October on Track to Set Record for Tornadoes

The 83 tornadoes that have battered the country so far this month set a record for the first half of October, the National Weather Service said. Last week alone, 59 twisters struck, the agency said.

“Despite the record number of tornadoes, there were no fatalities and only 12 minor injuries during this most recent outbreak,” said Dan McCarthy of the federal Storm Prediction Center.

“The average number of tornadoes in October since the National Weather Service began tracking tornadoes in 1950 is 29 events. The previous record for the first half of any October was set in 1998, when 47 confirmed tornadoes hit various parts of the nation.” He said the most tornadoes for any October occurred in 1997, with 100 reported. The second highest number was 86, in October 1998.