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Nevada, Rhode Island, and Vermont, and The District of Columbia. Below is a chart that shows the number of tornadoes per month, in addition to the number of severe hail (≥1.0″ diameter) and severe wind (≥58mph) reports per month.

Severe and Tornado Reports by Month

*Tornado numbers are preliminary and are subject to change via NOAA SPC

Out of the 1,059 total tornadoes in 2016, there were only two violent tornadoes (EF-4+ intensity on the Enhanced Fujita Scale). Both of these violent tornadoes were surveyed to be EF-4 rated (winds of 166-200mph). There has not been an EF-5 (>200mph) rated tornado since Moore, Oklahoma, EF-5 tornado on May 20th, 2013.

The first violent tornado of 2016 occurred on May 9th, 2016, near Katie, Oklahoma. According to the damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma; the EF-4 tornado had estimated winds of 166-175mph. 

The second EF-4 tornado to occurred 16 days later on May 25th near Solomon and Chapman, Kansas. This was a long-track tornado that had a life time of 90 minutes, and moved 26 miles across north-central Kansas. A brick-framed home was completely destroyed and several meters of railroad tracks were bent by the tornado. Winds within the tornado were estimated by National Weather Service damage surveys to be 180mph. 

Below is a chart that depicts the top-10 active tornado days for 2016. Note that it is exclusive of the intensity of tornadoes; rather, the number of tornadoes that occurred in one day.

Top 10 Active Tornado Days in 2016

Rank	Date	Number of Tornadoes
1	2/23/16	52
2	11/29/16	45
3	8/24/16	35
4	4/26/16	34
5	5/24/16	33
6	5/22/16	32
7	5/09/16	31
8	2/15/16	29
9	2/24/16	27
10	6/22/16	26

*Tornado numbers are preliminary and are subject to change via NOAA SPC

As mentioned above, all but 7 states experienced tornadoes this past year. Tornadoes can, and do, occur outside of the traditional Tornado Alley across the Great Plains, as well as Dixie Alley, the “second” Tornado Alley across portions of the Deep South.

Number of Tornadoes per state in 2016

State	# Tornadoes	State	# Tornadoes
Alabama	57	Nebraska	47
Arizona	3	New Hampshire	2
Arkansas	23	New Jersey	2
California	7	New Mexico	3
Colorado	45	New York	1
Florida	48	North Carolina	16
Georgia	27	North Dakota	32
Idaho	1	Ohio	31
Illinois	50	Oklahoma	55
Indiana	40	Oregon	4
Iowa	46	Pennsylvania	9
Kansas	99	South Carolina	3
Kentucky	32	South Dakota	16
Louisiana	31	Tennessee	11
Maine	2	Texas	90
Maryland	2	Utah	3
Massachusetts	2	Virginia	12
Michigan	15	Washington	6
Minnesota	44	West Virginia	6
Mississippi	67	Wisconsin	11
Missouri	23	Wyoming	1
Montana	4

State	# Tornadoes
Alabama	87
Arizona	3
Arkansas	23
California	7
Colorado	45
Florida	48
Georgia	27
Idaho	1
Illinois	50
Indiana	40
Iowa	46
Kansas	99
Kentucky	32
Louisiana	31
Maine	2
Maryland	2
Massachusetts	2
Michigan	15
Minnesota	44
Mississippi	67
Missouri	23
Montana	4
Nebraska	47
New Hampshire	2
New Jersey	2
New Mexico	3
New York	1
North Carolina	16
North Dakota	32
Ohio	31
Oklahoma	55
Oregon	4
Pennsylvania	9
South Carolina	3
South Dakota	16
Tennessee	11
Texas	90
Utah	3
Virginia	12
Washington	6
West Virginia	6
Wisconsin	11
Wyoming	1

*Tornado numbers are preliminary and are subject to change via NOAA SPC

One of the more memorable days from the 2016 convective season, as agreed upon among those throughout the weather enterprise, was the outbreak of tornadoes in western Kansas on May 24th. A supercell near Dodge City, Kansas, produced 13 highly visible tornadoes, including a long-track tornado that had a damage path surveyed at 17 miles in length, and was rated as an EF-3. Other supercells produced tornadoes across the western part of the State of Kansas as well, with 33 tornadoes occurring on May 24th. 

References

Annual Severe Weather Report Summary (2016), NOAA Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved from: http://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/online/monthly/2016_annual_summary.html

NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory, Thunderstorm Basics: Severe Weather 101. Retrieved from: http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/education/svrwx101/thunderstorms/