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Glendale, CA Tornado History — 39 Tornadoes Since 1950

California · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Glendale, CA had?

Glendale has had 39 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.

When was the most recent tornado near Glendale?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Glendale was an EF0 on March 13, 2025.

When is tornado season in Glendale?

March is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Glendale, 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

Tornadoes Since 1950
39
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
0
0.0% of total
Peak Month
March
8 on record
Per Year Avg
0.5
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Glendale

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 6 total, averaging 0.3 per year over this window.

2026 0
2025 1
2024 0
2023 4
2022 0
2021 0
2020 0
2019 0
2018 0
2017 0
2016 0
2015 0
2014 1
2013 0
2012 0
2011 0
2010 0
2009 0
2008 0
2007 0

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 3
1960s 5
1970s 4
1980s 10
1990s 7
2000s 4
2010s 1
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 25
EF1 9
EF2 5

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 6
Feb 4
Mar 8
Apr 2
May 5
Jun 1
Jul 0
Aug 0
Sep 2
Oct 0
Nov 6
Dec 5

Have any tornadoes near Glendale been fatal?

No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Glendale from any of the 39 tornadoes since 1950, though 49 injuries have been reported. NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.

Notable Tornadoes Near Glendale

Costliest Tornado
F2 on March 1, 1983 — est. ~$27.5M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
F2 on November 9, 1982 — 1,300 yards wide.
Longest Path
F1 on March 16, 1977 — 10.9 mile track.
Most Recent
EF0 on March 13, 2025.

About Tornadoes in Glendale

This overview was written July 28, 2026. The tornado counts and notable-event figures elsewhere on this page reflect the latest data and may differ from this summary.

Tornadoes around Glendale arrive mostly with the wet season, when cold Pacific storms push into Los Angeles County and the lowlands flanking the Verdugo Mountains. Unlike the springtime severe weather of the central United States, the twisters here tend to spin up between late fall and early spring, out of the same unstable systems that deliver the region's winter rain.

That pattern has produced some genuinely damaging storms. An F2 tornado on November 7, 1966 tracked more than ten miles and injured 10 people. On November 9, 1982, F2 tornadoes again struck the area, one cutting a mile-long path 150 yards wide and another running roughly ten miles with a swath that spread to 1,300 yards. A few months later, on March 1, 1983, an F2 injured 30 people along a 3.5-mile track about 100 yards across, with property damage put at $27,500,000.

The cool-season tendency has carried into the modern era. An EF0 touched down on December 12, 2014. In 2023, an EF0 struck on February 23, an EF1 followed on March 22, and EF0s touched down on May 4. As recently as March 13, 2025, an EF0 spun up near the city, a reminder that even brief, weak tornadoes remain part of Glendale's weather.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Glendale, CA had?
Since 1950, 39 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Glendale. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
When is tornado season in Glendale?
March is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Glendale, with 8 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 Glendale?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Glendale was an EF0 on March 13, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Glendale?
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.

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