Based on the latest National Weather Service data for tornadic activity from 1950 through 1997, Engineering Analysis Inc. has just completed its annual compilation of the most tornado-prone cities in the United States with populations in excess of 100,000 (based on US Census data as of 7/1/96). For the third consecutive year Huntsville, Alabama remains in the #1 position, closely followed by Topeka, KS. The top twenty are as follows:
Average Annual Rank City Annual Disturbed Land Coverage Fraction Area (Acres) 1 Huntsville, AL 1.39 · 10-03 1118 2 Topeka, KS 1.36 · 10-03 1094 3 Oklahoma City, OK 1.04 · 10-03 837 4 Little Rock, AR 9.90 · 10-04 796 5 Tulsa, OK 9.16 · 10-04 736 6 Pasadena, TX 8.96 · 10-04 721 7 Cedar Rapids, IA 8.24 · 10-04 662 8 Minneapolis, MN 7.46 · 10-04 600 9 Houston, TX 7.22 · 10-04 581 10 Cincinnati, OH 7.20 · 10-04 579 11 Jackson, MS 6.74 · 10-04 542 12 St. Paul, MN 6.70 · 10-04 536 13 Macon, GA 6.18 · 10-04 497 14 Shreveport, LA 6.17 · 10-04 478 15 Wichita Falls, TX 5.93 · 10-04 479 16 St. Louis, MO 5.90 · 10-04 474 17 Wichita, KS 5.80 · 10-04 466 18 Ann Arbor, MI 5.57 · 10-04 448 19 Birmingham, AL 5.26 · 10-04 422 20 Lubbock, TX 4.97 · 10-04 400The Annual Coverage Fraction (ACF) represents the average fraction of land annually disturbed by tornadoes within a 20-mile radius of each city. The average annual disturbed land area is based on the same 20-mile radius.