The greatest frequency of tornadoes occurs in the Spring (March, April and May). 

A secondary tornado frequency maximum occurs from mid-November through January with a disproportionate large number of killer tornadoes. 

Many of the large killer tornadoes have occurred during the winter months.  The strongest tornado to hit South Louisiana, during the past 25 years, occurred in the late fall when LaPlace was struck by a powerful tornado during the early morning hours of December 6, 1983.

Most tornadoes occur in the afternoon and early evening hours between 2 PM to 8 PM.  In South Louisiana, a secondary maximum occurs in the morning hours near sunrise.  Tornadoes that strike at night tend to cause more fatalities than those that strike during the day. 

Between 1953 and 2003, the state of Louisiana ranked 11^th among the50 states in the number of tornadoes reporting annually and ranked 14^th in the total number of tornado deaths. 

North Louisiana is especially vulnerable to long tracked, strong and devastating tornadoes.  During April 1998, the Benton tornado (just north of Shreveport-Bossier area) struck at 4PM on Easter eve.  The destructive storm killed 7 and injured over 100.  Damages, from the tornado, exceeded 20 million dollars.