The year-to-date estimated tornado count for the U.S. is 1,597, which ranks 2024 among the highest tornado counts on record for the same January-August period, according to preliminary data from NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center. Only 2011 and 2008 have a similar high count of tornadoes.

During the month of August, there were 91 reported tornadoes in the U.S., ranking above the 1991-2020 average of 81.0 tornadoes for the month.

Eighteen of the 30 days in August had at least one reported tornado, and two days with at least 10 tornadoes — August 5 and 8.

Several tornadoes were spawn from the slow northward movement of Hurricane Debby, NOAA added.

The most prolific tornado day of the month was August 5, with 29 tornadoes reported in southern Minnesota, northeastern Iowa, coastal South Carolina and also an EF-1 tornado that struck the city of Buffalo, New York.

The tornadoes in coastal South Carolina were spun off as Tropical Storm Debby made its second landfall, NOAA reported.

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Monthly Tornadoes Report for August 2024, published online September 2024, retrieved on September 19, 2024 from https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/monthly-report/tornadoes/202408.