Imagined giant tornado over Downtown Los Angeles. Los Angeles Almanac imagined image.
Although Los Angeles County has never experienced the monsters that terrorize the midwest, tornadoes, albeit smaller ones, are not unknown here. Since 1950, at least 46 tornadoes were reported to have occurred in Los Angeles County. Most were quite small, covering short distances and doing little or no damage. Two, however (in 1966 and 1983), swept across several miles, causing double-digit injuries and significant damage. On March 1, 1983, a twister tore its way north through South Los Angeles, causing 30 injuries and 9 deaths and at least $5 million in damage. It set the record for the most destructive tornado to have ever occured in Los Angeles County. Tornadoes in Los Angeles County are more likely to appear from November through January. Long Beach, South Los Angeles and South Whittier lead with the most recorded twisters.
NOTE: Although the National Weather Service (NWS) lists 47 tornado events for Los Angeles County since 1950, we show only 46 below. Not shown is a February 19, 1962, tornado event that was recorded as having occurred in Los Angeles County. Geographic coordinates provided for the event, however, placed it in Tulare County, California, and we could not otherwise confirm the event having actually occurred in Los Angeles County. These data are used by the NWS for verification purposes and may not accurately reflect all storm events.
| Date | Time | Scale* | Injuries | Est. Losses† | Starting Lat, Lon | Ending Lat, Lon | Length (miles) | Width (yards) | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/20/1952 | 2:00 PM | 0 | 0 | $0 or unknown | 34.4, -118.53 | 0, 0 | 0.10 | 10 | Santa Clarita |
| 1/18/1955 | 1:01 PM | 1 | 0 | $500 - $5k | 34.05, -118.3 | 0, 0 | 3.00 | 23 | Los Angeles (Koreatown) |
| 5/9/1956 | 10:30 AM | 0 | 1 | $5k - $50k | 34.08, -118.18 | 0, 0 | 0.10 | 17 | Los Angeles (El Sereno) |
| 5/14/1962 | 2:00 PM | 1 | 0 | $5k - $50k | 33.87, -118.3 | 0, 0 | 0.10 | 10 | Gardena |
| 11/9/1964 | 9:00 AM | 1 | 0 | $500 - $5k | 33.93, -118.42 | 0, 0 | 1.00 | 10 | El Segundo |
| Date | Time | Scale* | Injuries | Est. Losses† | Starting Lat, Lon | Ending Lat, Lon | Length (miles) | Width (yards) | Location |
| 11/7/1966 | 3:00 PM | 2 | 10 | $500 - $5k | 33.9, -118.3 | 0, 0 | 0.10 | 10 | Gardena |
| 11/7/1966 | 3:00 PM | 2 | 10 | $50k - $500k | 33.85, -118.33 | 33.9, -118.17 | 10.30 | 50 | Paramount, East Compton, Compton, Carson, Torrance |
| 4/18/1967 | 8:00 PM | 0 | 0 | $500 - $5k | 34.02, -118.5 | 0, 0 | 0.30 | 10 | Santa Monica |
| 5/8/1977 | 12:00 PM | 1 | 0 | $500k - $5 mil | 33.78, -118.2 | 0, 0 | 0.10 | 100 | Long Beach |
| 1/4/1978 | 5:15 PM | 0 | 0 | Less than $50 | 34.12, -117.82 | 0, 0 | 0.10 | 10 | San Dimas |
