Nighttime Tornadoes Are An Even Bigger Threat. Here's Why.

Deadlier After Dark: The Nighttime Tornado Threat

Tornadoes are often named as one of the scariest weather events, and that fear is much higher when nighttime tornadoes are discussed.

It makes sense, and it's backed by science. A recent study has shown that nocturnal tornadoes are nearly twice as likely to be deadly as those during the day.

Recent Studies About Nighttime Tornadoes

The study, led by Stephen Strader from Villanova University, examined 140 years of tornado records. He found that the proportion of tornado fatalities that occur at night has increased by 20% from 1880 to 2020.

Since 1880, nearly 34% of all tornado fatalities have occurred at night. But the most interesting aspect of the results: The percentage has increased to 38% over the last 30 years.

These results build on a previous study released in 2008 about nighttime tornadoes. That study researched the roughly 48,000 tornadoes in the United States from 1950 to 2005. Nearly one in every 20 overnight tornadoes in that span led to a death. This is much more frequent than one fatality in every 50 daytime tornadoes from the same time period.

Recent Deadly Nocturnal Tornadoes

A more recent deadly nocturnal tornado occurred in the greater Laurel County area in eastern Kentucky late May 16, 2025. A notable storm that devastated that community spawned an EF4 tornado with estimated peak winds of 170 mph. This EF4 tornado alone resulted in 19 deaths.

Nocturnal tornadoes killed 24 people in Tennessee on March 3, 2020. That included an EF4 twister near Cookeville, Tennessee, which caused 19 of those deaths.

On Dec. 10, 2021, a tornado that touched down at 8:49 p.m. CST in Tennessee, and remained on the ground until 11:47 p.m. CST, killed a total of 57 people along its 165.7-mile path. The tornado had a maximum intensity of EF4 and its track passed through Tennessee, Kentucky and Ohio.

Why The Higher Percentage?

We have to start with the most obvious: visibility. Unless the storm is lit by lightning, tornadoes are hard to see at night.

This is why taking shelter is so vital. Even if you cannot "confirm the threat" of a tornado, one could be heading straight for you that you cannot see. It is one challenge the meteorological and social science communities face: getting the public to take shelter immediately.

Fortunately, the National Weather Service can issue a radar-confirmed tornado warning, which can alert people that a tornado is on the ground.

Confirming these nighttime tornadoes is also difficult because fewer storm chasers and trained storm spotters risk their lives at night.

(MORE: The Different Types Of Tornado Warnings)

Another reason for more fatalities (and this is a big one): You may be sleeping in the path of a tornado.

"Another problem is that people are often asleep and caught unaware," said Dr. Greg Forbes, former severe weather expert at The Weather Channel.

If you're a sound sleeper, or don't have a way to receive warnings overnight, the consequences could be deadly. Sleeping through a tornado warning may cause you to lose the seconds needed to find a safer location in your home.

"People are usually at home, often in structures that are not as sturdy as their place of work. Mobile homes are particularly vulnerable," said Forbes.

Where Nighttime Tornadoes Are Most Common

At least 30% of all tornadoes touched down at night in 13 states from Oklahoma to West Virginia from 1950 to 2019, according to the study. The peak state was 46% in Tennessee.

The high frequency of nighttime tornadoes in the Southeast is especially concerning due to the high amount of manufactured and mobile homes in the region, which are very susceptible to damage in severe weather.

The region had the highest percentage of tornado fatalities (40%) compared to other locations, despite only making up approximately 6% of U.S. housing.

A Year-Round Concern In The South

Unlike other parts of the country, enduring harsh winter cold that prevents the instability needed for severe weather.

However, for the South, tornadoes can be a concern any time of year. The Gulf provides relatively warm, moist air and atmospheric conditions that can surge the warmer air north. This clash helps to create one of the conditions needed for severe weather.

And given the fewer hours of daylight, cold-season southern tornadoes have a higher chance of occurring after sunset.

Even the core winter months of December through February have averaged three to six nocturnal tornadoes in the U.S. each month from 1953 through 2015, according to NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.

There's also a pronounced nighttime tornado maximum in November, coinciding with the often-discussed "second season" for severe weather targeting the Deep South.

(MORE: November Tornado Peak)

These colder-month tornadoes often occur with a very strong jet stream, which provides strong shear, or changes of wind speed in direction, making tornado-forming storms possible. And with the high winds aloft, these storms can move quickly, sometimes at speeds of 60 mph or more, giving little time to seek shelter.

Also, the public's overall awareness of severe weather may not be as high during the winter months, even in areas that can and do experience severe weather any month of the year.

What You Can Do To Stay Prepared

How can you be warned if you're sound asleep? Here are some tips:

• Buy a NOAA weather radio. You can find these at most electronics retailers. They feature warning alarms that can be set to sound loudly when any National Weather Service tornado or severe thunderstorm watch or warning is issued.

• Your smartphone can alert you. Most newer smartphones are capable of receiving wireless emergency alerts from your local NWS office. These include tornado warnings. Make sure your smartphone is charged sufficiently and left on overnight, and a special tone and vibration will occur twice when a tornado warning is issued. Note: this will not sound for a tornado watch or severe thunderstorm warning.

• Other weather apps can also alert you. Many weather apps, including The Weather Channel and Weather Underground apps, can send alerts to your smartphone, tablet or smartwatch.

• Know where to go. "Be sure you know your safe location ahead of time so you can get there quickly, even if you have to get there in the middle of the night," said Forbes. "Keep flashlights handy."

In general, your awareness of the threat for overnight severe weather, before you go to sleep, is very important.

If there is a severe thunderstorm or tornado watch extending into the overnight hours or a threat of severe weather developing overnight, make sure your weather radio or smartphone is ready to alert you. It may save your life.