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Selma, CA Tornado History — 36 Tornadoes Since 1950

California · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Selma, CA had?

Selma has had 36 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.

When was the most recent tornado near Selma?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Selma was an EF1 on January 17, 2019.

When is tornado season in Selma?

March is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Selma, with 11 on record. April through June account for 8 of the 36 tornadoes on record near Selma.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
36
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
0
0.0% of total
Peak Month
March
11 on record
Per Year Avg
0.5
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Selma

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 5 total, averaging 0.3 per year over this window.

2026 0+3 prelim
2025 0
2024 0
2023 0
2022 0
2021 0
2020 0
2019 1
2018 2
2017 0
2016 0
2015 0
2014 0
2013 0
2012 0
2011 0
2010 1
2009 0
2008 1
2007 0

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

Preliminary tornado reports near Selma since December 29, 2025

These are 3 preliminary reports, not confirmed tornadoes. They have not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and are 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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 April 23, 2026
8 ENE Clovis, Fresno County, CA
NWS Hanford Storm Survey team found damage indicative of an EF-1 tornado with peak winds of 95 mph. 2 Hardwood Tees snapped in half. Along Tollhouse Road... a barn was (HNX)
Preliminary EF1° April 22, 2026
11 ENE Clovis, Fresno County, CA
Damage assessment team reported snapped and uprooted trees consistent with EF1 damage from tornado around 5:24PM PDT. (HNX)
Preliminary EF1° April 22, 2026
8 ENE Clovis, Fresno County, CA
***Date of event was 4/21*** NWS Hanford Storm Survey team found damage indicative of an EF-1 tornado with peak winds of 95 mph. 2 Hardwood Tees snapped in half. Along (HNX)

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

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 1
1960s 2
1970s 3
1980s 8
1990s 12
2000s 6
2010s 4

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 26
EF1 8
EF2 2

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 4
Feb 7
Mar 11
Apr 3
May 4
Jun 1
Jul 0
Aug 0
Sep 0
Oct 2
Nov 3
Dec 1

Have any tornadoes near Selma been fatal?

No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Selma from any of the 36 tornadoes since 1950, though 5 injuries have been reported, according to NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.

Notable Tornadoes Near Selma

Costliest Tornado
F1 on February 19, 1980 — est. ~$2.8M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
F0 on February 15, 1986 — 100 yards wide.
Longest Path
F2 on April 5, 1980 — 15.0 mile track.
Most Recent
EF1 on January 17, 2019.

What the record shows near Selma

The 1990s were the busiest decade near Selma, with 12 of the 36 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2010s have produced 4 so far. The Selma record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Selma, 34 reached EF0 or EF1 and 2 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Selma is rated EF2, of which 2 are logged.

Across the last 20 years Selma has averaged 0.3 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 5 in total. 2018 was the busiest of them with 2, and 16 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Selma, CA had?
Since 1950, 36 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Selma. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
When is tornado season in Selma?
March is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Selma, with 11 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 Selma?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Selma was an EF1 on January 17, 2019.
How do I get tornado warnings for Selma?
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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