New Orleans, LA Tornado History — 126 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has New Orleans, LA had?
New Orleans has had 126 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 5 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near New Orleans?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of New Orleans was an EF0 on May 2, 2025.
When is tornado season in New Orleans?
May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near New Orleans, with 20 on record. April through June account for 45 of the 126 tornadoes on record near New Orleans.
At a Glance
Recent Tornado Activity Near New Orleans
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 54 total, averaging 2.7 per year over this window.
Preliminary tornado reports near New Orleans since December 29, 2025
These are 5 preliminary reports, not confirmed tornadoes. They have not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and are 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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.
NWS ground survey confirmed an EF-0 touched down near Arabi... LA and tracked southward toward Norton Avenue. (LIX)
NWS ground survey confirmed an EF-1 tornado touched down in Treasure Isle and moved northeast through Avery Estates before crossing the Pearl River Basin into Hancock C (LIX)
A NWS storm survey team confirmed an EF-1 tornado touched down in Jefferson... LA and moved northeast through New Orleans to Lakeshore Drive on Lake Pontchartrain. (LIX)
NWS ground survey confirmed a brief EF-0 tornado touched down over rural parts of St. Charles and moved into Santa Cruz Ct between Boutte and Luling... LA. (LIX)
A well-defined damage path of an EF-0 tornado was identified on high-resolution satellite imagery over rural... inaccessible parts of southeast St. Charles Parish. The (LIX)
Within 25 miles of New Orleans. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.
What storm spotters reported near New Orleans
One local storm report has been filed within 25 miles of New Orleans and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on May 2, 2025 and the most recent on May 2, 2025. It is already counted in the New Orleans totals above; quoted below is the narrative the reporting office filed at the time.
Corrects previous tstm wnd dmg report from 1 SE Marrero. A brief EF-0 tornado touched down on the southeast side of Belle Terre Playground in Marrero... LA and tracked (LIX)
Source: National Weather Service and trained-spotter local storm reports, relayed by the NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
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 New Orleans
6 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of New Orleans since 1950, across 5 events. 206 injuries have been reported across all events. 2022 was the deadliest year on record near New Orleans.
The deadliest single event was an F3 on August 25, 1992, which caused 2 fatalities along a 9.0-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near New Orleans
What the record shows near New Orleans
The 2010s were the busiest decade near New Orleans, with 28 of the 126 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 17 so far. The New Orleans record runs from the 1950s to today.
Of the tornadoes rated near New Orleans, 98 reached EF0 or EF1 and 24 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near New Orleans is rated EF4, of which 1 is logged. A further 4 near New Orleans are unrated — events NOAA logged before a damage survey assigned a scale.
Across the last 20 years New Orleans has averaged 2.7 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 54 in total. 2021 was the busiest of them with 8, and 3 of those years passed with none at all.