ATLANTA – Georgia ranks in the top five states where people are at most risk of tornados in the United States, according to a new study.
Release:
New data reveals the states where people are most at risk of twisters in America.
The study, conducted by personal injury attorneys Gatti, Keltner, Bienvenu & Montesi, PLC, examined state-wide data as reported by the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). This included the number of tornadoes per 1,000 spare miles and the number of direct and indirect deaths, direct and indirect injuries, and tornadoes rated EF2 and above, or with wind speeds exceeding 111-135 miles per hour between January 1st 2019 and May 28th 2024. The data was then combined into an index and scaled per 100,000 people to ensure fair comparison between the states when naming the most dangerous.
Mississippi is the deadliest state for tornadoes, with a final index score of 91.77 out of 100. The state has the highest twister tally in the study, totaling 13 per 1,000 square miles, 345% above the national average. Mississippi also has the highest number of tornadoes rated EF2 or above per 100,000 people; EF2 twisters have wind speeds between 111 and 135 miles per hour, which is powerful enough to uproot large trees and tear roofs from buildings.
In second place, Arkansas saw 36 tornadoes rated EF2 or above per 100,000 people between January 2019 and May 2024, culminating in a final index score of 74.62 out of 100. The state also reported 155 injuries as a direct result of tornadoes during this timeframe, which is 125% above the national average for this metric.
Georgia ranks as the third worst state for twisters, with a final index score of 70.28 out of 100. The state saw five tornadoes per 1,000 square miles. Additionally, five deaths and four injuries per 100,000 people were indirectly related to tornadoes between January 2019 to May 2024. According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, these indirect incidents include anything from fallen trees causing motor vehicle accidents to fires started by lightning strikes.
According to the study, Alabama is the fourth deadliest state for tornadoes. The state saw nine tornadoes per 1,000 square miles from 2019 to 2024, the second-highest number in the study and 208% above the national average. Additionally, there were 79 twisters rated EF2 or above in Alabama, resulting in a final index score of 70.02 out of 100 for the state.
Table 1: The deadliest states for twisters
Rank U.S. state Tornado count (per 1000 square miles) Direct Deaths Indirect Deaths Direct Injuries Indirect Injuries Tornados EF2 or Stronger Final index score (/100) 1 Mississippi 13 39 2 428 3 96 91.77 2 Arkansas 4 6 1 155 1 36 74.62 3 Georgia 6 14 5 199 4 45 70.28 4 Alabama 9 50 0 256 6 79 70.02 5 Missouri 3 11 1 65 3 27 66.30 6 Kentucky 5 74 2 621 0 28 64.07 7 Louisiana 6 14 1 107 0 45 60.70 8 Iowa 7 8 0 21 1 56 54.58 9 South Carolina 6 8 0 101 1 27 52.62 10 Ohio 5 1 1 196 2 25 52.53
In fifth place, Missouri has a final index score of 66.30 out of 100. The study reveals that there were three tornadoes per 1,000 square miles from 2019 to 2024. Out of the total 202 tornadoes, 27 were rated EF2 or above, and therefore, capable of causing harm to residents both at home and in public.
Kentucky is the sixth deadliest state for tornadoes, with a final index score of 64.07 out of 100. Between 2019 and 2024, the state reported 74 deaths and 621 injuries as a direct result of twisters, including flash floods and thunderstorm winds rolling cars and toppling trees. These figures are 957% and 800% above the national average retrospectively.
The seventh worst state for twisters is Louisiana, with a final index score of 60.70 out of 100. Iowa follows in eighth, with 54.58 out of 100, and South Carolina in ninth, with 52.62 out of 100. Ohio is the tenth most deadly state for tornadoes, with a final index score of 52.53 out of 100, according to the study.
On the other hand, Alaska and Hawaii are tied as the safest states for tornadoes. The states recorded zero tornadoes between January 2019 and May 2024 in both states. Therefore, there are no direct or indirect deaths or injuries, and no twisters rated EF2 or above, culminating in a final index score of zero out of 100.
Table 2: The safest states for tornadoes
Rank U.S. state Tornado count (per 1000 square miles) Direct Deaths Indirect Deaths Direct Injuries Indirect Injuries Tornados EF2 or Stronger Final index score (/100) =1 Alaska 0.00 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 =1 Hawaii 0.00 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 2 Nevada 0.04 0 0 0 0 0 0.05 3 Maine 0.08 0 0 0 0 0 0.11 4 Idaho 0.12 0 0 0 0 0 0.16 5 Oregon 0.14 0 0 0 0 0 0.19 6 Washington 0.15 0 0 0 0 0 0.20 7 New Hampshire 0.53 0 0 0 0 0 0.70 8 California 0.26 0 0 2 0 1 1.73 9 Arizona 0.30 0 0 5 0 0 1.95 10 Massachusetts 1.89 0 0 0 0 0 2.49
Nevada, Maine, Idaho, and Oregon round out the top five least dangerous states for twisters. Each state has a final index score below one out of 100. California, the eighth safest state in America, is the first state to exceed this number, with a final index score of 1.73 out of 100.
Mike Montesi, Managing Partner at Gatti, Keltner, Bienvenu & Montesi, PLC has commented on the study:
“According to AccuWeather, 2024 has been the worst year for ‘severe active weather’ since 2011, with more than 1,000 tornadoes hitting the nation in the first half of the year. This study has highlighted the deadliest states for tornadoes, including an equally weighted index considering everything from twister tallies per 1,000 square miles and direct fatalities per 100,000 people in each state.
“Mississippi, Arkansas, and Georgia have been named the most dangerous. It’s interesting to note that Texas has not been named among the worst states. Despite typically seeing more tornadoes than other states, with 686 being recorded from January 2019 to May 2024, Texas is the second-largest state in the U.S. Therefore, the events taking place are more spread out per 1,000 square miles and EF2 twisters are fewer per 100,000 people.
“Tornadoes, thunderstorms, and destructive winds are forecast to take place in July 2024. It’s essential to be vigilant and stay informed on the local area’s weather conditions throughout this period. To discover more expert tips, including how to prepare and stay safe during a tornado, visit ready.gov/tornadoes for more information.”
