Palo Alto, CA Tornado History — 11 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Palo Alto, CA had?
Palo Alto has had 11 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.
When was the most recent tornado near Palo Alto?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Palo Alto was a F1 on March 20, 2005.
When is tornado season in Palo Alto?
January is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Palo Alto, with 2 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 Palo Alto been fatal?
No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Palo Alto from any of the 11 tornadoes since 1950, though 3 injuries have been reported. NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.
Notable Tornadoes Near Palo Alto
About Tornadoes in Palo Alto
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.
Palo Alto, California has experienced 11 documented tornadoes within a 25-mile radius since 1950, according to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center. This relatively modest total reflects the rarity of tornadic activity in the San Francisco Bay Area compared to the central and southeastern United States, where atmospheric conditions more frequently support supercell thunderstorm development. Most of the recorded tornadoes in the Palo Alto area have been weak, with five rated EF0 and four rated EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, which measures tornado intensity based on damage indicators.
The most active period occurred during the 1990s, when six tornadoes were documented in the area. Two tornadoes occurred in both the 1950s and 1980s, with one additional event in the 2000s. Notably, no tornadoes have been recorded in the region since March 20, 2005, when an F1 tornado with a three-mile path length touched down. January has been the peak month for tornado activity, with two events recorded during that month, a pattern that differs markedly from the spring and early summer peak typical of tornado-prone regions elsewhere in the country.
The costliest and longest-tracked tornado on record occurred on January 11, 1951, when an F2-intensity tornado carved a 5.7-mile path with a maximum width of just 10 yards, causing $2.75 million in property damage. The widest tornado in the area's history was also rated F2, touching down on May 6, 1998 with a maximum width of 100 yards along a 0.6-mile path, though it caused minimal documented damage. Two tornadoes have reached F2 intensity in the region since records began, representing the strongest events documented.
Significantly, none of the tornadoes recorded near Palo Alto have resulted in fatalities. This safety record, combined with the infrequency and generally weak nature of local tornadoes, distinguishes the area from regions where tornadoes pose a more substantial and recurring threat to life and property.