Tempe, Arizona tornadoes
19confirmed tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tempe since NOAA records began in 1950. Most recent: August 3, 2017, EF0.
Every tornado path within 10 miles
Each path is a straight line from where the tornado started to where it ended, which is all most NOAA records hold. Tap a path for its details.
Recent warnings near Tempe
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At a glance
Deaths and injuries are NOAA's totals for each tornado's whole path, which can run well beyond Tempe.
When tornadoes hit here
By month
August is the peak month, with 4 of 19 tornadoes.
By time of day
Most often around 6:00 PM. Times as recorded by NOAA, mostly Central Standard Time.
By year, 1950 to 2025
The line is the five-year average. Tornadoes before about 1953 were under-reported, and better radar since the 1990s finds more weak ones.
By rating
Ratings before February 2007 use the original F scale; the numbers line up with today's EF scale. Unknown means NOAA could not assign a rating.
Notable tornadoes
All 19 tornadoes, newest first
| Date | Rating | Path length | Width | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 3, 2017 | EF0 | 0.25 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 1, 2014 | EF0 | 0.45 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 28, 2003 | F0 | 0.5 mi | 20 yd | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 7, 1994 | F0 | 0.2 mi | 10 yd | 0 | 0 |
| May 23, 1992 | F0 | 0.5 mi | 10 yd | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 13, 1992 | F0 | 0.5 mi | 20 yd | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 6, 1992 | F0 | 0.5 mi | 20 yd | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 16, 1983 | F1 | 0.3 mi | 30 yd | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 10, 1972 | F1 | 1.8 mi | 700 yd | 0 | 1 |
| Aug 12, 1972 | F1 | 0.3 mi | 17 yd | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 21, 1972 | F2 | 13.5 mi | 10 yd | 0 | 3 |
| Jun 21, 1972 | F0 | 0.1 mi | 10 yd | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 30, 1971 | F2 | 4.7 mi | 400 yd | 0 | 41 |
| Sep 5, 1970 | F1 | 2.3 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 19, 1970 | F0 | 0.1 mi | 10 yd | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 19, 1967 | F1 | 0.3 mi | 33 yd | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 8, 1961 | F1 | 11.8 mi | 10 yd | 0 | 2 |
| Mar 11, 1958 | F0 | 0.7 mi | 33 yd | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 25, 1956 | F0 | 0.1 mi | 10 yd | 0 | 0 |
Tempe and its county
Tempe is in Maricopa County, where NOAA has recorded 75 tornadoes since 1950. A county's record counts every tornado inside its borders, while this page counts every path within 10 miles of the city, so the two overlap without matching.
Nearby cities
- Chandler, AZ 12
- Gilbert, AZ 12
- Mesa, AZ 15
- Phoenix, AZ 13
- Glendale, AZ 13
- Scottsdale, AZ 9
Free tornado alerts for Tempe
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Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025. City point and population: US Census Bureau, 2024. Each path is a straight line between NOAA's start and end points.