One of the deadliest and most destructive tornado outbreaks impacted eight states on the night of Dec. 10, 2021. At least 90 people have been confirmed dead after more than 50 tornadoes were reported in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, and Tennessee.
Kentucky appears to be the hardest hit state. At least 64 people were confirmed dead and over 100 more were unaccounted for as of Dec. 13. The tornadoes also destroyed more than 1,000 homes in the state. With the most recent outbreak, 2021 will go down as one of the deadliest and destructive years due to tornadoes in recent U.S. history.
To determine the number of tornadoes that hit the U.S. each year, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Storm Prediction Center on the number of recorded tornadoes and resulting fatalities each year beginning in 1950.
The five years with the most tornadoes since 1950 were all in the last two decades. There have only been 13 recorded years with over 1,200 tornadoes, all of which in the last 30 years.
These increasing figures may be the result of advancing detection technology and more people spotting tornadoes and reporting them than in earlier decades. Unlike with hurricane seasons, there is no effective way to forecast the severity of a tornado season ahead of time.
Though tornadoes can occur at any time of the year, they occur more frequently during the spring and summer, and most often in the area between North Texas and South Dakota known as Tornado Alley. These are the states with the most tornadoes.
Click here to see how many tornadoes hit the U.S. each year since 1950.
1950
> Recorded tornadoes: 201 (Rank: 71st out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 70 (Rank: 25th out of 71 years)
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Source: Courtesy of the Collection of Captain Ray Tryon, USC&GS; (dec) / NOAA
1951
> Recorded tornadoes: 260 (Rank: 69th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 34 (Rank: 58th out of 71 years)
Source: Courtesy of NOAA
1952
> Recorded tornadoes: 240 (Rank: 70th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 231 (Rank: 5th out of 71 years)
1953
> Recorded tornadoes: 422 (Rank: 68th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 519 (Rank: 2nd out of 71 years)
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Source: Public Domain / NOAA
1954
> Recorded tornadoes: 550 (Rank: 65th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 36 (Rank: 54th out of 71 years)
1955
> Recorded tornadoes: 591 (Rank: 62nd out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 129 (Rank: 10th out of 71 years)
Source: Courtesy of NOAA
1956
> Recorded tornadoes: 504 (Rank: 66th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 83 (Rank: 20th out of 71 years)
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Source: Keystone / Hulton Archive via Getty Images
1957
> Recorded tornadoes: 857 (Rank: 44th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 193 (Rank: 6th out of 71 years)
Source: Keystone / Hulton Archive via Getty Images
1958
> Recorded tornadoes: 564 (Rank: 64th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 67 (Rank: 28th out of 71 years)
Source: Bert Hoyt / Hulton Archive via Getty Images
1959
> Recorded tornadoes: 602 (Rank: 61st out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 58 (Rank: 34th out of 71 years)
Source: Courtesy of NOAA
1960
> Recorded tornadoes: 616 (Rank: 59th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 46 (Rank: 44th out of 71 years)
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Source: Courtesy of Photographer Mr. Leo Ainsworth via NOAA
1961
> Recorded tornadoes: 698 (Rank: 53rd out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 52 (Rank: 40th out of 71 years)
1962
> Recorded tornadoes: 656 (Rank: 57th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 30 (Rank: 64th out of 71 years)
Source: Courtesy of NOAA Photo Library, NOAA Central Library; OAR/ERL/National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL)
1963
> Recorded tornadoes: 462 (Rank: 67th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 31 (Rank: 63rd out of 71 years)
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Source: Courtesy of NOAA
1964
> Recorded tornadoes: 706 (Rank: 51st out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 73 (Rank: 23rd out of 71 years)
Source: Paul Huffman / NOAA
1965
> Recorded tornadoes: 900 (Rank: 38th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 301 (Rank: 4th out of 71 years)
1966
> Recorded tornadoes: 585 (Rank: 63rd out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 98 (Rank: 15th out of 71 years)
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Source: Public Domain / NWS St. Louis / weather.gov
1967
> Recorded tornadoes: 927 (Rank: 34th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 114 (Rank: 13th out of 71 years)
Source: Courtesy of NOAA Photo Library, NOAA Central Library; OAR/ERL/National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL)
1968
> Recorded tornadoes: 661 (Rank: 55th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 131 (Rank: 8th out of 71 years)
