San Marcos, CA Tornado History — 18 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has San Marcos, CA had?
San Marcos has had 18 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.
When was the most recent tornado near San Marcos?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of San Marcos was an EF0 on September 22, 2007.
When is tornado season in San Marcos?
February is historically the peak month for tornadoes near San Marcos, with 6 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 San Marcos
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 1 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 San Marcos been fatal?
No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of San Marcos from any of the 18 tornadoes since 1950, though 3 injuries have been reported. NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.
Notable Tornadoes Near San Marcos
About Tornadoes in San Marcos
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.
San Marcos, California has experienced 18 documented tornadoes within a 25-mile radius since 1950, according to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center. Unlike the severe tornado events common to the Great Plains and Southeast, all recorded tornadoes in this region have been rated EF0 or EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, with 12 classified as EF0 and 6 as EF1. No fatalities have been recorded from any of these events.
Tornado activity in the San Marcos area has shown a notable increase in recent decades. The region recorded just one tornado in the 1960s and three in the 1970s, but activity increased to five tornadoes in the 1990s and eight in the 2000s. This pattern reflects improved detection and reporting capabilities over time, as weaker tornadoes that might have gone unrecorded in earlier decades are now more consistently documented.
February stands out as the peak month for tornado occurrence, with six events recorded during this period. This winter maximum differs from the spring peak typical of much of the continental United States, reflecting the influence of Pacific storm systems that affect coastal California during the cooler months. The most recent tornado occurred on September 22, 2007, an EF0 event with a 0.1-mile path length and maximum width of 15 yards that caused just $100 in property damage.
The costliest tornado on record struck on February 4, 1985, an F0 event that caused $275,000 in property damage despite its brief 0.1-mile path and narrow 17-yard width. The widest tornado reached 80 yards across on December 18, 1978, while the longest-tracked tornado carved a 3.0-mile path on February 8, 1998. These events, while notable for the local area, produced relatively minor damage compared to tornadoes in more tornado-prone regions of the country.