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Madera, CA Tornado History — 30 Tornadoes Since 1950

California · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Madera, CA had?

Madera has had 30 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.

When was the most recent tornado near Madera?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Madera was an EF0 on March 1, 2024.

When is tornado season in Madera?

March is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Madera, with 9 on record. April through June account for 9 of the 30 tornadoes on record near Madera.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
30
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
0
0.0% of total
Peak Month
March
9 on record
Per Year Avg
0.4
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Madera

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 4 total, averaging 0.2 per year over this window.

2026 0+1 prelim
2025 0
2024 1
2023 0
2022 0
2021 0
2020 0
2019 2
2018 0
2017 0
2016 0
2015 0
2014 0
2013 0
2012 0
2011 0
2010 1
2009 0
2008 0
2007 0

Striped bars mark preliminary reports not yet confirmed by NWS survey — excluded from the confirmed counts.

Preliminary tornado reports near Madera since December 29, 2025

This 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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.

Preliminary EF0° April 21, 2026
5 NE Kerman, Fresno County, CA
EF-0... Winds estimated at 70 mph. Public called Law Enforcement to report a tornado near Biola. Video and radar evidence verifies the report. No damage found in the ar (HNX)

Within 25 miles of Madera. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 3
1960s 3
1970s 1
1980s 3
1990s 12
2000s 4
2010s 3
2020s 1

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 23
EF1 6
EF2 1

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 3
Feb 7
Mar 9
Apr 4
May 4
Jun 1
Jul 0
Aug 0
Sep 0
Oct 1
Nov 1
Dec 0

Have any tornadoes near Madera been fatal?

No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Madera from any of the 30 tornadoes since 1950, though 2 injuries have been reported, according to NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.

Notable Tornadoes Near Madera

Costliest Tornado
F1 on January 14, 1995 — est. ~$2.8M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
F0 on February 28, 1958 — 90 yards wide.
Longest Path
F1 on February 14, 1998 — 3.0 mile track.
Most Recent
EF0 on March 1, 2024.

What the record shows near Madera

The 1990s were the busiest decade near Madera, with 12 of the 30 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 1 so far. The Madera record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Madera, 29 reached EF0 or EF1 and 1 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Madera is rated EF2, of which 1 is logged.

Across the last 20 years Madera has averaged 0.2 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 4 in total. 2019 was the busiest of them with 2, and 17 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Madera, CA had?
Since 1950, 30 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Madera. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
When is tornado season in Madera?
March is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Madera, with 9 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 Madera?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Madera was an EF0 on March 1, 2024.
How do I get tornado warnings for Madera?
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.

Official Resources

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