Tornado Central

Where Tornadoes Strike Around the World

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North America. (Source: Dr. Greg Forbes, The Weather Channel)

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North America. (Source: Dr. Greg Forbes, The Weather Channel)

At a Glance

Tornadoes have occurred on every continent except Antarctica.
Parts of those continents have a relatively higher likelihood of tornadoes than others.

The United States averages the most tornadoes of any country in the world annually, but they have been documented on every continent except Antarctica.

Areas shaded in red on the maps in the slideshow above have an increased likelihood of tornadoes, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) branch of NOAA.

(MORE: The Future of Tornado Warnings)

As expected, some locations have a higher density of tornadoes than others. For example, the Plains region of the U.S. sees a much higher number of tornadoes each year than the West Coast.

The NCEI said tornadoes are most common in the middle latitudes, between about 30 to 50 degrees North or South.