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When Is Tornado Season? Month-by-Month Tornado Numbers in the U.S.

By Twisters.us · Updated · How we count

Tornadoes can happen in any month, but most come in spring and early summer. The numbers, month by month, from NOAA’s database.

May has had the most U.S. tornadoes since 1950 (15,753), followed by June and April. December and January have the fewest, but they are far from zero.

The season moves north

  • Gulf Coast and the Southeast: February to May, with a second season from November to December.
  • Southern Plains (Texas, Oklahoma): April to June.
  • Central and northern Plains and the Midwest: May to July.
  • Northern states: June and July.

Open your state page to see its own month-by-month chart.

Time of day

Most tornadoes form in the late afternoon and evening, when the day’s heat has built up the most energy. Nighttime tornadoes are less common but more dangerous, because people are asleep and harder to warn. Keep a weather radio or phone alerts on overnight during stormy weather.

Sources

Sources last checked 1 November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What month has the most tornadoes?

May, followed by June and April, from 1950 to 2024.

Can tornadoes happen in winter?

Yes, especially in the South. December 10, 2021 brought a long-track EF4 through western Kentucky.

What time of day do most tornadoes occur?

Late afternoon and evening, roughly 3 pm to 9 pm local time.

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