Worst tornado season since 2011, two states top the list
The 2025 tornado season has been the worst since 2011, with most of the tornadoes tracking through two states.
A confirmed tornado touched down in Bangor, Pennsylvania, on May 6, as severe storms blew through the Northeast.
The 2025 tornado season in the United States is shaping up to be the most active in over a decade, with more tornadoes reported by early May than in any year since 2011. Fueled by a series of major outbreaks in March and April, two states have emerged as the hardest-hit so far this year.
Over 700 tornadoes in 2025, 205 above normal
As of May 5, the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has logged 724 preliminary tornado reports nationwide—205 more than the historical average of 519. That puts 2025 well ahead of every tornado season in the past decade at this point in the year, including last year.
Two states stand out with unusually high tornado reports: Mississippi, which leads with 96 tornado reports through early May. Illinois follows with 82 reports, more than doubling its 2024 pace.
Rounding out the top 5 are Missouri with 78, Texas with 74 and Alabama with 49.
Compared to last year
These numbers mark a major regional shift in tornado activity, especially compared to the year-to-date count from 2024, when the top state was Iowa with 59, followed by Nebraska and Kansas with 43, Ohio with 43 and Missouri and Texas with 35.
Big jumps and big drops
Some states have recorded sharp increases in tornadoes. Mississippi’s count has jumped from 7 to 96 tornado reports. Illinois nearly tripled its tally compared to early 2024.
Other states have had dramatic declines. Florida, which had 34 tornadoes by the end of April last year, has recorded just five so far in 2025. In Nebraska, ranked number two as a top state in 2024, its report count dropped from 47 to just four.
A tornado spotted in Potosi, Missouri, on the afternoon of April 1, 2025. (Ashley Bleckler-Akers)
Four major tornado outbreaks drove the surge
As AccuWeather predicted, the bulk of the tornadic activity has been east of classic Tornado Alley so far in 2025, with the exception of Texas, though that typically changes throughout May.
Much of 2025’s activity has been driven by four major tornado outbreaks in March and April:
• March 14-16: 182 reports
• March 30-31: 56 reports
• April 2-3: 112 reports
• April 4-7: 56 reports
Damage is seen inside of the Harmony Hills trailer park on March 15, 2025, in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Many homes throughout Harmony Hills were damaged by the severe weather on Friday night that left one person dead in Butler County, Missouri. (Photo by Brad Vest/Getty Images)
Counting tornadoes: What the numbers mean
The figures reported here are preliminary tornado reports submitted to the SPC. These numbers reflect all reported tornado sightings but are subject to change. Multiple sightings may be merged into one tornado track, while damage surveys may uncover previously unknown twisters. Tornadoes that cross state lines are counted only in the state where their tracks began. Final numbers—based on official ground surveys conducted by NOAA—are typically released more than a year after the season ends.
Still, the preliminary totals show that 2025 is not only active but significantly above the historical average—and on track to rival some of the most intense seasons in recent history.
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