Dubious Distinction: Texas, Oklahoma Have Most Twisters in 2013

February 7, 2014

Texas and Oklahoma led the nation in the number of tornadoes last year. Oklahoma’s 79 was well above the state’s average of 57. Texas had 81.

Greg Carbin, the warning coordination meteorologist with the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, told the Tulsa World newspaper the national total of 898 tornadoes was well below normal, which is about 1,000.

Florida, Kansas and Texas typically each have more tornadoes per year than Oklahoma.

The figures are in a preliminary count prepared for the National Tornado Summit, which opens Feb. 10 in Oklahoma City.

A storm at Moore on May 20 was the only storm rated EF5 on a scale of tornado damage in 2013. The widest storm on record was recorded at El Reno 11 days later.

Topics Texas Oklahoma

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