| Date | Time | Scale* | Injuries | Est. Losses† | Starting Lat, Lon | Ending Lat, Lon | Length (miles) | Width (yards) | Location |
| 2/10/1978 | 12:30 AM | 0 | 0 | $0 or unknown | 33.93, -118.42 | 0, 0 | 1.00 | 10 | El Segundo |
| 1/31/1979 | 12:45 PM | 1 | 0 | $500k - $5 mil | 34.17, -118.37 | 0, 0 | 0.10 | 10 | Los Angeles (North Hollywood) |
| 1/28/1980 | 3:15 PM | 0 | 0 | $500 - $5k | 33.88, -118.3 | 0, 0 | 0.40 | 10 | Gardena |
| 3/29/1982 | 11:30 PM | 1 | 0 | $0 or unknown | 34.08, -118.1 | 0, 0 | 2.00 | 67 | San Gabriel |
| 11/9/1982 | 2:00 PM | 0 | 0 | $500 - $5k | 33.97, -118.3 | 0, 0 | 0.10 | 20 | Los Angeles (South Los Angeles) |
| Date | Time | Scale* | Injuries | Est. Losses† | Starting Lat, Lon | Ending Lat, Lon | Length (miles) | Width (yards) | Location |
| 11/9/1982 | 1:30 PM | 2 | 0 | $500k - $5 mil | 34.18, -118.45 | 0, 0 | 1.00 | 150 | Los Angeles (Van Nuys) |
| 11/9/1982 | 2:00 PM | 2 | 0 | $500k - $5 mil | 33.78, -118.2 | 33.88, -118.05 | 10.00 | 1,300 | Cerritos, Artesia, Lakewood, Long Beach, Signal Hill |
| 11/9/1982 | 11:30 AM | 1 | 0 | $5k - $50k | 34.03, -118.68 | 0, 0 | 0.20 | 20 | Offshore Malibu |
| 3/1/1983 | 9:40 AM | 2 | 30, 9 Deaths | $5 mil - $50 mil | 33.98, -118.37 | 34.05, -118.35 | 3.50 | 100 | Los Angeles (South Los Angeles) |
| 3/1/1983 | 10:15 AM | 0 | 0 | $50 - $500 | 34.13, -118.12 | 0, 0 | 0.20 | 100 | San Marino |
| Date | Time | Scale* | Injuries | Est. Losses† | Starting Lat, Lon | Ending Lat, Lon | Length (miles) | Width (yards) | Location |
| 9/30/1983 | 9:00 AM | 0 | 0 | $50k - $500k | 33.92, -118.28 | 0, 0 | 0.30 | 100 | Athens |
| 10/1/1983 | 12:35 AM | 1 | 3 | $500 - $5k | 33.92, -118.35 | 0, 0 | 0.30 | 100 | Hawthorne |
| 5/30/1984 | 11:15 AM | 0 | 0 | Less than $50 | 34.12, -117.82 | 0, 0 | 0.30 | 70 | San Dimas |
| 6/5/1987 | 5:15 PM | 0 | 0 | $5 mil - $50 mil | 34.63, -118.1 | 0, 0 | 0.20 | 20 | Palmdale |
| 1/16/1990 | 11:20 PM | 0 | 0 | $0 or unknown | 33.95, -118.05 | 0, 0 | 0.20 | 33 | South Whittier |
| Date | Time | Scale* | Injuries | Est. Losses† | Starting Lat, Lon | Ending Lat, Lon | Length (miles) | Width (yards) | Location |
| 3/19/1991 | 4:00 AM | 0 | 0 | $0 or unknown | 33.85, -118.13 | 0, 0 | 0.50 | 50 | Lakewood |
| 3/20/1992 | 11:00 PM | 1 | 0 | $0 or unknown | 34.1, -118.18 | 0, 0 | 0.20 | 20 | Los Angeles (Monterey Hills) |
| 1/18/1993 | 1:45 AM | 0 | 0 | $5k - $50k | 34.03, -118.3 | 0, 0 | 0.70 | 50 | Los Angeles (Historic West Adams) |
| 2/7/1994 | 7:45 PM | 0 | 0 | $5k - $50k | 34.25, -118.35 | 0, 0 | 0.10 | 10 | Los Angeles (Shadow Hills) |
| 6/16/1995 | 2:55 PM | 0 | 0 | $0 or unknown | 33.93, -118.02 | 0, 0 | 0.10 | 10 | South Whittier |
| Date | Time | Scale* | Injuries | Est. Losses† | Starting Lat, Lon | Ending Lat, Lon | Length (miles) | Width (yards) | Location |
| 7/21/1997 | 5:55 PM | 0 | 0 | $0 or unknown | 34.58, -118.12 | 34.58, -118.12 | 0.10 | 10 | Palmdale |
