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Catalina Foothills, AZ Tornado History — 22 Tornadoes Since 1950

Arizona · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Catalina Foothills, AZ had?

Catalina Foothills has had 22 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.

When was the most recent tornado near Catalina Foothills?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Catalina Foothills was an Unrated on September 16, 2025.

When is tornado season in Catalina Foothills?

July is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Catalina Foothills, with 9 on record. April through June account for 2 of the 22 tornadoes on record near Catalina Foothills.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
22
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
0
0.0% of total
Peak Month
July
9 on record
Per Year Avg
0.3
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Catalina Foothills

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 7 total, averaging 0.3 per year over this window.

2026 0+2 prelim
2025 2
2024 1
2023 0
2022 1
2021 1
2020 0
2019 0
2018 0
2017 1
2016 0
2015 1
2014 0
2013 0
2012 0
2011 0
2010 0
2009 0
2008 0
2007 0

Striped bars mark preliminary reports not yet confirmed by NWS survey — excluded from the confirmed counts.

Preliminary tornado reports near Catalina Foothills since December 29, 2025

These are 2 preliminary reports, not confirmed tornadoes. They have not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and are not counted in the confirmed totals above.

Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete. Ratings are omitted until a survey assigns one.

Confirmed records above are complete through December 29, 2025. NOAA publishes the confirmed archive annually, so tornadoes after that date appear here first and move into the totals above once finalized.

Preliminary August 21, 2026
6 SSE Tucson, Pima County, AZ
[Landspout] Spotter reported a landspout tornado looking west from Saguaro National Park East. (TWC)
Preliminary January 1, 2026
5 NNE Three Points, Pima County, AZ
[Landspout] Corrects the time of the previous landspout report from 5 NNE Three Points. [Delayed Report]: Trained spotter reports a landspout north of Three Points tha (TWC)

Within 25 miles of Catalina Foothills. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.

What storm spotters reported near Catalina Foothills

One local storm report has been filed within 25 miles of Catalina Foothills and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on September 12, 2025 and the most recent on September 12, 2025. It is already counted in the Catalina Foothills totals above; quoted below is the narrative the reporting office filed at the time.

September 12, 2025
19 WNW Benson, Pima County, AZ
[Landspout] Time and location estimated with radar. No damage reported. (TWC)

Source: National Weather Service and trained-spotter local storm reports, relayed by the NOAA Storm Prediction Center.

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 1
1960s 2
1970s 3
1980s 2
1990s 5
2000s 2
2010s 2
2020s 5

Tornadoes by Enhanced Fujita Rating

F0–F5 ratings (pre-2007) are grouped with their EF equivalents. The Enhanced Fujita scale replaced the original Fujita scale in February 2007.

EF0 9
EF1 8
EF2 2
Unrated 3

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 0
Feb 0
Mar 2
Apr 0
May 0
Jun 2
Jul 9
Aug 5
Sep 3
Oct 1
Nov 0
Dec 0

Casualties on Record Near Catalina Foothills

3 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Catalina Foothills since 1950, across 2 events. 53 injuries have been reported across all events. 1964 was the deadliest year on record near Catalina Foothills.

The deadliest single event was an F2 on August 27, 1964, which caused 2 fatalities along a 0.1-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near Catalina Foothills

Deadliest Tornado
F2 on August 27, 1964 — 2 fatalities, 0.1 mi path, 10 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
F1 on July 6, 1992 — est. ~$2.8M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
EF1 on July 2, 2024 — 150 yards wide.
Longest Path
EF1 on July 2, 2024 — 3.3 mile track.
Most Recent
Unrated on September 16, 2025.

What the record shows near Catalina Foothills

The 1990s were the busiest decade near Catalina Foothills, with 5 of the 22 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 5 so far. The Catalina Foothills record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Catalina Foothills, 17 reached EF0 or EF1 and 2 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Catalina Foothills is rated EF2, of which 2 are logged. A further 3 near Catalina Foothills are unrated — events NOAA logged before a damage survey assigned a scale.

Across the last 20 years Catalina Foothills has averaged 0.3 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 7 in total. 2025 was the busiest of them with 2, and 14 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Catalina Foothills, AZ had?
Since 1950, 22 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Catalina Foothills. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Catalina Foothills?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Catalina Foothills was an F2 on August 27, 1964, which caused 2 fatalities.
When is tornado season in Catalina Foothills?
July is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Catalina Foothills, with 9 tornadoes on record. Tornadoes can occur any time of year, but spring months (April–June) generally see the highest activity across most of the central and southern United States.
When was the most recent tornado near Catalina Foothills?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Catalina Foothills was an Unrated on September 16, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Catalina Foothills?
Vortex delivers real-time tornado warnings, severe thunderstorm alerts, and SPC outlook updates for any US location via push notification and phone call. Alerts are sourced directly from the National Weather Service and updated within seconds of issuance.

Official Resources

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