Novato, CA Tornado History — 9 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Novato, CA had?
Novato has had 9 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.
When was the most recent tornado near Novato?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Novato was an EF1 on March 18, 2011.
When is tornado season in Novato?
December is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Novato, with 6 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 Novato
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 Novato been fatal?
No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Novato from any of the 9 tornadoes since 1950. NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.
Notable Tornadoes Near Novato
About Tornadoes in Novato
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.
Novato sits in Marin County at the northern edge of the San Francisco Bay Area, where tornadoes tend to ride in on the Pacific storm systems of the cool season rather than the warm months. December in particular has brought touchdown after touchdown near the city: F1 tornadoes struck on December 3, 1992; an F1 touched down on December 23, 1996; an F1 and an F0 both occurred on December 6, 1998; and an F0 followed on December 29, 2004.
The area's history also holds a notable early-summer event. On June 1, 1958, an F2 tornado tracked 15 miles with a path 50 yards wide, causing $27,500 in property damage — a far stronger and longer-lived storm than the brief winter spin-ups more typical of the North Bay.
Late winter has produced tornadoes here as well. An F1 touched down on February 27, 1983, and on March 18, 2011 an EF1 struck the area as another wet-season system crossed Marin County. Together these events sketch a distinctly Californian pattern: tornado weather in and around Novato belongs mostly to the rainy months, when Pacific fronts and unstable marine air move over the hills and valleys north of San Pablo Bay.