Watertown, NY Tornado History — 8 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Watertown, NY had?
Watertown has had 8 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.
When was the most recent tornado near Watertown?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Watertown was an Unrated on September 9, 2024.
When is tornado season in Watertown?
August is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Watertown, with 5 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 Watertown
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 2 total, averaging 0.1 per year over this window.
Preliminary tornado reports near Watertown since December 29, 2025
These 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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.
Within 25 miles of Watertown. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.
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
Have any tornadoes near Watertown been fatal?
No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Watertown from any of the 8 tornadoes since 1950, though 1 injuries have been reported. NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.
Notable Tornadoes Near Watertown
About Tornadoes in Watertown
This overview was written April 23, 2026. The tornado counts and notable-event figures elsewhere on this page reflect the latest data and may differ from this summary.
Watertown, New York has experienced eight tornadoes within a 25-mile radius since modern record-keeping began in 1950, according to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center. This relatively modest total reflects the city's location in northern New York, where tornado activity is less frequent than in the central United States. Notably, none of these tornadoes have resulted in fatalities, though several have caused property damage.
The intensity of tornadoes near Watertown has remained generally low. Of the eight recorded events, three were rated EF0 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, which measures tornado damage from EF0 (weakest) to EF5 (strongest). Four tornadoes reached EF1 intensity, and one recent event in September 2024 remains unrated. The costliest tornado on record struck on August 28, 1983, when an F1 tornado carved a 6.0-mile path with a maximum width of 300 yards, causing $2.75 million in property damage but no injuries.
August has been the most active month for tornadoes in the Watertown area, accounting for five of the eight recorded events. This late-summer peak differs from the typical spring maximum seen in many other regions, though tornadoes can form whenever atmospheric conditions align to produce severe thunderstorms. The most recent tornado, an unrated event on September 9, 2024, traveled just 0.1 miles with a maximum width of 50 yards and caused no reported damage.
The longest and widest tornado near Watertown occurred on July 8, 2014, when an EF1 tornado traveled 12.3 miles with a maximum width of 300 yards, causing $250,000 in damage. Tornado activity has been sporadic across the decades, with the 1990s and 2000s each recording two events, while the 1950s, 1980s, 2010s, and 2020s each saw one tornado. This pattern underscores the relatively infrequent nature of tornado occurrences in this northern region.