APCIA reports ‘Tornado Alley’ shift, urges resident preparedness

There were more than 1,300 tornados in the United States in 2022, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Although most tornadoes cause minimal injuries and fatalities, two tornado outbreaks in 2022 made NOAA’s annual list of billion-dollar disasters, and both of those events happened in the spring.

Now that the U.S. is in the midst of the most dangerous time of year for tornado activity, the American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA) has urged people who live in tornado-prone states to take decisive steps to prepare for a potentially disastrous twister.

“It is critical that homeowners and businesses take action now to ensure they are ready for severe and sometimes deadly weather,” Jeffrey Brewer, vice president of public affairs for the APCIA, said in a prepared statement.  “When a tornado is near, minutes matter, which is why advanced preparation is key. As we recently witnessed, these storms can be extremely damaging and deadly.”

The Central Great Plains of the U.S. used to be dubbed “Tornado Alley.” But now, the APCIA reports, major tornados tend to be more active in other states such as Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana.

An analysis of the 38,000 tornadoes that occurred from 1950 to 2019 found a clear shift from the first half of the 70-year period to the second half, the APCIA reports. While overall tornado activity was almost identical in the two 35-year periods, in the latter half of the 35-year period, the number of tornadoes in the Great Plains decreased by 20 percent, while in the Southeast the number of tornadoes increased by 42 percent and were noted to be twice as deadly as tornadoes elsewhere in the U.S.

As more tornadoes affect more densely populated regions east of the Mississippi River, this may result in more deadly storms and more costly property losses. Further, the large concentration of mobile homes in the southeast, which are particularly vulnerable to a tornado’s high winds, is a significant concern, underscoring the need for increased attention and investment in tornado safe rooms to help protect lives.

“Consumers should identify a safe location where they can take cover if severe weather strikes, know the warning signals used in their community, maintain an emergency storm kit, and conduct tornado drills with their family,” Brewer said.

The APCIA recommends that property owners take the following steps to get ready for a potential tornado.

1. Talk with your insurer or agent to review your insurance policy in detail and verify that you have the right amount and right types of insurance coverage. There are additional coverage options, such as annual inflation adjustment, extended replacement cost, and building code upgrades, that you may want to consider for increased protection.
2. Conduct a detailed inventory of your possessions including receipts, descriptions, and photos of your home’s contents.
3. Keep your insurance policy and agent information along with other important information in a secure, easily accessible location.
4. Keep your cell phone charged and with you for emergencies.
5. Keep a laptop computer or phone close by. Most insurance companies allow claims to be submitted via the Internet, app, or over the phone.
6. Examine the outside of your home for patio furniture, overhanging tree limbs, and other items that could cause damage during a windstorm.

Click here to read the APCIA’s Tornado Recovery Booklet.

See also:

• Deadly tornado outbreak devastates towns across Mississippi
• Costs from tornado outbreak could reach $3.7 billion
• Mass destruction in Ohio, Kansas as tornadoes breakout across the U.S. [Photos]