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Bossier City, LA Tornado History — 190 Tornadoes Since 1950

Louisiana · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Bossier City, LA had?

Bossier City has had 190 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 16 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Bossier City?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Bossier City was an EF1 on September 24, 2025.

When is tornado season in Bossier City?

April is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Bossier City, with 52 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 Since 1950
190
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
16
8.4% of total
Peak Month
April
52 on record
Per Year Avg
2.5
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Bossier City

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 78 total, averaging 3.9 per year over this window.

2026 0
2025 5
2024 11
2023 4
2022 5
2021 5
2020 5
2019 8
2018 2
2017 2
2016 1
2015 5
2014 0
2013 7
2012 1
2011 4
2010 1
2009 8
2008 3
2007 1

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 11
1960s 20
1970s 14
1980s 23
1990s 38
2000s 18
2010s 31
2020s 35

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 31
EF1 109
EF2 34
EF3 13
EF4 3

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 11
Feb 16
Mar 12
Apr 52
May 39
Jun 6
Jul 9
Aug 1
Sep 3
Oct 7
Nov 17
Dec 17

Casualties on Record Near Bossier City

44 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Bossier City since 1950, across 10 events. 693 injuries have been reported across all events. 1950 was the deadliest year on record.

The deadliest single event was a F4 on February 12, 1950, which caused 18 fatalities along a 82.6-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near Bossier City

Deadliest Tornado
F4 on February 12, 1950 — 18 fatalities, 82.6 mi path, 100 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
F4 on December 3, 1978 — est. ~$275.0M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
EF1 on May 16, 2013 — 1,400 yards wide.
Longest Path
F4 on February 12, 1950 — 82.6 mile track.
Most Recent
EF1 on September 24, 2025.

About Tornadoes in Bossier City

This overview was written August 10, 2026. The tornado counts and notable-event figures elsewhere on this page reflect the latest data and may differ from this summary.

Observers around Bossier City have been keeping a careful watch on tornadoes since mid-century, and the ledger maintained by the NOAA Storm Prediction Center shows how early the threat announced itself: on February 12, 1950, an F4 carved an 82.6-mile track across northwest Louisiana, killing 18 people and injuring 77. On December 3, 1978, an F4 roared into Bossier City itself, a 400-yard-wide storm that killed 2 people and injured 266. The F4 of April 3, 1999 killed 7 people and injured 102 along a 19.3-mile path. In the modern era, an EF3 moved through the area on January 20, 2010, and an EF2 on December 13, 2022 killed 2 people.

The calendar spread in those dates tells its own story. Bossier City lies where humid Gulf of Mexico air streams north across Louisiana through much of the year, so the ingredients for rotating storms are not confined to spring. April and May bring the classic collision of Gulf moisture, cold fronts, and strong jet-stream winds, while late fall and winter carry a pulse of their own: potent storm systems pull the jet stream south over still-mild, moisture-rich air, spinning up tornadoes in months when much of the country has gone quiet. That alternating rhythm — a spring peak, then a cool-season echo through November, December, and midwinter — runs through this area's history, and the event list elsewhere on this page traces it in detail.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Bossier City, LA had?
Since 1950, 190 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Bossier City. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Bossier City?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Bossier City was a F4 on February 12, 1950, which caused 18 fatalities.
When is tornado season in Bossier City?
April is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Bossier City, with 52 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.
Has Bossier City been hit by an EF4 or EF5 tornado?
Within 25 miles of Bossier City, there have been 0 EF5 and 3 EF4 tornadoes recorded since 1950. EF4 and EF5 tornadoes are the most destructive ratings on the Enhanced Fujita scale, with winds above 166 mph.
When was the most recent tornado near Bossier City?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Bossier City was an EF1 on September 24, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Bossier City?
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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