Delano, CA Tornado History — 6 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Delano, CA had?
Delano has had 6 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.
When was the most recent tornado near Delano?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Delano was an EF0 on November 9, 2012.
When is tornado season in Delano?
February is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Delano, with 2 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 Delano
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 1 total, averaging 0.1 per year over this window.
Preliminary tornado reports near Delano 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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 Delano. 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 Delano been fatal?
No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Delano from any of the 6 tornadoes since 1950. NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.
Notable Tornadoes Near Delano
About Tornadoes in Delano
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.
Delano, California has experienced six documented tornadoes within a 25-mile radius since 1950, according to NOAA Storm Prediction Center records. This relatively modest tornado activity reflects the region's location in California's Central Valley, where tornadoes occur far less frequently than in the central and southeastern United States. All six recorded tornadoes resulted in zero fatalities, and the majority caused minimal structural damage.
The tornado record shows sporadic activity across the decades, with one event in the 1960s, four in the 1990s, and one in the 2010s. Five of the six tornadoes were rated EF0 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, indicating wind speeds between 65 and 85 mph, while only one reached EF1 intensity with winds between 86 and 110 mph. The widest tornado on record was that November 1, 1964 EF1 event, which carved a one-mile path with a maximum width of 50 yards and caused $275 in property damage.
February has been the peak month for tornado activity near Delano, with two events recorded during that month. The costliest and longest-track tornado occurred on May 13, 1995, when an EF0 tornado traveled 2.5 miles with a narrow 10-yard width, causing $275,000 in property damage. The most recent tornado touched down on November 9, 2012, an EF0 event that traveled just 0.3 miles with a 30-yard width and caused no reported property damage.
While tornadoes can develop in California when atmospheric conditions align—typically when cold fronts interact with unstable air masses—the state's Mediterranean climate and coastal influences generally suppress the severe thunderstorm environments that produce tornadoes more regularly in other regions. The historical record for Delano demonstrates that when tornadoes do occur in this area, they tend to be brief, weak, and cause limited damage compared to tornadoes documented in more tornado-prone regions of the country.