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Tornadoes risk by state

Tornadoes can strike with little warning, producing winds over 200 mph that destroy homes in seconds.

Tornadoes can strike with little warning, producing winds over 200 mph that destroy homes in seconds.

How to prepare your home

  • Identify a safe room: a basement or interior room on the lowest floor without windows.
  • Consider installing an engineered storm shelter or safe room.
  • Sign up for local emergency alerts and keep a NOAA weather radio.
  • Practice tornado drills with everyone in your household.
  • Anchor manufactured homes and know where the nearest sturdy shelter is.

Official sources

All states ranked by tornadoes risk

Alabama Alabama faces very high tornado risk, rated 5 out of 5, with peak activity in spring and fall. Tornadoes here… Very High Arkansas Arkansas has a level 5 tornado risk, the highest rating from FEMA. Tornadoes occur year-round but peak in… Very High Kansas Kansas is one of the highest-risk states for tornadoes in the United States, rated level 5 out of 5.… Very High Mississippi Mississippi faces the highest tornado risk level in the United States, with a level 5 rating from FEMA. The… Very High Missouri Missouri faces one of the highest tornado risks in the United States. Its location in the central United… Very High Nebraska Nebraska sits in the heart of Tornado Alley, with a high risk of tornadoes throughout the state. Tornadoes… Very High Oklahoma Oklahoma is one of the most tornado-prone states in the U.S., rated level 5 of 5 for tornado risk. Its… Very High Texas Texas faces the highest tornado risk in the United States, with an average of over 100 tornadoes reported… Very High Georgia Georgia faces a significant tornado risk, rated level 4 out of 5, with peak activity in spring and often at… High Illinois Illinois has a high risk of tornadoes, with severe storms possible across the state, especially from April… High Indiana Indiana has a significant tornado risk, rated level 4 out of 5. Tornadoes occur here mainly in spring and… High Iowa Iowa is one of the most tornado-prone states in the U.S., with a peak season in spring and early summer.… High Kentucky Kentucky faces a high risk of tornadoes, ranked level 4 of 5. Tornadoes here can occur year-round, but peak… High South Dakota South Dakota is at a significant risk for tornadoes, with the eastern plains particularly vulnerable during… High Tennessee Tennessee has a high tornado risk, with tornadoes occurring year-round but especially in spring and fall. The… High Colorado Colorado experiences a moderate level of tornado risk, rated 3 out of 5. The greatest threat occurs on the… Moderate Florida Florida experiences tornadoes year-round, with peak activity in spring and summer. Although the state is… Moderate Louisiana Louisiana is rated a level 3 of 5 for tornado risk, meaning tornadoes are a significant hazard. Tornadoes can… Moderate Michigan Michigan has a moderate (Level 3 of 5) tornado risk, with most tornadoes occurring in the southern Lower… Moderate Minnesota Minnesota faces a moderate risk of tornadoes each year, with the highest threat from late spring through… Moderate North Carolina North Carolina is rated level 3 of 5 for tornado risk, meaning a moderate hazard exists across the state,… Moderate North Dakota North Dakota faces a moderate risk of tornadoes (level 3 of 5), with the highest activity in the eastern half… Moderate Ohio Ohio is rated level 3 of 5 for tornado risk, meaning a moderate but real hazard. Tornadoes most often strike… Moderate South Carolina South Carolina has a moderate tornado risk, rated level 3 of 5. Tornadoes can occur statewide, with peaks in… Moderate Wisconsin Wisconsin faces a moderate (level 3 of 5) tornado risk, with the highest activity in the southern and central… Moderate Connecticut Connecticut has a relatively low tornado risk, rated level 2 out of 5 by FEMA's National Risk Index. Most… Low Delaware Tornadoes are possible in Delaware, but the state has a relatively low (Level 2 of 5) tornado risk compared… Low District of Columbia The District of Columbia has a low but real tornado risk, rated level 2 out of 5. Tornadoes are rare but… Low Maryland Maryland has a moderate risk of tornadoes, rated Level 2 of 5. While most tornadoes in the state are… Low Massachusetts Tornadoes in Massachusetts are uncommon but possible, with the state rated Level 2 of 5 for tornado risk.… Low New Jersey New Jersey experiences tornadoes, though less often and less intense than in the central U.S. The state's… Low New York New York has a moderate tornado risk (level 2 of 5); tornadoes are possible but less frequent than in the… Low Pennsylvania Pennsylvania faces a moderate (level 2 of 5) tornado risk, with most tornadoes occurring in spring and summer… Low Virginia Virginia faces a moderate tornado risk, with most tornadoes being weak but still capable of causing damage.… Low West Virginia West Virginia has a relatively low but real tornado risk, rated 2 out of 5. Tornadoes here are most common in… Low Wyoming Wyoming experiences a moderate but real risk of tornadoes, rated level 2 on a 5-point scale. Most tornadoes… Low Alaska Alaska has the lowest tornado risk rating of any U.S. state, a Level 1 out of 5, meaning tornadoes are… Very Low Arizona Tornadoes are rare in Arizona, and the state is rated Level 1 of 5 for tornado hazard by FEMA. Most Arizona… Very Low California California has a low risk of tornadoes (level 1 out of 5), but they do occur, especially in the Central… Very Low Hawaii Hawaii has a very low tornado risk, rated Level 1 of 5 by FEMA's National Risk Index. Tornadoes are rare and… Very Low Idaho Tornadoes in Idaho are relatively rare compared to the central United States. The state receives a level 1… Very Low Maine Maine has a low but real risk of tornadoes, rated Level 1 of 5 on the FEMA National Risk Index. Most… Very Low Montana Montana has a low but real risk of tornadoes, rated level 1 out of 5. Most tornadoes occur in the eastern… Very Low Nevada Tornadoes are rare in Nevada, but they can happen, especially during spring and late-summer thunderstorms.… Very Low New Hampshire New Hampshire has a level 1 (very low) tornado risk, meaning tornadoes are rare but not impossible. When they… Very Low New Mexico New Mexico has a relatively low risk of tornadoes compared to the central United States, rated Level 1 of 5.… Very Low Oregon Oregon has a low tornado risk, rated Level 1 of 5, with rare and typically weak tornadoes. While most events… Very Low Rhode Island Rhode Island has a very low tornado risk, rated level 1 of 5. Tornadoes are rare but possible, usually weak… Very Low Utah Utah has a low tornado risk, rated 1 out of 5, but tornadoes do occur and have touched down in the state.… Very Low Vermont Tornadoes are rare in Vermont, rated Level 1 of 5 on FEMA's National Risk Index, indicating very low risk.… Very Low Washington Washington has a low risk of tornadoes, rated level 1 out of 5, but they do occur a few times each year. Most… Very Low

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