Northampton, MA Tornado History — 58 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Northampton, MA had?
Northampton has had 58 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 4 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Northampton?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Northampton was an EF0 on July 18, 2021.
When is tornado season in Northampton?
July is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Northampton, with 23 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 Northampton
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 Northampton
7 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Northampton since 1950, across 3 events. 707 injuries have been reported across all events. 2011 was the deadliest year on record.
The deadliest single event was a F4 on October 3, 1979, which caused 3 fatalities along a 11.3-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Northampton
About Tornadoes in Northampton
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.
Northampton lies in western Massachusetts, in the broad Connecticut River valley — the Pioneer Valley — framed by low hills and ridgelines. This inland river-valley setting gives it a somewhat different severe-weather character from the Massachusetts coast, though tornadoes remain relatively uncommon across New England as a whole.
When tornadoes do occur here, they are typically a warm-season event. Humid air pooling in the valley can become quite unstable under strong summer heating, and when a passing disturbance aloft supplies wind shear, thunderstorms can grow tall and occasionally rotate. Valley and hill terrain can locally channel winds and focus where storms develop. The infrequency of tornadoes in this region means they can arrive with little public expectation, making attention to severe-weather warnings important.
The Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale describes tornado intensity from EF0 to EF5 based on a survey of the damage rather than a measured wind speed. Most tornadoes in this part of New England are weak, but the historical record includes rare, notably strong events. The tornado history for the Northampton 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.