Washington, DC Tornado History — 113 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Washington, DC had?
Washington has had 113 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 4 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Washington?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Washington was an EF0 on June 18, 2025.
When is tornado season in Washington?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Washington, with 18 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 Washington
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 47 total, averaging 2.4 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
Casualties on Record Near Washington
6 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Washington since 1950, across 3 events. 243 injuries have been reported across all events. 2002 was the deadliest year on record.
The deadliest single event was a F4 on April 28, 2002, which caused 3 fatalities along a 38.0-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Washington
About Tornadoes in Washington
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.
Severe weather in the District of Columbia clusters in the warm months, when spring and summer thunderstorm days — and early-autumn systems — can spin up tornadoes across the capital area's dense corridor of neighborhoods and suburbs on both sides of the Potomac.
On April 1, 1973, an F3 carved a 9.8-mile path through the area, injuring 37 people and causing $27,500,000 in property damage. Another F3 struck on September 5, 1979, killing 1 person and injuring 6 along a 17.9-mile track. September turned violent again decades later: on September 24, 2001, an F3 tracked 17.5 miles through the region, killing 2 and injuring 55. The following spring, on April 28, 2002, an F4 tore a 38-mile path as much as 650 yards wide across the area, killing 3 and injuring 122.
More recent seasons have kept the threat in view. An EF2 tracked 11.43 miles through the region on September 1, 2021, and on June 5, 2024, an EF1 injured 5 people and caused $5,000,000 in damage along a 15.16-mile path. As recently as June 18, 2025, an EF0 touched down in the area — a reminder that the nation's capital sits well within reach of tornado-producing storms.