Ohio faces record level of tornadoes in 2024

It's only June, but Ohio has already tied its record for the most tornadoes in a year.

Why it matters: Climate change is affecting the likelihood, severity and duration of some extreme weather events — like the recent sweltering heat wave — and may also be affecting where they occur.

The big picture: A new study shows "Tornado Alley" is shifting eastward, bringing more twisters into more populated areas in the Midwest and Southeast, Axios' Andrew Freedman reports .

• The researchers also found a transition away from warm-season tornadoes toward the cold season between 1951-2020.

By the numbers: This year's 62 tornadoes so far match a 1992 state record.

• 2023 was the only other year to come close to this mark, with 60, per the National Weather Service's Wilmington office.
• The NWS fielded so many requests about unusual tornadic activity in Ohio that it made a new database to showcase the numbers, meteorologist Allen Randall tells Axios.

Catch up quick: Almost a third of this year's tornadoes were in February and March, before peak season — usually April through June — had even begun.

• Two major storms on Feb. 28 and March 14 were responsible for nearly all the early activity. In March, three people died and about two dozen were injured in Logan County, about 70 miles northwest of Columbus.
• Most recently, four tornadoes touched down on June 5 , including in nearby Delaware, Knox and Licking counties.

Threat level: Franklin County is one of the top tornado targets in Ohio.

• We've recorded 39 tornadoes since 1950, tied with Miami and Van Wert counties for the most statewide.
• So far this year, five tornadoes have touched down in Franklin County, all on Feb. 28.

Yes, but: One silver lining of the extreme summer heat is that it's unlikely to produce any tornado-causing storms, Randall says.

The bottom line: Hot summer storms "tend to be gully washers … not the kind of thing that's going to cause severe weather over multiple counties," he tells us. "But now we're all baking."