Brighton, MA Tornado History — 52 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Brighton, MA had?
Brighton has had 52 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 4 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Brighton?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Brighton was an EF0 on September 6, 2025.
When is tornado season in Brighton?
July is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Brighton, with 15 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 Brighton
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 12 total, averaging 0.6 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 Brighton
96 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Brighton since 1950, across 3 events. 1,266 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 Brighton
About Tornadoes in Brighton
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.
Brighton is a residential neighborhood on the western edge of Boston, along the Charles River in the coastal lowlands of eastern Massachusetts. Southern New England records tornadoes in most years despite lying far from the country's tornado hotspots, and its longer history includes rare, destructive events.
Tornadoes near the Massachusetts coast are chiefly a summer occurrence. On humid days, strong daytime heating can destabilize the atmosphere, and when an upper-level disturbance provides wind shear, thunderstorms can build and occasionally rotate. The nearby coast and its sea breeze can shape where storms develop. Because tornadoes are uncommon in this dense, urban setting, warnings deserve attention when they are issued.
The Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale grades tornado intensity from EF0 to EF5 based on surveyed damage rather than a measured wind speed. The overwhelming majority of the region's tornadoes are weak, with violent ones rare. The tornado history for the Brighton area — counts, the decade and rating breakdowns, and the deadliest, costliest, and most recent events — is drawn from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center and appears in the figures elsewhere on this page.