Lewiston, ID Tornado History — 6 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Lewiston, ID had?
Lewiston has had 6 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.
When was the most recent tornado near Lewiston?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Lewiston was a F0 on May 31, 1997.
When is tornado season in Lewiston?
May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Lewiston, with 4 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
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 Lewiston been fatal?
No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Lewiston from any of the 6 tornadoes since 1950. NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.
Notable Tornadoes Near Lewiston
About Tornadoes in Lewiston
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.
Lewiston, Idaho has experienced six documented tornadoes within a 25-mile radius since record-keeping began in 1950, according to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center. This relatively modest tornado activity reflects the city's location in the Pacific Northwest, where tornadoes are considerably less frequent than in the central United States. The recorded events occurred during three distinct decades: two in the 1960s, one in the 1970s, and three in the 1990s.
The tornadoes documented near Lewiston have been predominantly weak on the Enhanced Fujita scale, which categorizes tornado intensity based on damage. Three events were rated EF0, representing the weakest classification with wind speeds between 65 and 85 mph. Two tornadoes reached EF1 intensity, with winds from 86 to 110 mph, while a single EF2 tornado—featuring winds between 111 and 135 mph—represents the strongest event on record for the area.
May has been the most active month for tornado activity near Lewiston, accounting for four of the six recorded events. This seasonal pattern aligns with broader meteorological trends across the northern tier states, where late spring provides the atmospheric conditions most conducive to tornadic development. The costliest and longest-tracked tornado in the area's history occurred on May 8, 1962, when an F2-rated tornado traveled 9.1 miles with a maximum width of 10 yards, causing $27,500 in property damage. The widest tornado on record, though brief in duration, was an F0 event on May 31, 1997, which reached a maximum width of 23 yards along its 0.1-mile path.
Notably, none of the tornadoes recorded within 25 miles of Lewiston have resulted in fatalities. The most recent documented tornado occurred on May 31, 1997, an F0-rated event that caused no property damage. This historical record suggests that while tornadoes do occur in the Lewiston area, they have remained relatively infrequent and low-impact compared to tornado activity in other regions of the country.