Strong January tornadoes in the United States

Since the overall numbers of tornadoes in January are about as low as they get during the year, the counts on significant tornadoes (also called strong tornadoes) are unsurprisingly low as well. Most years have a handful of these F2/EF-2+ events, with the averages skewed toward years with moderate or large outbreaks. Though the month has fewer cumulative tornadoes of this type than January, the current climatological average is high thanks in large part to a very active January 1999. Only three years going back to the 1970s have recorded more than 10 significant tornadoes during the month, with many significantly less.

January Significant Tornado Climatology (1950-2011)

Total significant tornadoes: 337
January high: 46 (1999)
January low: 0 (12 years, 1955-2009)
1991-2010 climatological average: 5.8
1991-2010 median: 3.5

Strong January tornadoes overwhelmingly favor the South and places which border the South. Mississippi has seen 44 significant tornadoes impact the state since 1950, with Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana and Georgia rounding out the top five in this category, each with over 30 strong tornadoes.

Though Arkansas extends a bit further north than what many might consider the true South, it is a hotspot for big wintertime tornadoes. In that light, it’s not surprising it ties with Mississippi for the most F3/EF-3 tornadoes in January.

Perhaps as notable as the leaders in this and other strong tornado categories is the absence of January overall tornado leaders of Florida (entirely) and Texas (outside the top-5 in all counts and lacking any violent January tornadoes). Florida, though one of the most tornado-visited states in the country, tends to see mainly weak events, and Texas is often nearer the beginning of winter outbreaks that happen to its east/northeast in the strongest of lows.

With 11 violent tornadoes in the January record, one may be expected to come along during the month about every six years on average. However, several have occurred on the same day or in the same year, and the last one on record struck Arkansas on the 21st in 1999. Mississippi has been hit the most — in three separate Januaries, including by the deadliest tornado in the month which killed 32 people.

U.S. Tornado Climatology by Month

All: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
Significant: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr| May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec

SPC tornado data obtained at the Tornado History Project. Images can be selected for larger versions. Get updates about U.S. Tornadoes on Twitter and Facebook. Official 2012 data will be available during spring 2013.