Tornado History
Santa Barbara Tornado History
This county-level tornado history page focuses on Santa Barbara, California. The records below identify 6 tornadoes from 1977 through 2023, including a highest listed rating of F0 (Light damage). NOAA damage estimates in this group total at least $25K, with 0 deaths and 3 injuries recorded across the listed events.
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Key Tornado Statistics
Key Tornado Facts for Santa Barbara, California
Top local patterns from the historical tornado records in this group.
Average 0.1 tornadoes per year (0.1/yr in last decade)
January is the peak tornado month with 2 recorded events
Deadliest tornado: Unknown in Santa Barbara, California with 0 deaths
1977 was the most active year with 1 tornadoes
The 2000s had the most tornado activity (2 events)
Longest tornado: 0.24 miles in Santa Barbara, California
Widest tornado: 33.0 yards in Santa Barbara, California
Most tornadoes in one day: 1 on Jan 3, 1977
Monthly Distribution
Shows tornado frequency across months of the year, highlighting seasonal patterns and peak tornado periods.
Summary: In Santa Barbara, California, January is the most active month with 2 tornadoes.
Annual Tornado Trend
Shows year-by-year tornado counts, making active years and quiet stretches easier to spot.
Summary: 1977 was the most active year with 1 recorded tornadoes.
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.
Summary: The highest reported property damage year in this group is 1977 with at least $25K in NOAA-listed property damage.
Historical Track Sketch
This map covers the wider location—not your exact property.Measure the closest recorded track to a street address in or near Santa Barbara, California.
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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.
| Date | Rating | Area | Length | Width | Deaths | Injuries | Min. property damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 29, 1991 | F0 | Santa Barbara, California | 0.1 mi | 10 yd | 0 | 2 | $250 |
| November 29, 2001 | F0 | Santa Barbara, California | 0.1 mi | 2 yd | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| March 29, 2006 | F0 | Santa Barbara, California | 0 mi | 4 yd | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| January 19, 2010 | EF0 | Santa Barbara, California | 0.14 mi | 10 yd | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| March 21, 2023 | EF0 | Santa Barbara, California | 0.24 mi | 25 yd | 0 | 1 | N/A |
| January 3, 1977 | Unknown | Santa Barbara, California | 0 mi | 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
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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.