Here Are Where Tornado Watches Were Issued This Year

This year felt like a year where the action areas were both south and west, and this map generated by the Storm Prediction Center really matches that gut feeling.

From a busy early start in the South to a slow but steady pace in the High Plains later — this year seemed to do its best to avoid Kansas once again. That area of zero tornado watches in the middle of the state is somewhat surprising.

The most dense area of tornado watches this year resides in the South and Mid-South, where there were repeated big tornado events early in the calendar year.

Oklahoma and Texas weren’t shut out, and tornado watches extended as far west as Albuquerque, New Mexico, this year and as far north as Fargo, North Dakota.

North of Kansas, there was a secondary activity belt from Colorado/Wyoming east into Nebraska and Iowa. In fact, Iowa, in particular, had a very busy year once again.

Does anyone have any predictions about what this map might look like for 2024?