Redwood City, CA Tornado History — 11 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Redwood City, CA had?
Redwood City has had 11 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.
When was the most recent tornado near Redwood City?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Redwood City was a F1 on March 20, 2005.
When is tornado season in Redwood City?
January is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Redwood City, 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 Redwood City been fatal?
No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Redwood City from any of the 11 tornadoes since 1950, though 3 injuries have been reported. NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.
Notable Tornadoes Near Redwood City
About Tornadoes in Redwood City
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.
Redwood City, California, located on the San Francisco Peninsula, has experienced 11 documented tornadoes within a 25-mile radius since 1950, according to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center. Unlike the central United States where tornadoes are most common in spring and early summer, the peak month for tornado activity in this region has been January, with two recorded events. This pattern reflects the influence of Pacific storm systems that can occasionally produce weak tornadoes when they move inland during the winter months.
The majority of tornadoes near Redwood City have been relatively weak, with five rated EF0 and four rated EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, which measures tornado intensity based on damage. Two tornadoes reached EF2 intensity, the strongest on record for the area. Notably, none of the tornadoes in this region have resulted in fatalities. The costliest and longest-tracked tornado occurred on January 11, 1951, when an F2 tornado carved a 5.7-mile path with a maximum width of just 10 yards, causing $2.75 million in property damage.
Tornado activity near Redwood City has been sporadic across the decades. The 1990s saw the highest concentration with six tornadoes, while the 1950s and 1980s each recorded two events, and the 2000s had one. The widest tornado on record touched down on May 6, 1998, reaching a maximum width of 100 yards during its 0.6-mile path, though it caused minimal damage. The most recent tornado occurred on March 20, 2005, when an F1 tornado traveled three miles with a maximum width of 30 yards.
While tornadoes in coastal California are far less frequent than in other parts of the country, the historical record demonstrates that they do occur under the right atmospheric conditions. The relatively narrow path widths and limited damage totals reflect the typically brief lifespan and lower intensity of tornadoes that form in this maritime climate, where conditions are generally less favorable for severe thunderstorm development than in continental interior regions.