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A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that extends from a thunderstorm and comes into contact with the ground, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). In an average year about 1,000 tornadoes are reported nationwide, according to NOAA. Tornado intensity is measured by the enhanced Fujita (EF) scale. The scale rates tornadoes on a scale of 0 through 5, based on the amount and type of wind damage. It incorporates 28 different damage indicators, based on damage to a wide variety of structures ranging from trees to shopping malls.
The U.S. experiences more tornadoes than any other country in the world, according to a 2013 report by Lloyd’s of London. (See Executive Summary, page 4 of Tornadoes a Rising Risk? for additional findings and statistics.)
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(1) Original scale: wind speeds represent fastest estimated speeds over one quarter of a mile.
(2) Enhanced scale: wind speeds represent maximum 3-second gusts.
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
2020 Tornadoes: By mid-December 2020 there were 1,218 tornadoes compared with 1,520 in 2019, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). In 2020 about 78 people perished in tornadoes compared with 41 in 2019. On April 12 and 13, 32 people perished in tornadoes in Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee. Those tornadoes were part of a larger convective storm system that affected the Plains, Midwest and Mid-Atlantic states from April 8 to April 12 and caused at least $3 billion in insured losses, according to Aon. On March 2 and 3, 24 people were killed in tornadoes in central Tennessee, including the city of Nashville. Tornado deaths in 2020 are the highest since 2011, when 553 people were killed in 1,691 tornadoes.
2019 Tornadoes: The number of tornadoes rose to 1,520 in 2019 from 1,126 in 2018, according to NOAA. The 2019 total was the highest since 2011, when there were 1,691 tornadoes. There were 41 direct fatalities from tornadoes in 2019, compared with 10 in 2018, according to NOAA. May was the top month for tornadoes in 2019, with 506 twisters, including two systems occurring May 26 to May 30 that resulted in $3.2 billion and $3.7 billion in insured losses, according to Aon. March was the deadliest month in 2019—on March 3 an F4 tornado struck Alabama and killed twenty-three people and left a half-mile wide path of destruction. The March 3 tornado storm system was the deadliest outbreak in the United States since a system in Arkansas and Mississippi in April 2014 killed 35 people. In 2019 U.S tornadoes and thunderstorms caused $20.3 billion in insured losses, according to Munich RE, up from $14.1 billion in 2018.
Convective storms are the most common and damaging natural catastrophes in the United States, according to the Insurance Information Institute’s May 2020 white paper, Severe convective storms. According to catastrophe modeling company RMS, insured losses in the United States from these storms average about $17 billion on average each year, nearly equal to the losses incurred by hurricanes. While scientists cannot say that these storms are increasing, it is clear that the losses are increasing, as a result of population growth and economic development. In addition, the geography, frequency and intensity of these storms also may be changing. According to Aon, there were 14 separate billion-dollar economic, or total loss severe convective events in 2020. The most expensive included the August 10 Midwest derecho, or straight lines winds.
The United States experiences more tornadoes than any other country. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration notes that tornadoes can happen any time of year. The costliest U.S. catastrophe involving tornadoes, based on insured losses, occurred in April 2011. It hit Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and other areas, and cost $8.4 billion in insured damages (in 2019 dollars). The second costliest catastrophe involving tornadoes, based on insured losses, struck Joplin, Missouri, and other locations in May 2011. The catastrophe cost $7.9 billion in insured losses in 2019 dollars. (See chart below.) The National Weather Service posts updated information on tornadoes.
Convective storms are the result of warm, moist air rising from the earth, and depending on atmospheric conditions, may develop into tornadoes, hail, thunderstorms with lightning, or straight-line winds. Convective storms are the most common and damaging natural catastrophes in the United States, according to the Triple-I’s May 2020 white paper, Severe convective storms. According to catastrophe modeling company RMS, insured losses in the United States from these storms average about $17 billion each year, nearly equal to the losses incurred by hurricanes. While scientists cannot say that these storms are increasing, it is clear that the losses are increasing, as a result of population growth and economic development. In addition, the geography, frequency and intensity of these storms also may be changing.
According to Aon, there were 14 separate billion-dollar economic, or total loss, severe convective events in 2020. The most expensive included the August 10 Midwest derecho (straight line winds).
(Based on perils; US$ millions)
Source: © 2020 Munich Re, NatCatSERVICE; Property Claim Services (PCS®)*, a Verisk Analytics® business. As of June 2020.
(1) Excludes Puerto Rico. A tornado that crosses state lines is counted as a single event in this chart.
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Storm Prediction Center, National Weather Service.
The following chart shows the top 10 catastrophes involving tornadoes. It counts severe convective storms that are insured thunderstorms and may include tornadoes and other perils such as straight-line winds (derechos) and hail. The August 10, 2020 Midwest Derecho, which is not included in the chart, would rank as the third-costliest insured severe convective storm event on record for the U.S.
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(1) Tornadoes that cross state lines are counted in every state in which they touch down.
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Storm Prediction Center, National Weather Service.
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(1) Ranked by total number of tornadoes.
(2) States with the same number of tornadoes receive the same ranking.
(3) State had no tornadoes in 2019.
(4) The U.S. total will not match data used in other charts because it counts tornadoes that cross state lines.
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Storm Prediction Center, National Weather Service.
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(1) Excludes Puerto Rico. A tornado that crosses state lines counts as one event.
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Storm Prediction Center, National Weather Service.
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service.
(Overall and insured losses)
Source: © 2019 Munich Re, Geo Risks Research, NatCatSERVICE. As of March 2019.