Texas Tops Nation in Dangerous Weather, Study Says
Texas is the number one spot in the nation for many kinds of severe weather, including tornadoes, flash floods and more, according to a new report.

In an article in the Austin-American Statesman, Matt Presser says the report came at the tail end of Severe Weather Awareness Week last week. The Governor’s Division of Emergency Management released the report last week.

According to the report, Texas generally leads the nation in the number of tornadoes each year. Since 1950, the state has averaged 139 tornadoes per year — a total of 7,319 since 1953. Texas also sees the most fatalities, injuries and damage associated with tornadoes — including 504 deaths since 1953 — the report says.

The report also found that the state usually leads the nation in flash flood deaths per year, including 45 flood-related deaths in 2007. Texas is also second in the nation in lightning fatalities, behind Florida, according to the report.

Texas is most often struck by thunderstorms, hail storms, straight line winds and tornadoes during the spring and early summer, the report says.