Norco, CA Tornado History — 35 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Norco, CA had?
Norco has had 35 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.
When was the most recent tornado near Norco?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Norco was an EF0 on February 23, 2023.
When is tornado season in Norco?
February is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Norco, with 8 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 Norco
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 8 total, averaging 0.4 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 Norco been fatal?
No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Norco from any of the 35 tornadoes since 1950, though 8 injuries have been reported. NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.
Notable Tornadoes Near Norco
About Tornadoes in Norco
This overview was written July 29, 2026. The tornado counts and notable-event figures elsewhere on this page reflect the latest data and may differ from this summary.
Norco lies along the Santa Ana River in Riverside County, on the western edge of California's Inland Empire, and its tornado history follows the rhythm of the Pacific storm season rather than the spring peak familiar in the Plains. Cool-season storm systems have repeatedly spun up tornadoes here: an F1 struck on March 17, 1977, another F1 on January 31, 1979, and consecutive wet winters brought F1 tornadoes on December 7, 1992 and January 14, 1993. Late autumn has contributed as well, with an F1 on November 25, 1965 and another F1 on November 11, 1997.
A destructive stretch of severe weather arrived in late May 2008. On May 22, 2008, an EF2 tornado tracked 2.8 miles along a path up to 75 yards wide, injuring one person and causing $350,000 in property damage; weaker EF0 tornadoes touched down in the area that same day, and another EF0 followed on May 23, 2008.
Activity in the years afterward has stayed brief and weak by comparison — EF0 touchdowns on August 12 and September 9, 2012, another on October 8, 2022, and an EF0 on February 23, 2023 — the kind of short-lived, narrow funnels that characterize tornadoes in this corner of Southern California.