Louisiana recorded 2,421 tornadoes from 1950 through 2024, an average of 32 a year, in NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center database. They killed 179 people. The busiest year was 2024, with 96.
Tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950: none under 10 10 to 25 25 to 50 50 to 75 75 to 100 over 100. Tap a county for its history.
Tornadoes by year
The rise since the 1990s is mostly better detection of weak tornadoes, not a jump in strong ones.
Tornado season in Louisiana
April is the peak, with 450 tornadoes since 1950 (19% of the total).
How strong
| Rating | Estimated 3-second gust | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| F0 / EF0 | Light damage: 65 to 85 mph (EF scale) | 739 |
| F1 / EF1 | Moderate: 86 to 110 mph | 1,180 |
| F2 / EF2 | Considerable: 111 to 135 mph | 367 |
| F3 / EF3 | Severe: 136 to 165 mph | 105 |
| F4 / EF4 | Devastating: 166 to 200 mph | 8 |
| F5 / EF5 | Incredible: over 200 mph | 1 |
| EF-U | Unknown: no damage to rate (mostly since 2016) | 21 |
Louisiana has had 1 F5 or EF5 tornado, the top of the scale.
The deadliest tornadoes in Louisiana
| Date | Rating | Deaths in Louisiana | Counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 3, 1964 | F4 | 22 | Lafourche Parish |
| February 12, 1950 | F4 | 18 | Bossier Parish, Caddo Parish, De Soto Parish, Webster Parish |
| February 21, 1971 | F5 | 11 | East Carroll Parish, Madison Parish |
| December 3, 1953 | F4 | 9 | Grant Parish, LaSalle Parish, Rapides Parish, Vernon Parish |
| April 3, 1999 | F4 | 7 | Bossier Parish, Caddo Parish |
| February 12, 1950 | F2 | 5 | Bossier Parish, Caddo Parish, De Soto Parish, Red River Parish |
| February 12, 1950 | F3 | 5 | Bienville Parish, Claiborne Parish, Natchitoches Parish, Red River Parish, Sabine Parish |
| September 12, 1961 | F3 | 5 | Jackson Parish |
| April 4, 1952 | F2 | 4 | St. Landry Parish, St. Martin Parish |
| November 7, 1957 | F3 | 4 | Acadia Parish, St. Landry Parish |
Counties with the most tornadoes
| County | Tornadoes since 1950 | Per 1,000 sq mi | Strongest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calcasieu Parish | 112 | 102 | F3 |
| Caddo Parish | 107 | 114 | F4 |
| Acadia Parish | 88 | 134 | EF3 |
| Rapides Parish | 81 | 59 | F4 |
| De Soto Parish | 77 | 86 | F4 |
| Bossier Parish | 74 | 86 | F4 |
| St. Landry Parish | 70 | 74 | EF3 |
| Cameron Parish | 68 | 41 | EF3 |
| Tangipahoa Parish | 67 | 79 | F3 |
| Natchitoches Parish | 66 | 51 | F3 |
| St. Tammany Parish | 65 | 60 | EF3 |
| Jefferson Parish | 63 | 111 | EF3 |
| Beauregard Parish | 62 | 53 | EF3 |
| Webster Parish | 61 | 99 | F4 |
| Vermilion Parish | 61 | 47 | F3 |
Big counties collect more tornadoes simply because they are big. By area, the most tornado-dense counties are Lafayette Parish (160 per 1,000 sq mi), Acadia Parish (134 per 1,000 sq mi), Caddo Parish (114 per 1,000 sq mi), Jefferson Parish (111 per 1,000 sq mi), Calcasieu Parish (102 per 1,000 sq mi).
Every county in Louisiana
Staying safe
When a tornado warning is issued, act at once. Go to a basement, storm shelter or safe room. With none, use a small windowless room on the lowest floor, as far from outside walls as you can, and cover your head and neck. Mobile homes and cars are not safe places to ride out a tornado: leave early for a sturdy building or shelter. Read the full tornado safety guide and the National Weather Service advice linked below.
Sources
- NOAA Storm Prediction Center: Severe Weather Database, tornadoes 1950 to 2024 (public domain)
- NOAA Storm Prediction Center: The Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF scale)
- National Weather Service: Tornado safety
Sources last checked 1 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How many tornadoes does Louisiana get a year?
About 32 on average from 1950 to 2024; recent years run higher because weak tornadoes are better detected.
When is tornado season in Louisiana?
April has had the most. Spring is the main season, with a second, smaller peak in late fall in the South.
What was the deadliest tornado in Louisiana?
October 3, 1964: 22 deaths in Louisiana.