What Countries have Tornadoes

Last updated September 18, 2024

Tornado Frequency
Top
Last
Tornado FrequencyQuestion Mark
1.ChinaChina7
1.RussiaRussia7
3.UkraineUkraine6
3.United Arab EmiratesUnited Arab Emirates6
3.JapanJapan6
6.PolandPoland5
6.AustraliaAustralia5
6.MaltaMalta5
6.GermanyGermany5
6.New ZealandNew Zealand5
6.BangladeshBangladesh5
12.South AfricaSouth Africa4
12.FranceFrance4
12.SpainSpain4
12.ItalyItaly4
12.IndiaIndia4
17.UruguayUruguay3
17.ArgentinaArgentina3
17.BrazilBrazil3
17.ParaguayParaguay3
21.CanadaCanada2
22.United StatesUnited States1

Tornadoes Around the World

Tornadoes, a force of nature commonly associated with the United States, are in fact a global phenomenon. Formed almost exclusively in the mid-latitudes amidst the mingling of warm tropical air and cooler air from the poles, Tornadoes are featured in the annals of at least 20 countries worldwide. However, despite their prevalence, the tracking of tornadoes is not uniformly rigorous across nations. In the United States, a robust tornado identification and tracking system has been established, but in many other countries, tornado tracking is less prioritized or sometimes completely absent. According to the dataset that ranks countries on Tornado Frequency, revealing the known global distribution of these whirlwinds, it is evident that Tornadoes are not exclusive to any particular region. This frequency rating is derived from multiple sources and intended to offer a broad understanding rather than strictly scientific ranking. Key findings from the data include:

  • Tornadoes are not just a North American phenomenon. Data shows that countries from every inhabited continent, including Asia, Europe, Oceania, Africa, and South America, have all recorded tornado occurrences.
  • Despite perception, the United States ranks significantly lower in the frequency of tornadoes compared to countries like China, Russia, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, and Japan.
  • Regions in South America and Africa represent the lower end of the frequency scale. Europe appears to have a high frequency of Tornadoes, with multiple countries (Ukraine, Malta, Poland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain) reported above average occurrences.

Countries with the Most Tornados

The most frequent incidents of tornadoes are surprisingly recorded, not in the United States, but Far East nations China and Russia. Both these countries top our list, each with a tornado frequency of 7. Tornadoes in these countries, although significant in number, are often overlooked due to their sporadic reporting and inconsistent tracking systems. Next in line, we have Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, and Japan. These countries share the third spot on the list, each registering a tornado frequency of 6. Thereafter, the frequency of tornadoes begins to slightly taper off. Countries like Poland, Australia, Malta, Germany, and New Zealand round off the list, each with a reported tornado frequency of 5.

Countries with the Most Tornados:

  1. China - 7
  2. Russia - 7
  3. Ukraine - 6
  4. United Arab Emirates - 6
  5. Japan - 6
  6. Poland - 5
  7. Australia - 5
  8. Malta - 5
  9. Germany - 5
  10. New Zealand - 5

By Region

Argentina

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Ranked in World

#17

Australia

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Ranked in World

#6

Bangladesh

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Ranked in World

#6

Brazil

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Ranked in World

#17

Canada

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Ranked in World

#21

China

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Ranked in World

#1

France

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Ranked in World

#12

Germany

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Ranked in World

#6

India

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Ranked in World

#12

Italy

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Ranked in World

#12

Japan

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Ranked in World

#3

Malta

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Ranked in World

#6

New Zealand

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Ranked in World

#6

Paraguay

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Ranked in World

#17

Poland

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Ranked in World

#6

Russia

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Ranked in World

#1

South Africa

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Ranked in World

#12

Spain

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Ranked in World

#12

Ukraine

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Ranked in World

#3

United Arab Emirates

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Ranked in World

#3

United States

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Ranked in World

#22

Uruguay

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Ranked in World

#17

Table

Region ↕Tornado Frequency↕
Argentina iconArgentina3
Australia iconAustralia5
Bangladesh iconBangladesh5
Brazil iconBrazil3
Canada iconCanada2
China iconChina7
France iconFrance4
Germany iconGermany5
India iconIndia4
Italy iconItaly4
Japan iconJapan6
Malta iconMalta5
New Zealand iconNew Zealand5
Paraguay iconParaguay3
Poland iconPoland5
Russia iconRussia7
South Africa iconSouth Africa4
Spain iconSpain4
Ukraine iconUkraine6
United Arab Emirates iconUnited Arab Emirates6
United States iconUnited States1
Uruguay iconUruguay3
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