Riverside, CA Tornado History — 18 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Riverside, CA had?
Riverside has had 18 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.
When was the most recent tornado near Riverside?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Riverside was an EF0 on October 8, 2022.
When is tornado season in Riverside?
May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Riverside, with 5 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 Riverside
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 8 total, averaging 0.4 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 Riverside been fatal?
No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Riverside from any of the 18 tornadoes since 1950, though 5 injuries have been reported. NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.
Notable Tornadoes Near Riverside
About Tornadoes in Riverside
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.
Riverside lies in the inland valleys of Southern California, where the Santa Ana River corridor of Riverside County occasionally sees brief tornadoes spun up by passing Pacific storm systems. Much of the city's tornado history is a cool-season story: an F0 touched down on April 6, 1955, an F1 on November 25, 1965, another F1 on March 17, 1977, and an F0 on January 20, 1982. F0 tornadoes touched down on March 20, 1991, and further weak events followed on May 13, 1998, February 26, 2005, and March 4, 2005, all rated F0, along with a midsummer F0 on July 23, 2006.
May 22, 2008 brought a burst of tornado activity to the area, including EF0 touchdowns and an EF2 tornado that tracked 2.8 miles along a path up to 75 yards wide, injuring one person and causing $350,000 in property damage; another EF0 followed on May 23, 2008.
In the years since, tornadoes near Riverside have leaned toward late summer and autumn, when monsoon moisture and early-season Pacific systems can destabilize the Inland Empire: EF0 tornadoes were recorded on August 12, 2012, September 9, 2012, October 17, 2015, and October 8, 2022.