Source: Creative Commons / Wikimedia Commons
1969
> Recorded tornadoes: 607 (Rank: 60th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 66 (Rank: 30th out of 71 years)
Source: National Weather Service / Public Domain
1970
> Recorded tornadoes: 654 (Rank: 58th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 73 (Rank: 23th out of 71 years)
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Source: Comstock / Getty Images
1971
> Recorded tornadoes: 888 (Rank: 39th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 159 (Rank: 7th out of 71 years)
Source: Courtesy of NOAA Photo Library, NOAA Central Library; OAR/ERL/National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL)
1972
> Recorded tornadoes: 740 (Rank: 50th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 34 (Rank: 58th out of 71 years)
Source: NOAA / Handout / Hulton Archive / Getty Images
1973
> Recorded tornadoes: 1,104 (Rank: 23rd out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 89 (Rank: 18th out of 71 years)
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1974
> Recorded tornadoes: 951 (Rank: 30th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 366 (Rank: 3rd out of 71 years)
Source: Public Domain / NOAA
1975
> Recorded tornadoes: 918 (Rank: 35th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 60 (Rank: 32nd out of 71 years)
Source: Courtesy of NOAA Photo Library, NOAA Central Library; OAR/ERL/National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL)
1976
> Recorded tornadoes: 837 (Rank: 46th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 44 (Rank: 46th out of 71 years)
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Source: NOAA / Hulton Archive via Getty Images
1977
> Recorded tornadoes: 854 (Rank: 45th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 43 (Rank: 47th out of 71 years)
Source: Courtesy of NOAA Photo Library, NOAA Central Library; OAR/ERL/National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL)
1978
> Recorded tornadoes: 789 (Rank: 47th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 53 (Rank: 38th out of 71 years)
Source: NOAA Photo Library, NOAA Central Library; OAR/ERL/National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL)
1979
> Recorded tornadoes: 859 (Rank: 42nd out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 84 (Rank: 19th out of 71 years)
Source: NWS - Hastings, NE / Wikimedia Commons
1980
> Recorded tornadoes: 866 (Rank: 41st out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 28 (Rank: 65th out of 71 years)
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Source: Getty Images / Hulton Archive via Getty Images
1981
> Recorded tornadoes: 782 (Rank: 48th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 24 (Rank: 67th out of 71 years)
Source: NOAA / Wikimedia Commons
1982
> Recorded tornadoes: 1,049 (Rank: 28th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 64 (Rank: 31st out of 71 years)
1983
> Recorded tornadoes: 930 (Rank: 33rd out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 34 (Rank: 58th out of 71 years)
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1984
> Recorded tornadoes: 912 (Rank: 36th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 122 (Rank: 12th out of 71 years)
Source: clintspencer / Getty Images
1985
> Recorded tornadoes: 687 (Rank: 54th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 94 (Rank: 16th out of 71 years)
Source: m01229 / Flickr
1986
> Recorded tornadoes: 765 (Rank: 49th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 15 (Rank: 70th out of 71 years)
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1987
> Recorded tornadoes: 658 (Rank: 56th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 59 (Rank: 33rd out of 71 years)
Source: Public Domain / NOAA
1988
> Recorded tornadoes: 700 (Rank: 52nd out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 32 (Rank: 62nd out of 71 years)
Source: Public Domain / NOAA
1989
> Recorded tornadoes: 859 (Rank: 42nd out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 50 (Rank: 41st out of 71 years)
Source: 160831427@N06 / Flickr
1990
> Recorded tornadoes: 1,140 (Rank: 19th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 53 (Rank: 38th out of 71 years)
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Source: The Wichita Eagle / Wikimedia Commons
1991
> Recorded tornadoes: 1,133 (Rank: 20th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 39 (Rank: 50th out of 71 years)
Source: Public Domain / NWS
1992
> Recorded tornadoes: 1,302 (Rank: 9th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 39 (Rank: 50th out of 71 years)
Source: Courtesy of NOAA Photo Library, NOAA Central Library; OAR/ERL/National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL)
1993
> Recorded tornadoes: 1,174 (Rank: 15th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 109 (Rank: 14th out of 71 years)
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1994
> Recorded tornadoes: 1,085 (Rank: 25th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 48 (Rank: 42nd out of 71 years)
1995
> Recorded tornadoes: 1,236 (Rank: 12th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 34 (Rank: 58th out of 71 years)
