VORTEX
TORNADO HISTORY
← All Cities

Sulphur, LA Tornado History — 157 Tornadoes Since 1950

Louisiana · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Sulphur, LA had?

Sulphur has had 157 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 5 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Sulphur?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Sulphur was an EF0 on October 25, 2025.

When is tornado season in Sulphur?

May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Sulphur, with 22 on record. April through June account for 54 of the 157 tornadoes on record near Sulphur.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
157
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
5
3.2% of total
Peak Month
May
22 on record
Per Year Avg
2.1
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Sulphur

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 60 total, averaging 3.0 per year over this window.

2026 0+1 prelim
2025 1
2024 9
2023 5
2022 1
2021 6
2020 3
2019 2
2018 8
2017 9
2016 1
2015 1
2014 1
2013 5
2012 3
2011 2
2010 0
2009 1
2008 2
2007 0

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

Preliminary tornado reports near Sulphur 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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 February 15, 2026
3 SSE Lake Charles, Calcasieu County, LA
Tornado touched down west of Hwy 14 on Pinewood Drive where minor damage was observed to mobile homes. It continued southeast across HWY 14... damaging several large li (LCH)

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

What storm spotters reported near Sulphur

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

EF0° October 26, 2025
2 E Sulphur, Calcasieu County, LA
An EF-0 tornado touched down near the intersection of Palermo Drive and Evangeline Street in Sulphur. The tornado then tracked across McMurry Park and into the Maplewoo (LCH)

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

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 8
1960s 15
1970s 21
1980s 21
1990s 25
2000s 10
2010s 32
2020s 25

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 58
EF1 78
EF2 15
EF3 4
EF4 1
Unrated 1

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 19
Feb 5
Mar 14
Apr 21
May 22
Jun 11
Jul 13
Aug 8
Sep 5
Oct 22
Nov 9
Dec 8

Casualties on Record Near Sulphur

1 fatality has been recorded within 25 miles of Sulphur since 1950, across 1 event. 129 injuries have been reported across all events. 1957 was the deadliest year on record near Sulphur.

The deadliest single event was an F4 on November 7, 1957, which caused 1 fatality along a 12.9-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near Sulphur

Deadliest Tornado
F4 on November 7, 1957 — 1 fatality, 12.9 mi path, 200 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
EF2 on October 27, 2021 — $3.9M in reported property damage.
Widest Tornado
EF1 on October 31, 2018 — 900 yards wide.
Longest Path
F2 on April 7, 1993 — 43.0 mile track.
Most Recent
EF0 on October 25, 2025.

What the record shows near Sulphur

The 2010s were the busiest decade near Sulphur, with 32 of the 157 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 25 so far. The Sulphur record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Sulphur, 136 reached EF0 or EF1 and 20 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Sulphur is rated EF4, of which 1 is logged. A further 1 near Sulphur is unrated — events NOAA logged before a damage survey assigned a scale.

Across the last 20 years Sulphur has averaged 3.0 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 60 in total. 2017 was the busiest of them with 9, and 3 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Sulphur, LA had?
Since 1950, 157 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Sulphur. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Sulphur?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Sulphur was an F4 on November 7, 1957, which caused 1 fatality.
When is tornado season in Sulphur?
May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Sulphur, 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.
Has Sulphur been hit by an EF4 or EF5 tornado?
Within 25 miles of Sulphur, there has been 0 EF5 and 1 EF4 tornado 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 Sulphur?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Sulphur was an EF0 on October 25, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Sulphur?
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