Hesperia, CA Tornado History — 17 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Hesperia, CA had?
Hesperia has had 17 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.
When was the most recent tornado near Hesperia?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Hesperia was an EF0 on May 7, 2017.
When is tornado season in Hesperia?
September is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Hesperia, with 6 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 Hesperia
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 2 total, averaging 0.1 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 Hesperia been fatal?
No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Hesperia from any of the 17 tornadoes since 1950. NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.
Notable Tornadoes Near Hesperia
About Tornadoes in Hesperia
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.
Hesperia, California, has experienced 17 documented tornadoes within a 25-mile radius since 1950, according to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center. This relatively modest total reflects the region's desert climate and geographic position in the southwestern Mojave Desert, where atmospheric conditions conducive to tornado formation occur far less frequently than in the central and eastern United States. Notably, none of these events resulted in fatalities, and the vast majority caused minimal or no property damage.
The tornadoes recorded near Hesperia have been predominantly weak, with 12 rated EF0 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, which measures tornado intensity based on damage. Four tornadoes reached EF1 strength, and only one attained EF2 intensity. The costliest tornado on record was an F1 event on September 5, 1976, which caused $27,500 in property damage along a 0.1-mile path with a maximum width of just 10 yards. The widest tornado, an F0 that occurred on August 14, 2004, stretched 800 yards across and traveled one mile, though it caused no reported damage. The longest track belonged to an F1 tornado on May 18, 1997, which covered 9.0 miles with a 40-yard width.
Tornado activity near Hesperia has varied considerably by decade. The 1970s saw the most events with six tornadoes, followed by five in the 1990s. The 1950s, 1960s, 2000s, and 2010s each recorded one to two tornadoes. No tornadoes were documented in the 1980s within the search area. September stands out as the peak month for tornado occurrence, accounting for six of the 17 total events, likely reflecting late-summer monsoonal moisture patterns that occasionally interact with atmospheric instability over the high desert.
The most recent tornado near Hesperia was an EF0 event on May 7, 2017, with a maximum width of 50 yards and no measurable path length or damage. While tornadoes remain rare in this part of California, the historical record demonstrates that brief, weak tornadoes can develop under the right meteorological conditions, typically during the warmer months when thunderstorm activity is most likely in the region.