Chico, CA Tornado History — 28 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Chico, CA had?
Chico has had 28 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.
When was the most recent tornado near Chico?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Chico was an EF1 on December 19, 2023.
When is tornado season in Chico?
March is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Chico, with 8 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 Chico
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 12 total, averaging 0.6 per year over this window.
Preliminary tornado reports near Chico since December 29, 2025
These is a preliminary report, not confirmed tornadoes. It has not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and is 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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.
Within 25 miles of Chico. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.
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 Chico been fatal?
No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Chico from any of the 28 tornadoes since 1950, though 7 injuries have been reported. NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.
Notable Tornadoes Near Chico
About Tornadoes in Chico
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.
Chico, California has experienced 28 documented tornadoes within a 25-mile radius since 1950, according to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center. While tornadoes are relatively uncommon in Northern California compared to the Great Plains, the region does see periodic tornado activity, particularly during the spring months when atmospheric conditions occasionally favor rotating thunderstorms.
The distribution of tornadoes in the Chico area has been uneven across the decades. The 1950s recorded just one tornado, followed by two each in the 1970s and 1980s. Activity increased notably in the 1990s with seven tornadoes, then declined slightly to four in the 2000s before rising again to eight in the 2010s. The current decade through 2023 has recorded four tornadoes. March stands out as the peak month for tornado occurrence, accounting for eight of the 28 total events.
All tornadoes on record in the Chico area have been rated EF2 or lower on the Enhanced Fujita scale, which measures tornado intensity based on damage. The distribution includes 12 EF0 tornadoes, 12 EF1 tornadoes, and 4 EF2 tornadoes. Notably, no tornadoes in this area have resulted in fatalities. The costliest tornado occurred on February 10, 1994, when an F2-rated tornado caused $2,750,000 in property damage along a 0.3-mile path with a maximum width of 20 yards. The longest-track tornado on record was an EF1 that traveled 26.4 miles on May 26, 2011, causing $150,000 in damage.
The most recent tornado touched down on December 20, 2023, rated EF1 with a path length of 0.4 miles and maximum width of 90 yards, causing $17,000 in property damage. The widest tornado recorded in the area was an F1 on April 17, 1993, which reached 200 yards in width along a half-mile path.