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Porterville, CA Tornado History — 5 Tornadoes Since 1950

California · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Porterville, CA had?

Porterville has had 5 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.

When was the most recent tornado near Porterville?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Porterville was an EF0 on November 9, 2012.

When is tornado season in Porterville?

January is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Porterville, with 1 on record. April through June account for 2 of the 5 tornadoes on record near Porterville.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
5
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
0
0.0% of total
Peak Month
January
1 on record
Per Year Avg
0.1
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Porterville

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 1 total, averaging 0.1 per year over this window.

2026 0+1 prelim
2025 0
2024 0
2023 0
2022 0
2021 0
2020 0
2019 0
2018 0
2017 0
2016 0
2015 0
2014 0
2013 0
2012 1
2011 0
2010 0
2009 0
2008 0
2007 0

Striped bars mark preliminary reports not yet confirmed by NWS survey — excluded from the confirmed counts.

Preliminary tornado reports near Porterville since December 29, 2025

This is a preliminary report, not confirmed tornadoes. It has not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and is not counted in the confirmed totals above.

Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete. Ratings are omitted until a survey assigns one.

Confirmed records above are complete through December 29, 2025. NOAA publishes the confirmed archive annually, so tornadoes after that date appear here first and move into the totals above once finalized.

Preliminary EF0° April 22, 2026
Terra Bella, Tulare County, CA
A Storm Survey Team from NWS Hanford... confirmed a EF-0 Tornado with peak winds of 80 mph... in Terra Bella... CA. Two videos show a well developed funnel and rotation (HNX)

Within 25 miles of Porterville. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.

Tornadoes by Decade

1990s 4
2010s 1

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.

EF0 5

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 1
Feb 1
Mar 0
Apr 1
May 1
Jun 0
Jul 0
Aug 0
Sep 0
Oct 0
Nov 1
Dec 0

Have any tornadoes near Porterville been fatal?

No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Porterville from any of the 5 tornadoes since 1950, according to NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.

Notable Tornadoes Near Porterville

Costliest Tornado
F0 on May 13, 1995 — est. ~$275K (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
EF0 on November 9, 2012 — 30 yards wide.
Longest Path
F0 on January 20, 1997 — 3.0 mile track.
Most Recent
EF0 on November 9, 2012.

What the record shows near Porterville

The 1990s were the busiest decade near Porterville, with 4 of the 5 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2010s have produced 1 so far. The Porterville record runs from the 1990s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Porterville, 5 reached EF0 or EF1 and 0 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Porterville is rated EF0, of which 5 are logged.

Across the last 20 years Porterville has averaged 0.1 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 1 in total. 2012 was the busiest of them with 1, and 19 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Porterville, CA had?
Since 1950, 5 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Porterville. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
When is tornado season in Porterville?
January is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Porterville, with 1 tornadoes on record. Tornadoes can occur any time of year, but spring months (April–June) generally see the highest activity across most of the central and southern United States.
When was the most recent tornado near Porterville?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Porterville was an EF0 on November 9, 2012.
How do I get tornado warnings for Porterville?
Vortex delivers real-time tornado warnings, severe thunderstorm alerts, and SPC outlook updates for any US location via push notification and phone call. Alerts are sourced directly from the National Weather Service and updated within seconds of issuance.

Official Resources

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