Where Does South Dakota Rank among States Most Frequently Hit by Tornadoes?
According to the calendar, we're still more than three weeks away from the official arrival of Summer (June 21). But regardless of what the calendar says severe weather season is already upon us.
Just in the past few days, we've seen devastating storms rip through parts of Kansas City, as well as Oklahoma and Ohio.
It all adds up to an average of 1,253 tornadoes per year nationwide, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). That number is far and away the most of any country on the globe.
In South Dakota, a large part of the state is in an area better known as 'tornado alley' which stretches from Southern North Dakota all the way into the heart of Texas.
And according to Axios.com, a number of the places in the 'alley' make up the states where twisters touch down most often.
Texas is the clear leader nationally, with an average of 155 tornadoes annually, 59 more than second place Kansas, which outpaces third-place Florida by another 30 per year.
STATES WITH THE MOST TORNADOES PER YEAR ON AVERAGE (NOAA)
155: Texas
96: Kansas
66: Florida
62: Oklahoma
57: Nebraska
54: Illinois
53: Colorado
51: Iowa
45: Minnesota, Missouri
44: Alabama
43: Mississippi
39: Arkansas
37: Louisiana
36: South Dakota
South Dakota's 36 tornadoes per year rank the state 15th overall.
On average, the Mount Rushmore State sees eight tornadoes in May, 16 in June, seven in July, and three in August.
But, we are capable of seeing a much higher number of tornadoes than that around here.
Just go back to June of 2003, now known as 'Tornado Tuesday', when 67 twisters touched down in South Dakota, which at the time, tied a United States record for the most tornado touchdowns in a single day for one state.
That record was surpassed by a tornado outbreak in Kansas in May of 2008 when 73 tornadoes hit the state.