Hurricanes played big role in worst tornado season since 2011

May outbreaks and hurricane-spawned tornadoes have helped make the 2024 tornado season the worst tornado season in 13 years.

It's been a big year for tornadoes in the United States, and the secondary severe weather season is adding to the total this week, with more than two dozen tornado reports. As of Nov. 3, the United States had recorded 1,732 tornadoes, according to NOAA's Storm Prediction Center's preliminary tornado reports, a number far above the 14-year mean of 1,355.

Although 2024's tornado number has been the largest since 2011, it's unlikely to exceed that blockbuster year. By the end of October 2011, the U.S. had racked up 500 more tornadoes than this year's number and would ultimately reach 2,250 for the year.

An active May in Tornado Alley pushed 2024 above normal

After a slow start to the year, tornado outbreaks during May pushed 2024 above normal.

For the second year in a row, the highest tornado counts have returned to the "classic" Tornado Alley. Texas has the country's largest tornado count this year, with over 150 twisters touching the ground. Due to its size and location in a tornado-prone part of the country, Texas is often number one, and tornadoes from Hurricane Beryl helped secure that first-place spot in 2024.

The second-highest state number is 131, in both Nebraska and Iowa. Illinois comes in next with 126 confirmed tornadoes.

3 surprising state tornado numbers

There were a few state surprises this year. Florida, which rounds out the top five, was one. Florida's number is unusually high due to tornado reports during Hurricane Milton, which spawned more than twice the daily record of twisters.

Ohio, with 81 preliminary tornado reports, experienced multiple tornado outbreaks on Feb. 27, March 14, April 2 and May 7. Although not ranking in the top 10 reports by state, New York also had an unusually active tornado year, with 32 tornado reports versus only 10 in 2023. Both states' numbers are likely yearly records, but final numbers won't be in until next year.

Hurricanes contributed significantly this season

Part of the story of the 2024 tornado season has been plentiful tornadoes spawned from hurricanes. Hurricane Beryl, Hurricane Debby, Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton caused a combined 178 twisters.

Although that sounds like a lot, two years since 1995 have delivered more hurricane-spawned twisters: 2004 with 317 and 2005 with 237 tornadoes. You may recall that 2004 was the year that four hurricanes hit Florida, while 2005 was the season with the most named storms on record, including the infamous Katrina, Rita and Wilma.

What about tornado warnings?

Unsurprisingly, the number of tornado warnings issued by the National Weather Service, 3,404, is also the highest since 2011. Florida, Oklahoma, Ohio and New York have had more tornado warnings issued this year than any year on record (since 2002), the Iowa Environmental Mesonet says.

The only states that didn't report any tornadoes this year were Nevada, Vermont and Maine.

Compared to 2023

The 2023 tornado season map looked slightly different, with Illinois taking the number-one spot with 118 tornadoes and Colorado having 88 at number two. Illinois, Colorado, Texas, Iowa and Alabama were the 2023 tornado season favorites. Utah, West Virginia and Maine were devoid of tornadoes in 2023.

What's the forecast?

After two dozen tornado reports over the last week, the question is, what's left of the secondary severe weather season? AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Expert Paul Pastelok says that severe weather is still possible over the next two weeks, but we're running out of time as the storms are getting farther north, disconnecting from Gulf of Mexico moisture. That may mean fewer tornadoes than recently, but high winds and large hail could still be a problem.

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