2025 was a rough year for severe thunderstorms for a large swath of the central United States, especially in and around the mid-Mississippi River Valley. The region endured several significant severe weather outbreaks during the spring months.
The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) highlighted a risk for severe weather on 268 different days last year.
Most days saw low-grade severe weather risks, with a marginal or slight risk for severe weather in the forecast. There were 11 days where conditions warranted a moderate risk for severe weather, which is a 4 out of 5 on the agency's categorical scale measuring the threat for dangerous thunderstorms.
Two days, March 15 and April 2, saw a relatively rare high risk. These were the 66th and 67th high risk days since 2000.
Tornadoes
National Weather Service meteorologists confirmed more than 1,200 tornadoes across the country during the year. Experts will work to pin down the exact total, and the Storm Prediction Center will likely release the official tally in a few months.
Based on storm damage surveys, there were about 1,246 confirmed twisters from coast to coast. The precise number may vary by a few dozen, as some tornadoes are double-counted when they cross the boundaries between NWS offices. This total, if it holds, would be almost exactly the ten-year average between 2015 and 2024.
Nearly 40 percent of the tornadoes confirmed in 2025 were rated either EF-0 or EF-Unknown. 37 tornadoes caused significant EF-3 damage, while 7 produced catastrophic EF-4 damage.
One June twister west of Fargo, North Dakota, received a scale-topping EF-5 rating. This was the world's first confirmed EF-5 tornado since May 2013.
There were 68 reported tornado-related fatalities across the U.S. in 2025.
Damaging Winds and Hail
Tornadoes get top billing, but damaging wind gusts and large hail are responsible for the vast majority of damage caused by severe thunderstorms every year.
Preliminary data from the Storm Prediction Center showed 17,096 reports of wind damage across the country throughout 2025, which is just slightly below the ten-year average. 463 of those reports were measured wind gusts of 75 mph or stronger. The strong direct measurement was a 111 mph gust at Texas' Midland Airport on April 23.
While 2024 was a bonkers year for hail across both the U.S. and Canada, 2025 appears to have fallen far short of the usual pace. Preliminary data only showed 5,430 reports of large hail (1.0" in diameter or larger) last year. 808 of those reports were for significant hailstones of 2.0" in diameter or larger. The largest diameter reported was an apparent 6" hailstone that fell near Afton, Texas, on May 25.
Follow me on Facebook | Bluesky | Instagram
Get in touch! Send me an email.
Please consider subscribing to my Patreon. Your support helps me write engaging, hype-free weather coverage—no fretting over ad revenue, no chasing viral clicks. Just the weather.
Get in touch! Send me an email.
Please consider subscribing to my Patreon. Your support helps me write engaging, hype-free weather coverage—no fretting over ad revenue, no chasing viral clicks. Just the weather.
