(NEXSTAR) — New Orleans residents on Wednesday began assessing the damage after a tornado ripped through the area overnight. While the region is better known for its risk of hurricanes and flooding, tornadoes are not necessarily uncommon.
The average number of tornadoes annually in the U.S. is 1,000 with Louisiana averaging 37 tornadoes a year between 1991 and 2010, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The states with the highest average numbers of tornadoes, according to the NOAA data, are:
- Texas, 155
- Kansas, 96
- Florida, 66
- Oklahoma, 62
- Nebraska, 57
- Illinois, 54
- Colorado, 53
- Iowa, 51
- Minnesota, 45
- Missouri, 45
According to data from NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center, 48 tornadoes were reported nationally in January. This is above the 1991-2010 average of 35 tornadoes for the month.
Sixteen tornadoes were reported last month, which is below the average of 29 tornadoes typically reported in February.
