Costa Mesa, California tornadoes

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21confirmed tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Costa Mesa since NOAA records began in 1950. Most recent: January 19, 2010, EF1.

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Map

Every tornado path within 10 miles

Tornado paths, 1950 to 2025
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(E)F0(E)F1(E)F2(E)F3(E)F4(E)F5Unrated

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

Recent warnings near Costa Mesa

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The record

At a glance

Total21within 10 miles, 1950 to 2025
Per year0.3average since 1950
Peak monthFebruary6 of 21
StrongestF2Nov 7, 1966
Deaths0whole paths, see note
Injuries3whole paths, see note

Deaths and injuries are NOAA's totals for each tornado's whole path, which can run well beyond Costa Mesa.

Seasons

When tornadoes hit here

By month

60 Jan: 5Feb: 6Mar: 1Apr: 1May: 0Jun: 0Jul: 0Aug: 0Sep: 1Oct: 0Nov: 5Dec: 2JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

February is the peak month, with 6 of 21 tornadoes.

By time of day

40 12 AM: 1: 0: 03 AM: 1: 0: 16 AM: 0: 0: 09 AM: 2: 0: 112 PM: 1: 3: 23 PM: 4: 2: 06 PM: 0: 0: 19 PM: 1: 1: 012 AM3 AM6 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PM9 PM

Most often around 3:00 PM. Times as recorded by NOAA, mostly Central Standard Time.

By year, 1950 to 2025

30 1950: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 01960: 0: 0: 1: 0: 0: 1: 2: 0: 0: 01970: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 11980: 0: 0: 1: 0: 1: 0: 0: 0: 0: 01990: 0: 2: 1: 3: 1: 0: 0: 2: 1: 02000: 0: 1: 0: 0: 0: 1: 0: 1: 0: 02010: 1: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 02020: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 019501960197019801990200020102020

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

EF0
12
EF1
8
EF2
1

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.

The record

Notable tornadoes

Strongest

F2, November 7, 1966

0.2 mile path Longest path

9 miles, F0

February 7, 1994, whole path Widest

200 yards, F1

November 11, 1997
Every tornado

All 21 tornadoes, newest first

DateRatingPath lengthWidthDeathsInjuries
Jan 19, 2010EF14.62 mi25 yd00
Sep 22, 2007EF00.1 mi15 yd00
Feb 19, 2005F00.2 mi20 yd00
Feb 24, 2001F00.1 mi100 yd00
Feb 24, 1998F00.3 mi30 yd00
Dec 21, 1997F11 mi30 yd00
Nov 11, 1997F10.2 mi200 yd00
Feb 7, 1994F09 mi73 yd00
Nov 11, 1993F00.1 mi10 yd02
Jan 18, 1993F00.1 mi10 yd00
Jan 17, 1993F00.1 mi10 yd01
Dec 7, 1992F10.1 mi10 yd00
Mar 27, 1991F13 mi53 yd00
Feb 28, 1991F00.5 mi50 yd00
Jan 13, 1984F00.1 mi10 yd00
Nov 9, 1982F00.1 mi150 yd00
Jan 31, 1979F12 mi10 yd00
Nov 7, 1966F20.2 mi10 yd00
Nov 7, 1966F10.5 mi10 yd00
Apr 8, 1965F10.1 mi30 yd00
Feb 19, 1962F02 mi10 yd00
Nearby

Costa Mesa and its county

Costa Mesa is in Orange County, where NOAA has recorded 32 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

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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.