Rancho Cucamonga, CA Tornado History — 16 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Rancho Cucamonga, CA had?
Rancho Cucamonga has had 16 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.
When was the most recent tornado near Rancho Cucamonga?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Rancho Cucamonga was an EF2 on May 22, 2008.
When is tornado season in Rancho Cucamonga?
March is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Rancho Cucamonga, with 4 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 Rancho Cucamonga
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 2 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 Rancho Cucamonga been fatal?
No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Rancho Cucamonga from any of the 16 tornadoes since 1950, though 5 injuries have been reported. NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.
Notable Tornadoes Near Rancho Cucamonga
About Tornadoes in Rancho Cucamonga
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.
Tornadoes around Rancho Cucamonga are largely a cool-season phenomenon, spinning up when Pacific storm systems drive cold, unstable air across the Inland Empire and into the valleys of western San Bernardino County at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains. Touchdowns near the city have come in January 1978 and 1982, February 1993, March 1977, 1991, and 2005, and December 2001 — including a pair of F0 tornadoes on March 20, 1991 — though warm-season events happen too: an F0 touched down on September 7, 1976, and another on August 14, 2004.
A destructive EF2 tornado struck the area on May 22, 2008, carving a 2.8-mile path up to 75 yards wide, injuring one person and causing $350,000 in property damage; a separate EF0 touched down that same day. F1 tornadoes have also occurred here, on November 25, 1965 and March 17, 1977, alongside weaker F0 touchdowns such as those of April 6, 1955, May 30, 1984, February 17, 2000, and March 4, 2005. For a region better known for sunshine than severe weather, these events are a reminder that the storm systems crossing the Cucamonga Valley can occasionally produce tornadoes worth taking seriously.