Oakdale, CA Tornado History — 18 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Oakdale, CA had?
Oakdale has had 18 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.
When was the most recent tornado near Oakdale?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Oakdale was an EF0 on April 1, 2025.
When is tornado season in Oakdale?
April is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Oakdale, with 7 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 Oakdale
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 Oakdale been fatal?
No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Oakdale from any of the 18 tornadoes since 1950, though 1 injuries have been reported. NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.
Notable Tornadoes Near Oakdale
About Tornadoes in Oakdale
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.
Oakdale sits in Stanislaus County, on the eastern flank of California's Central Valley, where the flat San Joaquin Valley floor rises toward the Sierra Nevada foothills. Tornadoes near the city have tended to arrive in the cooler months, when Pacific storm systems drag cold, unstable air across the valley — though the pattern is not ironclad, as an F0 did appear on July 29, 1980.
An F2 tornado struck the Oakdale area on April 27, 1953, tracking a path 0.1 mile long and 10 yards wide and causing $2,750 in property damage. The late-winter setup returned in March 1978, when an F1 touched down on March 1 and F1 tornadoes followed on March 4, and again on March 19, 1981, with an F0. Spring has produced tornadoes of its own: F0s on March 20, April 8, and April 9, 2005 were followed by an F1 on April 14, 2006.
Activity has also reached into late fall and winter, with an F1 on December 12, 1996, an EF1 on November 15, 2015, and an EF0 on December 24, 2015. The 2020s have kept to the same cool-season rhythm: EF1 tornadoes struck on January 10 and March 11, 2023, and an EF0 touched down on April 1, 2025.