Severe Storms

Background

The United States experiences more severe storms, including tornadoes, than any other country in the world. While tornadoes were once largely confined to Tornado Alley, these extreme weather events are increasingly occurring across a broader range of areas, including as far east as the Atlantic coast. The frequency and severity of these storms are rising, posing a growing threat to communities across the country. In recent years, the number of tornadoes has exceeded the typical average, with more destructive storms becoming the new normal. As climate change intensifies the conditions that produce severe storms, tornado seasons are becoming longer and more unpredictable, with tornadoes appearing more often in winter rather than summer.

The increased intensity of these storms is evident, with several recent tornadoes causing significant damage, including six tornado outbreaks in 2024 that resulted in billions of dollars in losses. These powerful storms disproportionately affect communities in tornado-prone regions, where the cost of living is lower and infrastructure is often less resilient to such events. Studies show that these areas are more vulnerable to injuries and fatalities, especially among individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. As climate change continues to exacerbate the severity of these storms, it is crucial for lawmakers to address this disparity and develop policies that better protect vulnerable communities and reduce the devastating impact of severe storms.

Solutions

• Congress should focus on ensuring that programs like the Tornado Warning Improvement and Extension Program are regularly evaluated and updated to improve preparedness and response. This should be part of broader efforts to enhance disaster resilience and ensure that warning systems remain effective and up to date.
• Congress should focus on providing tax exemptions for state mitigation grants. This would encourage states to invest in disaster mitigation efforts by reducing the financial burden on these critical initiatives, helping to enhance resilience and preparedness in communities across the country.
• Across all jurisdictions, the dispensation of disaster recovery funds to communities should be accelerated throughout the recovery process and tie disaster recovery funds to future investments in pre-disaster mitigation and resilient construction.
• Policymakers should prioritize the inclusion of resilience measures in the construction of new federally-supported affordable housing units to ensure long-term affordability and sustainability. As the shortage of affordable housing grows, it is essential that new development incorporates features that promote resilience to natural disasters, which will also support more stable and sustainable insurance markets. Additionally, advocacy efforts should encourage Government-Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs), such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, to consider resilience as a key factor when evaluating mortgages for newly constructed properties.
• Policymakers should take steps to require homes, buildings, and other structures built in tornado-prone areas to be subject to more stringent building standards and constructed with materials that can better withstand high winds.
• Policymakers should consider new risk transfer programs to offset the cost of severe storm and tornado damage borne by taxpayers.
• Congress and federal agencies should augment scientific climate data sharing between federal, state, and local government agencies and the private sector.
• Policymakers should offer increased support for weather-related research that includes Pacific weather and ocean temperature patterns. Understanding these patterns, such as atmospheric rivers, El Niño/La Niña, and their broader impacts, will enhance predictive models for weather events that affect not only the West Coast but also other regions of the country, including the Midwest, which faces threats from tornadoes, hail, and derechos.