National Weather ServiceTornado WatchVTEC TO.AArchive to October 16, 2026
Tornado Watch: what it means and how often it is issued
The National Weather Service issued 197 tornado watches in 2025 and 213 a year on average in 2008-2025; Texas, Arkansas and Mississippi got the most in 2021-2025. 2026 through September: 161, 11% below the average of 182 for those months in 2008-2025.
What is a tornado watch?
Tornado watches come from the NWS Storm Prediction Center when thunderstorms able to produce tornadoes are possible over a large area, usually for several hours; local offices list the counties it covers. A watch means the conditions for the hazard are possible or favourable, but it is not yet happening: be ready to act if a warning follows.
Source: National Weather Service directives and glossary.
How many tornado watches a year?
National count: each tornado watch counted once, whatever the number of states it covers. 2026 is an outline: the year is not over.
The numbers
| Year | Count |
|---|---|
| 2026 (through September) | 166 |
| 2025 | 197 |
| 2024 | 251 |
| 2023 | 179 |
| 2022 | 178 |
| 2021 | 177 |
| 2020 | 153 |
| 2019 | 188 |
| 2018 | 136 |
| 2017 | 171 |
| 2016 | 129 |
| 2015 | 213 |
| 2014 | 184 |
| 2013 | 173 |
| 2012 | 197 |
| 2011 | 327 |
| 2010 | 286 |
| 2009 | 283 |
| 2008 | 405 |
Source: Iowa Environmental Mesonet archive of National Weather Service watches, warnings and advisories (VTEC); National Weather Service. Data as of October 16, 2026.
When in the year?
Sum of 2008-2025; the busiest month is labelled.
Source: Iowa Environmental Mesonet archive of National Weather Service watches, warnings and advisories (VTEC); National Weather Service. Data as of October 16, 2026.
Which states get the most tornado watches?
Yearly average per state, 2021-2025. A tornado watch covering two states counts in both.
| State | A year, 2021-2025 | A year, 2008-2025 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 44 | 42 | 50 |
| Arkansas | 33 | 33 | 43 |
| Mississippi | 32 | 34 | 34 |
| Alabama | 31 | 31 | 22 |
| Louisiana | 31 | 32 | 35 |
| Georgia | 26 | 26 | 14 |
| Florida | 26 | 26 | 11 |
| Missouri | 26 | 30 | 31 |
| Oklahoma | 26 | 28 | 32 |
| Tennessee | 24 | 22 | 33 |
| Illinois | 22 | 21 | 34 |
| Kentucky | 21 | 18 | 32 |
| Kansas | 17 | 22 | 15 |
| Indiana | 17 | 16 | 26 |
| North Carolina | 15 | 18 | 8 |
| Iowa | 13 | 17 | 12 |
| Nebraska | 11 | 17 | 10 |
| South Carolina | 10 | 13 | 4 |
| Virginia | 10 | 12 | 9 |
| Ohio | 9 | 9 | 6 |
| Minnesota | 8 | 11 | 10 |
| Wisconsin | 8 | 8 | 9 |
| West Virginia | 6 | 6 | 7 |
| South Dakota | 6 | 10 | 8 |
| Pennsylvania | 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Colorado | 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Maryland | 4 | 6 | 4 |
| Michigan | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| New Mexico | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| North Dakota | 3 | 5 | 5 |
| District of Columbia | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| New York | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| New Jersey | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| Delaware | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Wyoming | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| Connecticut | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Massachusetts | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Montana | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Vermont | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Maine | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Arizona | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| California | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Utah | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: Iowa Environmental Mesonet archive of National Weather Service watches, warnings and advisories (VTEC); National Weather Service. Data as of October 16, 2026.
The latest tornado watches in AreaZine's record
NWS Newport/Morehead CityWatchOctober 11, 2026
Tornado Watch: S of Oregon Inlet NC to Cape Hatteras NC out to 20 NM, S of Cape Hatteras NC to Ocracoke Inlet NC out to 20 NM and S of Ocracoke Inlet NC to Cape Lookout NC out to 20 NM
Expired 8:00 p.m. EDT, October 11, 2026
NWS WakefieldWatchOctober 11, 2026
Tornado Watch: Brunswick, Dinwiddie, Greensville and 2 more, VA
Expired 8:00 p.m. EDT, October 11, 2026
NWS RaleighWatchOctober 11, 2026
Tornado Watch: Edgecombe, Halifax, Nash and 1 more, NC
Expired 5:00 p.m. EDT, October 11, 2026
NWS Newport/Morehead CityWatchOctober 11, 2026
Tornado Watch: Duplin, Greene, Lenoir and 1 more, NC
Expired 5:00 p.m. EDT, October 11, 2026
NWS WilmingtonWatchOctober 11, 2026
Tornado Watch: Coastal waters from Surf City to Cape Fear NC out 20 nm, Coastal waters from Cape Fear NC to Little River Inlet SC out 20 NM and Coastal waters from Little River Inlet to Murrells Inlet
Expired 5:00 p.m. EDT, October 11, 2026
NWS ColumbiaWatchOctober 10, 2026
Tornado Watch: Burke, Aiken, Bamberg and 2 more, GA and SC
Expired 8:00 p.m. EDT, October 10, 2026
NWS CharlestonWatchOctober 10, 2026
Tornado Watch: Effingham, Screven, Allendale and 7 more, GA and SC
Expired 8:00 p.m. EDT, October 10, 2026
This list is AreaZine's record of the NWS alert feed, kept since April 6, 2026; the counts above come from the complete IEM archive.
Source: National Weather Service alerts (api.weather.gov).
Tornado Watch or tornado warning?
A tornado watch (from the Storm Prediction Center, for a large area over several hours) means the conditions are possible: be ready; a tornado warning (from the local NWS office, for the area at risk) means the hazard is happening or imminent: act now. The NWS issues a tornado warning when a tornado has been seen or weather radar indicates one in the warned area. Warnings are drawn as polygons around the storm's path and usually last 30 to 60 minutes. A warning means the hazard is happening, about to happen, or very likely: act now to protect people and property. The NWS issued 3,014 tornado warnings in 2025, against 197 tornado watches. The tornado warning record.