National City, CA Tornado History — 11 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has National City, CA had?
National City has had 11 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.
When was the most recent tornado near National City?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of National City was a F0 on February 23, 2005.
When is tornado season in National City?
February is historically the peak month for tornadoes near National City, 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
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 National City been fatal?
No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of National City from any of the 11 tornadoes since 1950, though 1 injuries have been reported. NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.
Notable Tornadoes Near National City
About Tornadoes in National City
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.
National City, California, located in San Diego County near the Pacific coast, experiences tornadoes far less frequently than regions in the central and eastern United States, yet the area is not entirely immune to these atmospheric phenomena. According to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center, ten tornadoes have been documented within 25 miles of National City since 1950, all of them rated EF0 or EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, which measures tornado intensity based on damage. The EF scale ranges from EF0 (weakest, with winds 65–85 mph) to EF5 (strongest, exceeding 200 mph).
The distribution of tornado activity has been relatively sparse over the decades. One tornado occurred in the 1950s, followed by two in the 1970s, three in the 1980s, two in the 1990s, and two in the 2000s. Of the ten recorded events, six were rated EF0 and four were rated EF1. Notably, none of these tornadoes resulted in fatalities, reflecting both their relatively weak intensity and the area's lower population density in affected zones during tornado events.
February stands out as the peak month for tornado activity near National City, accounting for four of the ten recorded events. This winter peak differs markedly from the spring and early summer tornado season typical of the Great Plains, where warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico collides with cooler, drier air to produce severe thunderstorms. In coastal California, tornadoes are more often associated with winter storm systems moving in from the Pacific Ocean.
The most significant tornado on record occurred on March 19, 1991, when an F1 tornado carved a one-mile path with a maximum width of 440 yards, causing $275,000 in property damage but no injuries or deaths. This event remains the costliest, widest, and longest-tracked tornado in the area's recorded history. The most recent tornado touched down on February 23, 2005, as a brief EF0 event with a path length of just one-tenth of a mile and a maximum width of only 10 yards, causing no damage or casualties.