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Tornado in Sonoma County, California
13 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.
Sonoma County, California, has 13 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 10 different years.
December is the busiest month, with 6 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 1 events against 8 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.7% of the 488 tornado events recorded in California; its 0.8 per 100 square miles compares with 0.3 statewide.
By rating: 2 at (E)F0, 8 at (E)F1, 1 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 2 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with California
| Measure | Sonoma County | California | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 13 | 488 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 0.8 | 0.3 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 0.3 | 0.1 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 0 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | December | March | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
3Mar
1Apr
0May
0Jun
1Jul
0Aug
0Sep
0Oct
0Nov
1Dec
6
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 13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Mar 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jan 2005 | Tornado | F1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Dec 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Dec 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Dec 1996 | Tornado | F0 | $500 | $500 | — | 1 | County |
| 22 Feb 1996 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Dec 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Dec 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Dec 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Feb 1983 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Nov 1964 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Feb 1959 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1958 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Sonoma County had?
13 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 Sonoma County?
18 Mar 2011 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Sonoma County?
The tornado of 5 Dec 1998, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $1.0M.
How does Sonoma County compare with California for tornado?
0.8 events per 100 square miles against 0.3 statewide; the county holds 13 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.