Boston, MA Tornado History — 44 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Boston, MA had?
Boston has had 44 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 3 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Boston?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Boston was an EF0 on September 6, 2025.
When is tornado season in Boston?
July is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Boston, with 14 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
Recent Tornado Activity Near Boston
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 10 total, averaging 0.5 per year over this window.
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 Boston
95 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Boston since 1950, across 2 events. 1,263 injuries have been reported across all events. 1953 was the deadliest year on record.
The deadliest single event was a F4 on June 9, 1953, which caused 94 fatalities along a 34.9-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Boston
About Tornadoes in Boston
This overview was written July 24, 2026. The tornado counts and notable-event figures elsewhere on this page reflect the latest data and may differ from this summary.
Boston lies on the Atlantic coast of eastern Massachusetts, a dense, historic city built around a working harbor and the mouths of several rivers. New England is not a place most people associate with tornadoes, and they are indeed far less frequent here than across the country's midsection — but the region does experience them, and it has a history of rare, occasionally destructive events.
Tornadoes in southern New England are largely a summer phenomenon. They develop when humid air pushing up the eastern seaboard becomes unstable under strong daytime heating and a passing disturbance aloft provides wind shear. Sea breezes and the region's varied terrain can add local wrinkles to where and when storms fire. Because tornadoes are comparatively uncommon here, they can catch residents off guard, which is one reason paying attention to severe-weather watches and warnings matters even in a coastal city.
The Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale rates tornado intensity from EF0 to EF5 based on a survey of the damage rather than a measured wind speed. The great majority of New England tornadoes are weak, though the region's record includes rare, violent exceptions. The specific tornado history for the Boston area — counts, the decade and rating breakdowns, and the deadliest, costliest, and most recent events — is drawn from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center and shown in the figures elsewhere on this page.