I’m a Kansas girl, born and raised, so I speak from experience when I say there’s something annoying about sitting down to dinner, only to get chased into your basement or bathtub by a siren five minutes later. That unsettling feeling is no longer a Great Plains phenomenon. I’m looking at you, New Tornado Alley. Welcome to the world of flying lawn chairs – the unwanted rite of passage hitting states from Arkansas to Ohio.
The traditional Tornado Alley—a legendary stretch of twister territory running through Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska—is no longer the only hotbed of funnel clouds and massive wind damage. According to NOAA and multiple peer-reviewed studies, tornado frequency is shifting eastward. States like Tennessee, Alabama, Iowa, and even parts of Ohio are seeing more tornado activity year after year, while the central plains are—relatively speaking—catching a break.
Why is tornado alley shifting east? It’s not your kooky uncle’s theory about wind turbines messing with the weather. (Love him, but no.) Experts point to a potent cocktail of atmospheric instability, increasing dew points, and jet stream variations helping push severe weather eastward. Translation: science! What does this shift mean? More people and properties are suddenly in the crosshairs.
This isn’t your backyard-dust-devil kind of problem. Or the EF0-EF1 type of tornadoes that can and do hit most parts of the country at one time or another. We’re talking strong supercells taking aim at locations that weren’t built to withstand them. The 2023 tornado season alone saw deadly outbreaks across the Southeast, with 100 confirmed tornadoes in Alabama, compared to only 39 in Kansas.
If you’re a claims adjuster (or thinking about becoming one), this shift means spring storm season isn’t just a Plains problem anymore. More and more often, companies need boots on the ground in states that weren’t traditionally on the radar at this time of year. You still need to get your home state license first, but these changes should help prioritize your reciprocal license applications.
This eastward march also means policyholders in these areas—many of whom are less prepared for twisters—are facing longer waits and more complex claims. It’s a recipe for overwhelmed insurers, stressed-out homeowners, and a golden opportunity for trained adjusters to step in and make a real difference.
Bottom line: Tornado Alley is shifting east, claims are spiking in new regions, and the demand for skilled adjusters is only going up.
References:
- Gensini, V. A., & Brooks, H. E. (2018). Spatial trends in United States tornado frequency. npj Climate and Atmospheric Science, 1(1), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-018-0048-2
- Coleman, T. A., Thompson, R. L., & Forbes, G. S. (2024). A comprehensive analysis of the spatial and seasonal shifts in tornado activity in the United States. Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, 63(6), 795–810. https://doi.org/10.1175/JAMC-D-23-0143.1
- Agee, E., Childs, S., & Rose, S. (2016). Changes in tornado climatology and the spatial distribution of tornadoes in the United States. Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, 55(6), 1681–1697. https://doi.org/10.1175/JAMC-D-15-0307.1
