Spokane, WA Tornado History — 17 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Spokane, WA had?
Spokane has had 17 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.
When was the most recent tornado near Spokane?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Spokane was an EF0 on April 18, 2024.
When is tornado season in Spokane?
May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Spokane, with 6 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 Spokane
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 5 total, averaging 0.3 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
Have any tornadoes near Spokane been fatal?
No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Spokane from any of the 17 tornadoes since 1950. NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.
Notable Tornadoes Near Spokane
About Tornadoes in Spokane
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.
Spokane, Washington experiences tornadoes far less frequently than communities in the central United States, but the city is not immune to these rotating storms. According to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center, 17 tornadoes have been documented within 25 miles of Spokane since 1950, with the majority rated EF0 or EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, which measures tornado intensity based on damage. Ten tornadoes reached EF0 intensity, five reached EF1, and two attained EF2 strength, making significant events relatively uncommon in this region.
Tornado activity in the Spokane area has varied considerably by decade. The 1990s saw the highest concentration with four recorded tornadoes, while the 1960s and 1970s each recorded only a single event. The 1980s brought three tornadoes, the 2000s one, and the 2010s two. The current decade has already matched earlier periods with three tornadoes recorded through 2024, including the most recent event on April 18, 2024, a brief EF0 tornado with a maximum width of just five yards.
May stands out as the peak month for tornado occurrence near Spokane, accounting for six of the 17 documented events. This aligns with broader national patterns, as late spring typically brings the atmospheric instability and wind shear necessary for tornadic thunderstorms. The Enhanced Fujita scale, implemented in 2007 to replace the original Fujita scale, rates tornadoes from EF0 (winds 65-85 mph) through EF5 (winds over 200 mph) based on the severity of damage to structures and vegetation.
Remarkably, none of the tornadoes on record near Spokane have resulted in fatalities. The costliest tornado occurred on May 7, 2022, an EF0 event that caused $40,000 in property damage along a 2.1-mile path with a maximum width of 250 yards. The widest tornado, a 500-yard-wide F0, touched down on September 10, 1994, while the longest-tracked tornado carved a five-mile path on May 31, 1997. These events underscore that while tornadoes do occur in the Pacific Northwest, they tend to be weaker and less destructive than those observed in more tornado-prone regions of the country.