Tornado History

California Tornado History

This page summarizes tornado history for California. The local dataset contains 469 tornado records from 1951 through 2026, with a strongest listed rating of F3 (Severe damage) and at least $122.8M in reported property damage. The latest tornado record in this group is April 12, 2026. Across these records, NOAA lists 0 deaths and 94 injuries.

Key Tornado Statistics

Total Tornadoes469
Total Deaths0
Total Injuries94
Property Damage$122.8M
Avg Length1.2 mi
Avg Width46 yd

Key Tornado Facts for California

Top local patterns from the historical tornado records in this group.

Average 6.2 tornadoes per year (6.4/yr in last decade)
March is the peak tornado month with 84 recorded events
Deadliest tornado: F2 in California with 0 deaths
2005 was the most active year with 30 tornadoes
The 1990s had the most tornado activity (115 events)
Longest tornado: 26.37 miles in California
Widest tornado: 1,300.0 yards in California
Most tornadoes in one day: 7 on Nov 9, 1982

Monthly Distribution

Shows tornado frequency across months of the year, highlighting seasonal patterns and peak tornado periods.

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Summary: In California, March is the most active month with 84 tornadoes.

Annual Tornado Trend

Shows year-by-year tornado counts, making active years and quiet stretches easier to spot.

3020100

Summary: 2005 was the most active year with 30 recorded tornadoes.

Tornado Intensity Distribution

Shows the breakdown of tornadoes by EF/F rating.

F0
EF0
F1
EF1
F2
EF2
F3
Unknown
EFU

Summary: F0 tornadoes are the most common in this group, with 194 recorded events.

Property Damage Trends

Visualizes reported property damage over time. Bars use a log-like scale so very large damage years do not flatten the rest of the chart.

$26.0M$2.6M$260K$0

Summary: The highest reported property damage year in this group is 1983 with at least $26.0M in NOAA-listed property damage.

Tornado Count By County

Compares the counties with the most tornado records in this state dataset.

Los Angeles
San Bernardino
Fresno
Orange
San Diego
Riverside
San Joaquin
Merced
Sacramento
Butte
Kern
Stanislaus
Sonoma
Tehama
Tulare
Madera
Glenn
Santa Cruz
Ventura
Kings

Summary: Los Angeles County has the highest count in this state group with 47 tornado records.

Historical Track Sketch

F3 February 9, 19781978F3 August 16, 19731973F2 March 1, 19831983F2 May 5, 19981998F2 January 11, 19511951F2 November 9, 19821982F2 November 9, 19821982F2 September 24, 19861986EF2 May 22, 20082008F2 November 7, 19661966F2 February 7, 19781978F2 April 5, 19801980EF2 May 25, 20112011F2 June 1, 19581958F2 May 9, 1980F2 September 7, 1982F2 May 19, 1953F2 April 27, 1953F2 March 29, 1958F2 March 22, 1962F2 November 7, 1966F2 November 7, 1966F2 April 5, 1980F2 March 11, 1985F2 June 25, 1954EF2 September 5, 2020EF1 August 6, 2015F1 March 16, 1977F1 February 19, 1980F1 March 16, 1986F1 December 17, 1992F1 December 5, 1998EF1 November 15, 2015EF1 December 24, 2015F1 March 20, 2005EF1 January 19, 2010EF1 January 17, 2019F1 December 16, 2002F1 May 5, 1998F1 March 4, 1978F1 January 14, 1980F1 March 22, 1983F1 March 22, 1983F1 April 19, 1988F1 March 17, 1991F1 March 19, 1991F1 February 28, 1991F1 December 2, 1992F1 December 6, 1992F1 December 7, 1992F1 November 22, 1996F1 December 20, 2001F1 December 23, 1996EF1 May 25, 2011F1 January 27, 2005EF1 May 25, 2011F1 May 20, 2002F1 February 14, 1998F1 February 19, 2005F1 November 10, 2000EF1 March 18, 2011F1 November 22, 1996F1 April 13, 1956F1 October 8, 1961F1 May 14, 1962F1 November 25, 1965F1 July 20, 1974F1 February 20, 1980F1 November 9, 1982F1 March 28, 1982F1 February 27, 1983F1 April 19, 1988F1 December 2, 1992F1 December 2, 1992F1 December 17, 1992F1 December 30, 1992EF1 January 23, 2010F1 January 8, 2005EF1 March 11, 2023EF1 December 19, 2023© OpenStreetMap contributors
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Notable Tornado Records

The table highlights the strongest and most damaging records in this page's local dataset. Damage totals are NOAA-reported minimum estimates where available.

DateRatingAreaLengthWidthDeathsInjuriesMin. property damage
February 9, 1978F3Orange, California2 mi67 yd06$2.5M
August 16, 1973F3Riverside, California0 mi33 yd00$25K
March 1, 1983F2Los Angeles, California3.5 mi100 yd030$25.0M
May 5, 1998F2Santa Clara, California0.6 mi100 yd01$3.8M
January 11, 1951F2Santa Clara, California5.7 mi33 yd00$2.5M
November 9, 1982F2Los Angeles, California1 mi150 yd00$2.5M
November 9, 1982F2Los Angeles, California10 mi1300 yd00$2.5M
September 24, 1986F2Tehama, California2 mi100 yd01$2.5M
May 22, 2008EF2Riverside, California2.8 mi75 yd01$350K
November 7, 1966F2Los Angeles, California10.3 mi50 yd010$250K
February 7, 1978F2Sacramento, California1.9 mi20 yd00$250K
April 5, 1980F2Kings, California8.9 mi10 yd01$250K
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Source And Limits

Data sourced from NOAA Storm Prediction Center and the NCEI Storm Events Database. TornadoTrace summarizes reported weather events for screening and research; it is not a damage assessment, inspection, or insurance determination. Coordinates and records can be approximate, incomplete, revised, or missing. No warranty of completeness or accuracy.

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