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Tornado History

Santa Cruz Tornado History

This county-level tornado history page focuses on Santa Cruz, California. The records below identify 8 tornadoes from 1965 through 2024, including a highest listed rating of F1 (Moderate damage). NOAA damage estimates in this group total at least $343K, with 0 deaths and 5 injuries recorded across the listed events.

Key Tornado Statistics

Total Tornadoes8
Total Deaths0
Total Injuries5
Property Damage$343K
Avg Length0.5 mi
Avg Width47 yd

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Key Tornado Facts for Santa Cruz, California

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

Average 0.1 tornadoes per year (0.3/yr in last decade)
December is the peak tornado month with 4 recorded events
Deadliest tornado: F1 in Santa Cruz, California with 0 deaths
2019 was the most active year with 2 tornadoes
The 2010s had the most tornado activity (3 events)
Longest tornado: 1.07 miles in Santa Cruz, California
Widest tornado: 100.0 yards in Santa Cruz, California
Most tornadoes in one day: 2 on Jan 6, 2019

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 Santa Cruz, California, December is the most active month with 4 tornadoes.

Annual Tornado Trend

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

20

Summary: 2019 was the most active year with 2 recorded tornadoes.

Tornado Intensity Distribution

Shows the breakdown of tornadoes by EF/F rating.

F0
EF0
F1
EF1

Summary: EF0 tornadoes are the most common in this group, with 3 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.

$250K$25K$2K$0

Summary: The highest reported property damage year in this group is 2001 with at least $250K in NOAA-listed property damage.

Historical Track Sketch

F1 December 20, 20012001EF1 December 14, 20242024F1 April 1, 19651965F0 December 5, 19981998EF0 December 22, 20122012F0 February 3, 19861986EF0 January 6, 20192019EF0 January 6, 20192019© OpenStreetMap contributors

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
December 20, 2001F1Santa Cruz, California0.5 mi60 yd00$250K
December 14, 2024EF1Santa Cruz, California0.31 mi30 yd05$10
April 1, 1965F1Santa Cruz, California0.1 mi100 yd00N/A
December 5, 1998F0Santa Cruz, California1 mi100 yd00$50K
December 22, 2012EF0Santa Cruz, California1.07 mi20 yd00$40K
February 3, 1986F0Santa Cruz, California0.2 mi50 yd00$2K
January 6, 2019EF0Santa Cruz, California0.07 mi6.67 yd00N/A
January 6, 2019EF0Santa Cruz, California0.54 mi6.67 yd00N/A

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Source And Limits

Data source: NOAA/NCEI. TornadoTrace summarizes historical records for screening and research. Coordinates, damage estimates, narratives, and event details can be approximate, incomplete, revised, or missing. Do not use this page as legal, insurance, engineering, real estate, emergency management, or safety advice.