U.S. tornado count nears 500—when is it Canada’s turn?
We’ve seen a busy start to this year’s severe weather season south of the border
Forecasters in the United States have tracked nearly 500 confirmed tornadoes across the country since the beginning of the year. Most of those twisters touched down in just three recent outbreaks.
Severe storm activity will move north as we head deeper into the heart of tornado season. Here’s a look at what’s happened so far in 2025, and when we might expect tornado activity to ramp up here in Canada over the coming weeks and months.
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Several intense tornado outbreaks this season
The year’s first confirmed tornado touched down on Jan. 4 in a rural part of northern California, southeast of the town of Redding.
Since then, we’ve seen more than 470 confirmed tornadoes sweep across the United States, largely focusing on the Deep South and Midwestern states. Mississippi, Texas, and Missouri lead the pack with the most tornado reports so far in 2025.
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The vast majority of this year’s twisters were concentrated in three outbreaks—two in March, and one in April. The mid-March outbreak resulted in two EF-4 tornadoes, including one in Arkansas with estimated winds of 305 km/h, and another that remained on the ground for about 108 km through portions of Louisiana and Mississippi.
When does tornado season arrive in Canada?
Tornadoes are a year-round hazard in the U.S., with the majority of the country’s 1,000+ average annual twisters touching down between March and June.
This is the time of year we often powerful springtime low-pressure systems roll across the middle of the U.S., leading to favourable conditions for tornadic supercell thunderstorms.
The jet streams responsible for those dynamic lows will start to lift north toward Canada as spring fades to summer, shifting the dynamics for severe thunderstorms across the international border.
Canada’s tornado season runs from June through August, and a typical year will see about 65 confirmed tornadoes across the country.
While most of Canada’s tornadoes focus on the southern Prairies, it’s important to remember that Ontario and Quebec together average almost as many tornadoes as the Prairies. In fact, Canada’s most prolific tornado outbreak saw 19 twisters touch down across Ontario in August 2009.
Tornadoes are a safety risk for just about every population centre in Canada, from Vancouver to the East Coast. Take some time this spring to restock your emergency supplies in the event of severe weather.
Scout out safe spots around your home to take shelter if a tornado warning is issued—the safest spot is the lowest level of your home in an interior room, putting as many walls between you and the outdoors as possible. Make a mental note of where you’d take shelter if you’re out on the road, at work or school, and at places you frequently visit like grocery stores and public parks.