Lawndale, CA Tornado History — 39 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Lawndale, CA had?
Lawndale has had 39 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.
When was the most recent tornado near Lawndale?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Lawndale was an EF0 on March 13, 2025.
When is tornado season in Lawndale?
January is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Lawndale, 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 Lawndale
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 7 total, averaging 0.3 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 Lawndale been fatal?
No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Lawndale from any of the 39 tornadoes since 1950, though 50 injuries have been reported. NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.
Notable Tornadoes Near Lawndale
About Tornadoes in Lawndale
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.
Lawndale, California, situated in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, has experienced 39 documented tornadoes within a 25-mile radius since 1950, according to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center. Unlike the spring-dominant tornado patterns seen across much of the central United States, this coastal area shows a distinct winter peak, with January accounting for 8 of the recorded events. This seasonal pattern reflects the influence of Pacific storm systems that can generate brief, typically weak tornadoes when atmospheric conditions align during the cooler months.
The majority of tornadoes in the Lawndale area have been relatively weak on the Enhanced Fujita scale, which rates tornado intensity from EF0 to EF5 based on damage indicators. Of the 39 recorded events, 19 were rated EF0 and 15 were rated EF1, with only 5 reaching EF2 intensity. Notably, none of the tornadoes on record resulted in fatalities. The costliest event occurred on March 1, 1983, when an F2 tornado caused $27,500,000 in property damage along a 3.5-mile path with a maximum width of 100 yards.
Tornado activity in the region peaked during the 1980s, with 10 recorded events that decade, followed by 8 in the 1990s. Activity declined in the 2000s and 2010s, with only 3 and 2 tornadoes respectively, before increasing again to 5 events in the 2020s. The widest tornado on record occurred on November 9, 1982, reaching a maximum width of 1,300 yards and traveling 10.0 miles, while the longest-tracked tornado moved 10.9 miles on March 17, 1977. The most recent tornado touched down on March 13, 2025, rated EF0 with a 1.0-mile path and causing no reported damage.
While Southern California tornadoes are generally less frequent and less intense than those in the nation's central plains, the historical record demonstrates that these events do occur with some regularity in the Los Angeles basin. The concentration of tornadoes in winter months and their predominantly weak intensity reflect the region's unique meteorological environment, where cold Pacific storms occasionally produce the wind shear and instability necessary for tornado formation.