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Shreveport, LA Tornado History — 193 Tornadoes Since 1950

Louisiana · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Shreveport, LA had?

Shreveport has had 193 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 16 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Shreveport?

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

When is tornado season in Shreveport?

April is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Shreveport, with 53 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
193
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
16
8.3% of total
Peak Month
April
53 on record
Per Year Avg
2.5
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Shreveport

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 79 total, averaging 4.0 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 9
2008 2
2007 2

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 12
1960s 20
1970s 14
1980s 23
1990s 38
2000s 20
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 111
EF2 35
EF3 13
EF4 3

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 11
Feb 17
Mar 15
Apr 53
May 39
Jun 6
Jul 9
Aug 1
Sep 3
Oct 8
Nov 15
Dec 16

Casualties on Record Near Shreveport

44 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Shreveport since 1950, across 10 events. 695 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 Shreveport

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 Shreveport

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.

Northwest Louisiana lies where the piney uplands of the ArkLaTex meet the Red River valley, and its severe weather grows out of that geography. Warm, humid air streaming north from the Gulf of Mexico blankets the region through much of the year, and when it collides with sharp cold fronts, dryline surges pushing east from Texas, or potent jet-stream disturbances aloft, the atmosphere around Shreveport can turn dangerous quickly. Unlike the plains far to the northwest, this corridor also carries a pronounced cool-season threat, because unstable Gulf air often lingers here deep into winter.

The violent end of Shreveport's history bears that out. On February 12, 1950, an F4 raced 82.6 miles across the region, killing 18 people and injuring 77, while an F2 the same day killed 5 along a 58.4-mile track. On December 3, 1978, another F4 carved a 400-yard-wide swath through the city, injuring 266 people, killing 2, and causing roughly 275 million dollars in damage. An F4 returned on April 3, 1999, its 19.3-mile path leaving 7 dead and 102 injured.

Recent decades have kept the pattern intact, often in the cool season. A 1,087-yard-wide EF3 moved through the area on January 20, 2010, and on January 11, 2020, an EF2 tracked 31.79 miles and killed 3 people. Another EF2 followed on December 13, 2022, killing 2. The record behind these accounts comes from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center, whose database also feeds the event list elsewhere on this page.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Shreveport, LA had?
Since 1950, 193 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Shreveport. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Shreveport?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Shreveport was a F4 on February 12, 1950, which caused 18 fatalities.
When is tornado season in Shreveport?
April is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Shreveport, with 53 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 Shreveport been hit by an EF4 or EF5 tornado?
Within 25 miles of Shreveport, 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 Shreveport?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Shreveport was an EF1 on September 24, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Shreveport?
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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