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Tornado in Merced County, California
17 tornadoes events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Tornado.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
NCEI records 17 tornado events in Merced County, California, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 13 years.
March is the busiest month, with 5 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 1 events against 11 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 3.5% of the 488 tornado events recorded in California; its 0.9 per 100 square miles compares with 0.3 statewide.
By rating: 12 at (E)F0, 4 at (E)F1, 0 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 1 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with California
| Measure | Merced County | California | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 17 | 488 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 0.9 | 0.3 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 0.6 | 0.1 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 0 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | March | March | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
3Mar
5Apr
5May
0Jun
0Jul
0Aug
0Sep
0Oct
0Nov
2Dec
2
Magnitude distribution
Enhanced Fujita scale wind estimates
- EF0/F0
- 65–85 mph (EF0)
- EF1/F1
- 86–110 mph (EF1)
- EF2/F2
- 111–135 mph (EF2)
- EF3/F3
- 136–165 mph (EF3)
- EF4/F4
- 166–200 mph (EF4)
- EF5/F5
- over 200 mph (EF5)
- Unrated
- no rating recorded
Tornado rating as recorded (Fujita scale before February 2007, Enhanced Fujita after).
Recorded events
All 17 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Feb 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2005 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | $50K | — | — | County |
| 16 Dec 2002 | Tornado | F1 | $400K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Dec 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Feb 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Nov 1997 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Nov 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $45K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 1996 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Mar 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Feb 1986 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Mar 1978 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 5 Apr 1975 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1967 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 1955 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Merced County had?
17 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of tornadoes became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded tornado event in Merced County?
9 Feb 2009 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Merced County?
The tornado of 16 Dec 2002, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $400K.
How does Merced County compare with California for tornado?
0.9 events per 100 square miles against 0.3 statewide; the county holds 17 of the state's 488 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Tornado hub and the county page.