Archive

The Worst States for Tornadoes, From Oklahoma to Illinois

Rating Ruin

Oklahoma is no stranger to tornadoes. In fact, according to a new ranking by The Daily Beast, it’s the most tornado-prone state in America. See the full list.

galleries/2013/05/21/the-worst-states-for-tornadoes-from-oklahoma-to-wisconsin/130521-tornado-states-intro_oakr82
(Clockwise from top left) Lori Mehmen/AP; Sean Gardner/Getty; Seth Perlman/AP; Tom Pennington/Getty;
galleries/2013/05/21/the-worst-states-for-tornadoes-from-oklahoma-to-wisconsin/130521-tornado-states-intro_gsubsp

For the community of Moore, Oklahoma, tornadoes are a nearly annual occurrence. Since 1950, Cleveland County has experienced 67 tornadoes, including the record-breaking twister of 1999. But it’s not just the suburban enclave of Moore that’s favored by twisters—according to national weather data analyzed by The Daily Beast, Oklahoma is the most tornado-prone state in the country.

 

Using data compiled by NOAA’s National Weather Service severe weather database files, which includes tornado reports from 1950 through the end of 2012, we calculated which states have the highest tornado incidence rates. As we did two years ago, we ranked the states based on the number of tornadoes per square mile and the average severity of tornadoes using the Fujita scale. (The tornado per square mile was weighted twice the severity level.)

(Clockwise from top left) Lori Mehmen/AP; Sean Gardner/Getty; Seth Perlman/AP; Tom Pennington/Getty;
galleries/2013/05/21/the-worst-states-for-tornadoes-from-oklahoma-to-wisconsin/130521-tornado-states-oklahoma_kl8e9e

Tornadoes per square mile: 0.051

Average intensity (scale 1 to 5): 0.99

Total fatalities: 462

Total injuries: 7,390

Photo: Moore, Oklahoma, 2013

Charlie Riedel/AP
galleries/2013/05/21/the-worst-states-for-tornadoes-from-oklahoma-to-wisconsin/130521-tornado-states-florida_ya1oc9

Tornadoes per square mile: 0.059

Average intensity (scale 1 to 5): 0.53

Total fatalities: 162

Total injuries: 3,310

Photo: Lady Lake, Florida, 2007

Joe Raedle/Getty
galleries/2013/05/21/the-worst-states-for-tornadoes-from-oklahoma-to-wisconsin/130521-tornado-states-mississippi_otmqvf

Tornadoes per square mile: 0.041

Average intensity (scale 1 to 5): 1.16

Total fatalities: 509

Total injuries: 6,647

Photo: Hattiesburg, Mississippi, 2013

Sean Gardner/Getty
galleries/2013/05/21/the-worst-states-for-tornadoes-from-oklahoma-to-wisconsin/130521-tornado-states-indiana_ulqwpm

Tornadoes per square mile: 0.037

Average intensity (scale 1 to 5): 1.21

Total fatalities: 341

Total injuries: 5,271

Photo: Henryville, Indiana, 2012 

Michael Conroy/AP
galleries/2013/05/21/the-worst-states-for-tornadoes-from-oklahoma-to-wisconsin/130521-tornado-states-louisiana_vycvh2

Tornadoes per square mile: 0.042

Average intensity (scale 1 to 5): 1.00

Total fatalities: 205

Total injuries: 3,336

Photo: New Orleans, Louisiana, 2006 

Eliot Kamenitz/Times-Picayune/Landov
galleries/2013/05/21/the-worst-states-for-tornadoes-from-oklahoma-to-wisconsin/tornado-states-alabama_lanijl

Tornadoes per square mile: 0.038

Average intensity (scale 1 to 5): 1.14

Total fatalities: 823

Total injuries: 9,285

Photo: Holt, Alabama, 2002 

Tom Pennington/Getty
galleries/2013/05/21/the-worst-states-for-tornadoes-from-oklahoma-to-wisconsin/tornado-states-kansas_b4dx3o

Tornadoes per square mile: 0.047

Average intensity (scale 1 to 5): 0.73

Total fatalities: 297

Total injuries: 3,306

Photo: Ogallah, Kansas, 2008

Charlie Riedel/AP
galleries/2013/05/21/the-worst-states-for-tornadoes-from-oklahoma-to-wisconsin/tornado-states-iowa_bmck4j

Tornadoes per square mile: 0.041

Average intensity (scale 1 to 5): 0.97

Total fatalities: 84

Total injuries: 2,258


Photo: Orchard, Iowa, 2008

Lori Mehmen/AP
galleries/2013/05/21/the-worst-states-for-tornadoes-from-oklahoma-to-wisconsin/tornado-states-arkansas_dtd3yj

Tornadoes per square mile: 0.032

Average intensity (scale 1 to 5): 1.24

Total fatalities: 384

Total injuries: 5,368

Photo: Etna, Arkansas, 2011

Joe Raedle/Getty
galleries/2013/05/21/the-worst-states-for-tornadoes-from-oklahoma-to-wisconsin/tornado-states-illinois_pnha7g

Tornadoes per square mile: 0.040

Average intensity (scale 1 to 5): 0.89

Total fatalities: 236

Total injuries: 4,719

Photo: Ridgway, Illinois, 2012

Seth Perlman/AP