Canton, MA Tornado History — 50 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Canton, MA had?
Canton has had 50 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 2 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Canton?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Canton was an EF1 on June 26, 2024.
When is tornado season in Canton?
July is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Canton, with 13 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 Canton
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 17 total, averaging 0.8 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 Canton
96 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Canton since 1950, across 3 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 Canton
About Tornadoes in Canton
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.
Canton is a suburban town south of Boston, in the wooded lowlands of eastern Massachusetts near the Blue Hills. Southern New England is not a major tornado region, but it records tornadoes in most years, and this part of the state has experienced them during the warm season.
These tornadoes are largely a summer occurrence. When humid air over the region becomes unstable under strong heating and a passing disturbance aloft supplies wind shear, thunderstorms can grow tall and occasionally rotate. The area's inland-but-near-coast position means both continental heating and the sea breeze can play a role from day to day. Because such storms are infrequent, they can arrive with little public expectation.
The Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale describes tornado strength from EF0 to EF5 based on a survey of the damage rather than a measured wind speed. The vast majority of the region's tornadoes are weak, with strong ones rare. The tornado history for the Canton area — counts, the decade and rating breakdowns, and the deadliest, costliest, and most recent events — is compiled from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center and shown in the figures elsewhere on this page.