Visalia, CA Tornado History — 18 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Visalia, CA had?
Visalia has had 18 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.
When was the most recent tornado near Visalia?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Visalia was an EF0 on March 22, 2018.
When is tornado season in Visalia?
March is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Visalia, with 7 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 Visalia
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 3 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 Visalia been fatal?
No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Visalia from any of the 18 tornadoes since 1950, though 3 injuries have been reported. NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.
Notable Tornadoes Near Visalia
About Tornadoes in Visalia
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.
Visalia lies on the flat floor of the San Joaquin Valley in Tulare County, where tornadoes tend to arrive not with Plains-style supercell outbreaks but with the cold, unstable air behind winter and early-spring Pacific storm fronts. The city's event dates reflect that rhythm: an F0 touched down on March 13, 1975, an F1 on March 29, 1982, another F1 on March 9, 1986, and an F1 on March 1, 1991, with F0 tornadoes following on March 12, 1996 and again on April 2, 1996. The cool season has produced its share as well, including F0s on February 15, 1980, February 15, 1986, and January 20, 1997, along with autumn spin-ups on October 12, 1991 and October 20, 2004.
The area has also seen stronger weather. On April 5, 1980, an F2 tornado tracked 15 miles across the countryside on a path just 10 yards wide, injuring one person and causing $275,000 in property damage — a reminder that even the valley's narrow, fast-moving funnels can do real harm.
In more recent years the same cool-season pattern has held: an EF0 struck on January 27, 2008, another EF0 on November 9, 2012, and an EF0 touched down on March 22, 2018, keeping late winter and early spring the watchful months for Tulare County skies.