The U.S. is having the worst tornado season in 14 years
The United States is 386 tornado reports above historical average for this time of year, and four states lead the pack.
As we hit the halfway point of 2025, AccuWeather’s Tony Laubach breaks down the busiest states for tornadoes so far this year.
The 2025 tornado season is the most active in the United States in more than a decade, with more preliminary tornado reports by the end of June than in any year since 2011. Fueled by a series of major outbreaks this spring, four states have emerged as the hardest hit so far this year.
1,296 tornadoes in 2025, which is 338 above historical average
As of June 29, the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has logged 1,296 preliminary filtered tornado reports nationwide — 338 more than the historical average of 958. That puts 2025 ahead of every tornado season in the past decade at this point in the year, including last year, although 2024 was only nine tornado reports behind.
Four states stand out with unusually high tornado report numbers this year. Texas leads with 145 tornado reports. Illinois follows with 130 reports. Missouri comes in third with 117, and Mississippi rounds out the top four with 101 tornado reports.
The top four states have not changed since the end of April, but Texas has jumped into the lead this month. Texas typically leads the nation due to its size.
Big changes for several states versus 2024
Some states show sharp differences versus 2024. Wyoming and Oregon, both of which had dozens of tornado reports this time last year, have seen no tornadoes this year. Iowa, which reported 118 tornadoes last year through June, has only seen 16 this year.
On the other end of the spectrum, Mississippi only reported 25 tornadoes last year at this point, but has reported over 100 this season. North Dakota only notched two reports in 2024 before July; this year they have reported 34.
5 major tornado outbreaks drove the surge
Much of 2025’s activity was driven by four major tornado outbreaks in March and April, followed by more than 160 tornado reports in mid-May. No major tornado outbreaks were reported in late May or June, but reports have continued to increase steadily.
• March 14-16: 182 reports
• March 30-31: 56 reports
• April 2-3: 112 reports
• April 4-7: 56 reports
• May 15-16: 77 reports
A close-up view of the tornado that slowly swirled over western Nebraska on June 16, 2025. (Aaron Jayjack)
Counting tornadoes: What the numbers mean
The figures reported here are preliminary filtered 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.
Debris floats in a pool near a severely damaged house on May 18, 2025 in the community of Sunshine Hills outside of London, Kentucky. A tornado struck the neighborhood of Sunshine Hills just after midnight on May 17 in London, Kentucky. (Photo by Michael Swensen/Getty Images)
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 history.
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