The Plains states that you may typically associate with "Tornado Alley" are nowhere near the top of the list of twisters for 2026 so far. Instead, tornado numbers are quickly climbing in states in the Midwest and Deep South, including Missouri.

So far this year, the Show-Me state has logged 76 twisters, putting it among the top 3 most active states in the country. Illinois leads the nation with a staggering 165 tornadoes reported in 2026, breaking the state's annual record of 147 tornadoes set last year in 2025.

Mississippi is a distant second with 82 twisters for the year, and Missouri has a decent lead ahead of fourth-place Iowa, with 61 tornado reports for 2026.

These four states are all less associated with Tornado Alley than states like Kansas, Texas, and Oklahoma (which rank at spots 5, 6, and 7 for the year). But meteorologists have been tracking this shift in tornado activity for years.

Several factors are pushing Tornado Alley into new regions: richer Gulf moisture pushing further inland, a longer severe weather season, and population growth in the Midwest and Deep South, making tornadoes more likely to be reported.

It may not be accurate to say Tornado Alley is shifting. Rather, it's expanding due to warming temperatures and favorable storm ingredients, with the traditional Plains states still active while the Midsouth sees sustained increases.

The Kansas City National Weather Service tied its record for the most tornadoes in the Kansas City area with 37 confirmed tornadoes through June 15th. KC also saw this many twisters in 2003, but that record is likely to be broken with the second half of 2026 to go.

Tornado activity in Missouri typically peaks in May, with an average of 16 for the month. This drops to an average of 5 in June as summer heat takes over. The highest number of tornadoes in a single year in Missouri is 102, set in 2006.