Source: Markbellis / Wikimedia Commons
1996
> Recorded tornadoes: 1,172 (Rank: 16th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 26 (Rank: 66th out of 71 years)
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Source: National Weather Service / Wikimedia Commons
1997
> Recorded tornadoes: 1,149 (Rank: 17th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 68 (Rank: 27th out of 71 years)
Source: Ichabod / Wikimedia Commons
1998
> Recorded tornadoes: 1,428 (Rank: 6th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 130 (Rank: 9th out of 71 years)
1999
> Recorded tornadoes: 1,342 (Rank: 8th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 94 (Rank: 16th out of 71 years)
Source: Tom Fox / Getty Images
2000
> Recorded tornadoes: 1,073 (Rank: 27th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 41 (Rank: 49th out of 71 years)
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Source: Courtesy of Bill Taaffe via National Weather Service
2001
> Recorded tornadoes: 1,212 (Rank: 13th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 37 (Rank: 53rd out of 71 years)
Source: Michael Williams / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2002
> Recorded tornadoes: 934 (Rank: 32nd out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 55 (Rank: 35th out of 71 years)
Source: Scott Olson / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2003
> Recorded tornadoes: 1,385 (Rank: 7th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 54 (Rank: 37th out of 71 years)
Source: Larry W. Smith / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2004
> Recorded tornadoes: 1,813 (Rank: 1st out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 35 (Rank: 56th out of 71 years)
Source: Melanie Blanding / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2005
> Recorded tornadoes: 1,262 (Rank: 11th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 38 (Rank: 52nd out of 71 years)
Source: Handout / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2006
> Recorded tornadoes: 1,106 (Rank: 22nd out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 67 (Rank: 28th out of 71 years)
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Source: Joe Raedle / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2007
> Recorded tornadoes: 1,100 (Rank: 24th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 81 (Rank: 21st out of 71 years)
Source: David McNew / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2008
> Recorded tornadoes: 1,692 (Rank: 2nd out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 126 (Rank: 11th out of 71 years)
Source: noaaphotolib / Flickr
2009
> Recorded tornadoes: 1,146 (Rank: 18th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 21 (Rank: 68th out of 71 years)
Source: Sean Gardner / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2010
> Recorded tornadoes: 1,282 (Rank: 10th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 45 (Rank: 45th out of 71 years)
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Source: Tom Pennington / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2011
> Recorded tornadoes: 1,691 (Rank: 3rd out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 553 (Rank: 1st out of 71 years)
Source: Tom Pennington / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2012
> Recorded tornadoes: 938 (Rank: 31st out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 70 (Rank: 25th out of 71 years)
Source: Scott Olson / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2013
> Recorded tornadoes: 906 (Rank: 37th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 55 (Rank: 35th out of 71 years)
Source: Joe Raedle / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2014
> Recorded tornadoes: 886 (Rank: 40th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 47 (Rank: 43rd out of 71 years)
Source: Jon Durr / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2015
> Recorded tornadoes: 1,177 (Rank: 14th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 36 (Rank: 54th out of 71 years)
Source: Getty Images / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2016
> Recorded tornadoes: 976 (Rank: 29th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 18 (Rank: 69th out of 71 years)
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Source: Drew Angerer / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2017
> Recorded tornadoes: 1,429 (Rank: 5th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 35 (Rank: 56th out of 71 years)
Source: NOAA / Wikimedia Commons
2018
> Recorded tornadoes: 1,126 (Rank: 21st out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 10 (Rank: 71st out of 71 years)
Source: Matthew Hatcher / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2019
> Recorded tornadoes: 1,517 (Rank: 4th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 42 (Rank: 48th out of 71 years)
Source: Jason Kempin / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2020
> Recorded tornadoes: 1,075 (Rank: 26th out of 71 years)
> Recorded tornado fatalities: 76 (Rank: 22nd out of 71 years)
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