Carson, CA Tornado History — 51 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Carson, CA had?
Carson has had 51 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.
When was the most recent tornado near Carson?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Carson was an EF0 on March 13, 2025.
When is tornado season in Carson?
January is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Carson, with 11 on record. Spring through early summer (April–June) generally sees the highest activity across most of the central and southern United States.
At a Glance
Recent Tornado Activity Near Carson
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 8 total, averaging 0.4 per year over this window.
Tornadoes by Decade
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.
Tornadoes by Month
Have any tornadoes near Carson been fatal?
No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Carson from any of the 51 tornadoes since 1950, though 50 injuries have been reported. NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.
Notable Tornadoes Near Carson
About Tornadoes in Carson
This overview was written April 23, 2026. The tornado counts and notable-event figures elsewhere on this page reflect the latest data and may differ from this summary.
Carson, California, and its surrounding 25-mile radius have experienced 51 documented tornadoes since 1950, according to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center. This relatively modest total reflects the region's location along the Southern California coast, where tornado formation is less common than in the central United States but still occurs under specific meteorological conditions. Remarkably, no fatalities have been recorded from any of these events, though property damage has occasionally been significant.
The temporal distribution of tornadoes in the Carson area shows considerable variation by decade. Activity peaked during the 1990s with 15 recorded events, followed by 11 tornadoes in the 1980s. More recent decades have seen lower counts, with only 2 tornadoes in the 2010s, though the 2020s have already recorded 5 events through early 2025. The most recent tornado occurred on March 13, 2025, an EF0-rated event with a 1.0-mile path length and maximum width of 80 yards that caused no damage or injuries.
By intensity, the vast majority of tornadoes near Carson have been relatively weak. The Enhanced Fujita scale, which rates tornadoes from EF0 to EF5 based on damage indicators, shows that 27 events were rated EF0, 19 were EF1, and only 5 reached EF2 intensity. The costliest tornado on record struck on March 1, 1983, an F2-rated storm that carved a 3.5-mile path up to 100 yards wide and caused $27.5 million in property damage. The widest tornado occurred on November 9, 1982, reaching 1,300 yards across during its 10.0-mile track, while the longest-tracked event traveled 10.9 miles on March 17, 1977.
Seasonally, tornado activity in the Carson area defies typical patterns observed in other parts of the country. January stands out as the peak month with 11 recorded events, reflecting Southern California's winter storm season when atmospheric dynamics occasionally support rotating thunderstorms. This contrasts sharply with the spring and early summer peak common to the Great Plains, where warm, moist air masses collide with dry continental air to produce the nation's most prolific tornado activity.