Cerritos, CA Tornado History — 62 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Cerritos, CA had?
Cerritos has had 62 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.
When was the most recent tornado near Cerritos?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Cerritos was an EF0 on March 13, 2025.
When is tornado season in Cerritos?
January is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Cerritos, with 12 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 Cerritos
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 Cerritos been fatal?
No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Cerritos from any of the 62 tornadoes since 1950, though 53 injuries have been reported. NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.
Notable Tornadoes Near Cerritos
About Tornadoes in Cerritos
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.
Cerritos, California, and the surrounding 25-mile radius have experienced 62 documented tornadoes since 1950, according to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center. Unlike the Great Plains where tornadoes peak in spring and early summer, this region shows a distinct pattern with January recording the most events at 12 occurrences. The majority of these tornadoes have been relatively weak, with 35 rated EF0 and 22 rated EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, which classifies tornado intensity based on damage. Only five tornadoes reached EF2 strength, and notably, no tornado-related fatalities have been recorded in the area during this period.
Tornado activity in the region has varied considerably by decade. The 1990s saw the highest concentration with 19 tornadoes, while the 1980s recorded 12 events and the 1960s had 9. More recent decades have seen reduced activity, with only 2 tornadoes in the 2010s, though 5 have already occurred in the 2020s. The most recent event was an EF0 tornado on March 13, 2025, which traveled 1.0 mile with a maximum width of 80 yards and caused no damage or injuries.
The costliest tornado on record struck on March 1, 1983, an F2-rated event that caused $27,500,000 in property damage while traveling 3.5 miles with a maximum width of 100 yards. The widest tornado occurred on November 9, 1982, also rated F2, which reached an exceptional 1,300 yards in width and carved a 10.0-mile path while causing $2,750,000 in damage. The longest-tracked tornado was an F1 that traveled 10.9 miles on March 17, 1977, though it remained narrow at only 10 yards wide and resulted in $2,750,000 in damage.
While tornadoes in Southern California are less frequent than in the central United States, the region's winter and early spring tornado activity reflects the influence of Pacific storm systems and atmospheric conditions unique to coastal California. The consistent absence of fatalities across all 62 recorded events, despite several significant property damage totals, demonstrates both the typically brief nature of these tornadoes and the relatively lower population density in their paths compared to direct urban strikes.