VORTEX
TORNADO HISTORY
← All Cities

Baton Rouge, LA Tornado History — 124 Tornadoes Since 1950

Louisiana · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Baton Rouge, LA had?

Baton Rouge has had 124 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 7 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Baton Rouge?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Baton Rouge was an EF0 on December 28, 2024.

When is tornado season in Baton Rouge?

June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Baton Rouge, with 22 on record. April through June account for 55 of the 124 tornadoes on record near Baton Rouge.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
124
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
7
5.6% of total
Peak Month
June
22 on record
Per Year Avg
1.6
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Baton Rouge

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 47 total, averaging 2.4 per year over this window.

2026 0+1 prelim
2025 0
2024 5
2023 1
2022 0
2021 2
2020 5
2019 4
2018 2
2017 5
2016 5
2015 1
2014 1
2013 3
2012 4
2011 3
2010 1
2009 2
2008 1
2007 2

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

Preliminary tornado reports near Baton Rouge since December 29, 2025

This is a preliminary report, not confirmed tornadoes. It has not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and is 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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 EF1° February 15, 2026
4 ESE White Castle, Ascension County, LA
An NWS storm survey team determined that an EF-1 tornado with peak winds of 90 mph embedded in a line of storms touched down along Highway 1 in far western Ascension Pa (LIX)

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

What storm spotters reported near Baton Rouge

One local storm report has been filed within 25 miles of Baton Rouge and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on April 24, 2025 and the most recent on April 24, 2025. It is already counted in the Baton Rouge totals above; quoted below is the narrative the reporting office filed at the time.

April 24, 2025
1 SW Walker, Livingston County, LA
[Landspout] Video of what appears to be a landspout/gustnado on Lakeview Dr in Walker. Mainly displaced trash can and flung light debris. Did not break branches of sma (LIX)

Source: National Weather Service and trained-spotter local storm reports, relayed by the NOAA Storm Prediction Center.

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 8
1960s 7
1970s 17
1980s 19
1990s 14
2000s 17
2010s 29
2020s 13

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 39
EF1 64
EF2 13
EF3 7
Unrated 1

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 8
Feb 7
Mar 11
Apr 15
May 18
Jun 22
Jul 4
Aug 6
Sep 5
Oct 13
Nov 6
Dec 9

Casualties on Record Near Baton Rouge

5 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Baton Rouge since 1950, across 4 events. 159 injuries have been reported across all events. 1989 was the deadliest year on record near Baton Rouge.

The deadliest single event was an F2 on June 8, 1989, which caused 2 fatalities along a 10.0-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near Baton Rouge

Deadliest Tornado
F2 on June 8, 1989 — 2 fatalities, 10.0 mi path, 77 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
F1 on October 22, 1991 — est. ~$2.8M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
F1 on July 10, 1981 — 400 yards wide.
Longest Path
F1 on February 8, 1956 — 45.5 mile track.
Most Recent
EF0 on December 28, 2024.

What the record shows near Baton Rouge

The 2010s were the busiest decade near Baton Rouge, with 29 of the 124 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 13 so far. The Baton Rouge record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Baton Rouge, 103 reached EF0 or EF1 and 20 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Baton Rouge is rated EF3, of which 7 are logged. A further 1 near Baton Rouge is unrated — events NOAA logged before a damage survey assigned a scale.

Across the last 20 years Baton Rouge has averaged 2.4 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 47 in total. 2016 was the busiest of them with 5, and 3 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Baton Rouge, LA had?
Since 1950, 124 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Baton Rouge. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Baton Rouge?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Baton Rouge was an F2 on June 8, 1989, which caused 2 fatalities.
When is tornado season in Baton Rouge?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Baton Rouge, with 22 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 Baton Rouge?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Baton Rouge was an EF0 on December 28, 2024.
How do I get tornado warnings for Baton Rouge?
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

More Cities in Louisiana