California tornadoes

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486 confirmed tornadoes since 1950. Most recent: April 1, 2025, EF0. 2026 so far: 7 preliminary reports preliminary

Counties with the most tornadoes

CountyTornadoes since 1950Per 1,000 sq mi
Los Angeles County4912
San Bernardino County332
Fresno County325
Orange County3240
Riverside County274
San Diego County276
San Joaquin County1914
Butte County1811
Merced County179
Kern County162
Sacramento County1617
Tulare County143
Sonoma County138
Stanislaus County139
Madera County126

When tornadoes hit here

By month

860 Jan: 57Feb: 69Mar: 86Apr: 59May: 41Jun: 13Jul: 17Aug: 21Sep: 24Oct: 19Nov: 33Dec: 47JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

March is the peak month, with 86 of 486 tornadoes.

By time of day

690 12 AM: 5: 1: 73 AM: 5: 7: 36 AM: 5: 5: 49 AM: 10: 6: 1712 PM: 19: 26: 433 PM: 64: 61: 696 PM: 45: 41: 229 PM: 10: 5: 612 AM3 AM6 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PM9 PM

Most often around 5:00 PM. Times as recorded by NOAA, mostly Central Standard Time.

By year, 1950 to 2025

300 1950: 0: 1: 1: 2: 1: 3: 2: 1: 10: 11960: 1: 1: 4: 0: 4: 5: 5: 5: 0: 11970: 2: 2: 4: 1: 3: 3: 6: 3: 14: 41980: 8: 3: 14: 9: 2: 3: 8: 4: 6: 41990: 5: 16: 20: 13: 9: 7: 22: 17: 25: 32000: 9: 7: 3: 0: 10: 30: 9: 6: 7: 22010: 9: 9: 12: 5: 9: 10: 4: 3: 6: 142020: 8: 4: 4: 10: 4: 419501960197019801990200020102020

The line is the five-year average. Tornadoes before about 1953 were under-reported, and better radar since the 1990s finds more weak ones. This year so far: 7 preliminary reports.

By rating

EF0
322
EF1
132
EF2
24
EF3
2
Unknown
6

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

Longest path

26.37 miles, EF1

May 25, 2011

Most recent tornadoes

DateRatingPath lengthWidthDeathsInjuries
Apr 1, 2025EF00.9 mi70 yd00
Mar 13, 2025EF00.97 mi80 yd00
Feb 13, 2025EF00.63 mi20 yd00
Jan 3, 2025EFU0.8 mi50 yd00
Dec 14, 2024EF10.31 mi30 yd05
Mar 1, 2024EF00.42 mi10 yd00
Feb 7, 2024EF10.69 mi50 yd00
Feb 7, 2024EF14.87 mi50 yd00
Dec 19, 2023EF10.36 mi90 yd00
May 4, 2023EF00.73 mi15 yd00
May 4, 2023EF00.06 mi15 yd00
Mar 22, 2023EF10.47 mi50 yd01
Mar 21, 2023EF00.24 mi25 yd01
Mar 11, 2023EF10.8 mi100 yd00
Feb 27, 2023EFU0.1 mi10 yd00
Feb 23, 2023EF00.07 mi15 yd00
Jan 14, 2023EF00.3 mi50 yd00
Jan 10, 2023EF10.39 mi40 yd00
Nov 8, 2022EF00.8 mi400 yd00
Oct 8, 2022EF01.56 mi50 yd00

Every California county

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Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025. A tornado that crossed a state line counts in each state it touched.