Morgan Hill, CA Tornado History — 13 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Morgan Hill, CA had?
Morgan Hill has had 13 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.
When was the most recent tornado near Morgan Hill?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Morgan Hill was an EF1 on December 14, 2024.
When is tornado season in Morgan Hill?
December is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Morgan Hill, with 5 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 Morgan Hill
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 6 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 Morgan Hill been fatal?
No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Morgan Hill from any of the 13 tornadoes since 1950, though 5 injuries have been reported. NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.
Notable Tornadoes Near Morgan Hill
About Tornadoes in Morgan Hill
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.
Morgan Hill, California, has experienced 13 documented tornadoes within a 25-mile radius since 1950, according to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center. This relatively modest total reflects the region's location in an area where tornadoes are considerably less frequent than in the central United States. The majority of these events have been weak, with nine rated EF0 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, three rated EF1, and just one reaching EF2 intensity. Notably, no tornadoes in the area have resulted in fatalities on record.
Tornado activity near Morgan Hill has shown a gradual increase in documented events over recent decades. The 1960s saw one tornado, followed by three in the 1980s, two each in the 1990s and 2000s, and four in the 2010s. The most recent event occurred on December 14, 2024, when an EF1 tornado with a 30-yard maximum width traveled 0.3 miles and caused minimal damage estimated at just $10. This continues a pattern of relatively short-lived, narrow tornadoes characteristic of the region.
December stands out as the peak month for tornado activity in the Morgan Hill area, accounting for five of the 13 recorded events. This winter peak differs markedly from the spring maximum typical of the Great Plains, where warm, moist air masses collide with cooler air to generate severe thunderstorms. California tornadoes often form in association with winter storm systems moving through the region, producing brief touchdowns rather than the long-track tornadoes seen elsewhere in the country.
The costliest tornado on record struck on April 3, 1987, when an F0 tornado caused $275,000 in property damage despite its brief 0.1-mile path and 30-yard width. The longest-tracked tornado traveled 1.1 miles on December 22, 2012, while the widest reached 100 yards on December 6, 1998. These events underscore that while tornadoes do occur in the Morgan Hill vicinity, they remain relatively weak and short-lived compared to tornadoes in more tornado-prone regions of the United States.