Monterey Park, CA Tornado History — 48 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Monterey Park, CA had?
Monterey Park has had 48 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.
When was the most recent tornado near Monterey Park?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Monterey Park was an EF0 on March 13, 2025.
When is tornado season in Monterey Park?
January is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Monterey Park, with 9 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 Monterey Park
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 Monterey Park been fatal?
No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Monterey Park from any of the 48 tornadoes since 1950, though 50 injuries have been reported. NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.
Notable Tornadoes Near Monterey Park
About Tornadoes in Monterey Park
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.
Since 1950, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Storm Prediction Center has documented 48 tornadoes within 25 miles of Monterey Park, California. This record reveals a tornado climatology quite different from the nation's interior plains, with peak activity occurring in January rather than the traditional spring months. Nine tornadoes have been recorded in January alone, reflecting Southern California's winter storm patterns when Pacific systems can occasionally produce tornadic conditions.
The majority of these events have been weak, with 26 rated EF0 and 17 rated EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, which classifies tornadoes based on estimated wind speeds and observed damage. Only five tornadoes reached EF2 intensity. Notably, no tornado in the area's recorded history has resulted in a fatality, according to NOAA Storm Prediction Center data. The costliest event occurred on March 1, 1983, when an F2 tornado caused $27.5 million in property damage along a 3.5-mile path with a maximum width of 100 yards.
Tornado frequency in the region peaked during the 1980s and 1990s, with 12 and 11 events respectively. The 1980s also produced the widest tornado on record, an F2 that carved a 10-mile path on November 9, 1982, reaching a maximum width of 1,300 yards and causing $2.75 million in damage. The longest-tracked tornado occurred on March 17, 1977, when an F1 traveled 10.9 miles despite maintaining a narrow 10-yard width.
Activity has been more subdued in recent decades, with only two tornadoes in the 2010s and five so far in the 2020s. The most recent event was an EF0 tornado on March 13, 2025, which traveled one mile with an 80-yard maximum width and caused no reported damage or injuries. While tornadoes remain relatively uncommon in this part of California compared to the central United States, the historical record demonstrates that they do occur and can occasionally produce significant damage.