Mountain View, CA Tornado History — 10 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Mountain View, CA had?
Mountain View has had 10 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.
When was the most recent tornado near Mountain View?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Mountain View was an EF1 on December 14, 2024.
When is tornado season in Mountain View?
December is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Mountain View, with 3 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 Mountain View
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 1 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 Mountain View been fatal?
No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Mountain View from any of the 10 tornadoes since 1950, though 8 injuries have been reported. NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.
Notable Tornadoes Near Mountain View
About Tornadoes in Mountain View
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.
Mountain View, California has experienced 10 documented tornadoes within a 25-mile radius since 1950, according to NOAA Storm Prediction Center records. This relatively modest total reflects the Bay Area's position outside the nation's primary tornado corridors, though the region is not immune to these rotating columns of air. The recorded events span seven decades, with notable clustering in the 1990s when six tornadoes occurred, compared to two in the 1950s, one in the 1980s, and one in the 2020s.
The tornadoes documented near Mountain View have been predominantly weak to moderate in intensity. Four events rated EF0 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, which measures tornado damage from EF0 (weakest) to EF5 (strongest). Another four reached EF1 intensity, while two achieved EF2 status. Importantly, none of the tornadoes on record resulted in fatalities, distinguishing this area from regions where deadly twisters occur with greater frequency.
December stands out as the peak month for tornado activity in the Mountain View area, accounting for three of the ten recorded events. This winter maximum differs from the spring peak typical of the Great Plains, where warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico collides with cooler air masses. California tornadoes often form in association with Pacific storm systems that bring unstable atmospheric conditions during the cooler months.
The costliest and longest-tracked tornado occurred on January 11, 1951, when an F2-rated twister carved a 5.7-mile path with a maximum width of just 10 yards, causing $2,750,000 in property damage. The widest tornado on record touched down on May 6, 1998, reaching 100 yards across during its 0.6-mile track, though it caused minimal damage. Most recently, an EF1 tornado struck on December 14, 2024, traveling 0.3 miles with a maximum width of 30 yards and causing minimal property damage.