| 1/9/1998 | 4:00 PM | 1 | 1 | $0 or unknown | 33.78, -118.17 | 33.78, -118.17 | 1.50 | 30 | Long Beach |
| 4/1/1999 | 4:00 PM | 0 | 0 | $0 or unknown | 34.25, -118.6 | 34.25, -118.6 | 0.10 | 0 | Long Beach |
| 2/16/2000 | 6:30 PM | 0 | 0 | $0 or unknown | 34.08, -117.88 | 34.08, -117.88 | 0.50 | 10 | Covina |
| 8/28/2000 | 3:45 PM | 0 | 0 | $0 or unknown | 34.55, -117.98 | 34.55, -117.98 | 0.10 | 0 | Littlerock |
| Date | Time | Scale* | Injuries | Est. Losses† | Starting Lat, Lon | Ending Lat, Lon | Length (miles) | Width (yards) | Location |
| 12/21/2001 | 2:40 AM | 0 | 0 | $0 or unknown | 34.02, -117.87 | 34.02, -117.87 | 0.10 | 10 | Walnut |
| 12/29/2004 | 12:40 AM | 0 | 0 | $0 or unknown | 33.78, -118.17 | 33.78, -118.17 | 1.00 | 5 | Long Beach |
| 12/29/2004 | 2:15 AM | 0 | 0 | $0 or unknown | 33.97, -118.3 | 33.97, -118.3 | 0.50 | 5 | Los Angeles (South Los Angeles) |
| 12/29/2004 | 2:15 AM | 0 | 0 | $0 or unknown | 33.95, -118.03 | 33.95, -118.03 | 0.50 | 5 | South Whittier |
| 8/15/2005 | 7:53 PM | 0 | 0 | $0 or unknown | 34.72, -117.98 | 34.72, -117.98 | 0.10 | 33 | NE of Lancaster |
| Date | Time | Scale* | Injuries | Est. Losses† | Starting Lat, Lon | Ending Lat, Lon | Length (miles) | Width (yards) | Location |
| 9/1/2007 | 5:20 PM | 0 | 0 | $0 or unknown | 34.65, -118.12 | 34.65, -118.12 | 0.05 | 10 | Lancaster |
| 12/12/2014 | 11:20 AM | 0 | 0 | $0 or unknown | 33.982, -118.291 | 33.990, -118.283 | 0.73 | 10 | Los Angeles (South Los Angeles) |
| 9/9/2021 | 5:58 PM | 0 | 0 | $0 or unknown | 34.520, -117.759 | 34.405, -117.733 | 1.79 | 9 | Northeast to East of Llano |
| 3/22/2023 | 11:14 AM | 1 | 1 | 17 structures damaged, 11 red-tagged. Vehicles damaged. | 33.994, -118.130 | 33.996, -118.122 | 0.42 | 50 | Montebello |
| 5/4/2023 | 8:45 AM | 0 | 0 | $0 or unknown | 33.88, -118.26 | --- | --- | 0 | Carson |
| 5/4/2023 | 8:56 AM | 0 | 0 | $0 or unknown | 33.88, -118.22 | --- | --- | 0 | Compton |
* F-scale (Fujita scale) used prior to Feb. 1, 2007. EF-scale (Enhanced Fujita scale) used since Feb. 1, 2007.
† Monetary loss estimates are highly suspect and should be used with caution.
F Scale (Prior to Feb. 1, 2007)
0 - 40-72 mph, Light damage
1 - 73-112 mph, Moderate damage
2 - 113-157 mph, Considerable damage
3 - 158-206 mph, Severe damage
4 - 207-260 mph, Devastating damage
5 - 261-318 mph, Incredible damage
6 - 319-379 mph, Inconceivable
EF Scale (After Jan. 31, 2007)
0 - 65-85 mph, Light damage
1 - 86-110 mph, Moderate damage
2 - 111-135 mph, Considerable damage
3 - 136-165 mph, Severe damage
4 - 166-200 mph, Devastating damage
5 - Greater than 200 mph, Incredible damage
Source: Storm Prediction Center, NOAA/National Weather Service
Also see:
-- "Can a Volcanic Eruption Occur in Los Angeles?"
-- "Will Los Angeles Eventually Fall Into the Ocean?"
