If you feel like you've seen an uptick in thunderstorm and tornado warnings in Wisconsin this year compared to recent years, you're not going entirely crazy.
So far in 2025, the National Weather Service has officially documented 31 tornadoes across the Dairy State, a number that does not include July 23's tornado in Oconto County or any other possible twisters from that day. That number of 31 equals the average tornadoes per year since 2020 — and it's not even August.
Wisconsin tornadoes by year
So how does 2025 compare to the past few years individually?
2025: 31 so far
2024: 45
2023: 21
2022: 28
2021: 41
2020: 20
It looks like 2025 is on pace to match last year's total. But this year more damaging tornadoes have come at a higher frequency, with four EF2 tornadoes already compared to three in all of last year.
Where you get a large jump is comparing this year to 2023, when there were 21 total tornadoes and zero EF2s. It only took until May 15 for that number to be beaten in 2025, when a flurry of tornadoes popped up all over the state.
Related: 2 tornadoes touched down near Beaver Dam, Hustisford during July 16 storms, NWS confirms
Tornado safety tips
During a tornado, the NWS recommends:
Get as low as possible. A basement below ground level or the lowest floor of a building offers the greatest safety.
Put as many walls between yourself and the outside as possible.
Avoid windows.
What should you do if you're driving during a tornado warning?
If you're driving, particularly on interstates or highways, do not try to outrun a tornado.
If you are driving in an area with a tornado warning, you should look for ways to safely get off the road and out of your vehicle, preferably by seeking refuge in a sturdy building.
As a last resort, lie flat in the nearest depression, ditch or culvert and cover your head with your arms.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin tornadoes in 2025 may beat high from 2024
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