California recorded 480 tornadoes from 1950 through 2024, an average of 6 a year, in NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center database. None caused a recorded death. The busiest year was 2005, with 30.
Tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950: none under 10 10 to 25 25 to 50 50 to 75 75 to 100 over 100. Tap a county for its history.
Tornadoes by year
The rise since the 1990s is mostly better detection of weak tornadoes, not a jump in strong ones.
Tornado season in California
March is the peak, with 85 tornadoes since 1950 (18% of the total).
How strong
| Rating | Estimated 3-second gust | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| F0 / EF0 | Light damage: 65 to 85 mph (EF scale) | 319 |
| F1 / EF1 | Moderate: 86 to 110 mph | 130 |
| F2 / EF2 | Considerable: 111 to 135 mph | 24 |
| F3 / EF3 | Severe: 136 to 165 mph | 2 |
| F4 / EF4 | Devastating: 166 to 200 mph | 0 |
| F5 / EF5 | Incredible: over 200 mph | 0 |
| EF-U | Unknown: no damage to rate (mostly since 2016) | 5 |
Counties with the most tornadoes
| County | Tornadoes since 1950 | Per 1,000 sq mi | Strongest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles County | 48 | 12 | F2 |
| San Bernardino County | 33 | 2 | F2 |
| Fresno County | 32 | 5 | F2 |
| Orange County | 32 | 40 | F3 |
| Riverside County | 27 | 4 | F3 |
| San Diego County | 27 | 6 | F1 |
| San Joaquin County | 19 | 13 | F1 |
| Butte County | 18 | 11 | EF2 |
| Merced County | 17 | 9 | F1 |
| Sacramento County | 16 | 16 | F2 |
| Kern County | 15 | 2 | F1 |
| Tulare County | 14 | 3 | F2 |
| Sonoma County | 13 | 8 | F2 |
| Stanislaus County | 12 | 8 | F2 |
| Madera County | 12 | 6 | EF2 |
Big counties collect more tornadoes simply because they are big. By area, the most tornado-dense counties are Orange County (40 per 1,000 sq mi), Santa Cruz County (18 per 1,000 sq mi), Sacramento County (16 per 1,000 sq mi), San Joaquin County (13 per 1,000 sq mi), Los Angeles County (12 per 1,000 sq mi).
Every county in California
Staying safe
When a tornado warning is issued, act at once. Go to a basement, storm shelter or safe room. With none, use a small windowless room on the lowest floor, as far from outside walls as you can, and cover your head and neck. Mobile homes and cars are not safe places to ride out a tornado: leave early for a sturdy building or shelter. Read the full tornado safety guide and the National Weather Service advice linked below.
Sources
- NOAA Storm Prediction Center: Severe Weather Database, tornadoes 1950 to 2024 (public domain)
- NOAA Storm Prediction Center: The Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF scale)
- National Weather Service: Tornado safety
Sources last checked 1 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How many tornadoes does California get a year?
About 6 on average from 1950 to 2024; recent years run higher because weak tornadoes are better detected.
When is tornado season in California?
March has had the most. Spring and early summer bring most of them.
What was the deadliest tornado in California?
No tornado deaths are recorded since 1950.