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San Diego County, California
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1955 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
27
Tornado reports
52
Hail reports
495
Floods since 1996
1,118
All events
51
Deaths
$1.3B
Property damage
Tornado paths in San Diego County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 27 in all. Zoom in and the paths widen to their surveyed width.
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Year by year
All storm eventsTornadoes
NOAA's storm database records tornadoes back to 1950 and hail and thunderstorm wind back to 1955, but floods only from 1996 on. Older floods are missing here. For those, the U.S. Geological Survey's stream gauge records and flood reports are the place to look.
Most significant events
The strongest tornadoes, deadliest events and biggest damage here, up to 50.
A 61 year old man drowned in the Tijuana River Channel on February 6 while attempting to cross the international border, following heavy rain in San Diego. San Diego Fire-Rescue swift water crews pulled the body from the river and despite attempted lifesaving measures, the man wa…
Fox5 in San Diego reported that two people, 46 year old female and 48 year old male, were found deceased, drowning in a creek in Santee, near the intersection of Prospect Avenue and Cuyamaca Road. Exactly how and when the deceased were swept into the creek is unknown.
San Diego fire department and rescue and U.S. Border Patrol report 8 people trapped in a flooding storm drain between Otay Mesa and San Ysidro. 7 people were helped to safety with one fatality.
Between 6pm and 8pm on March 10th, heavy rain in El Cajon and Santee was observed. A vehicle was traveling on I-8 westbound when it crashed into the Forrester Creek canal near First street and Naranca Avenue in El Cajon. As they were trying to escape, one of the passengers got ca…
A swift water rescue team pulled a man from a submerged car in a small creek near Old Highway 395 and 5th St. in Rainbow. A young boy, also in the car, was swept down stream before rescuers arrived. The boys body was recovered on the 26th.
An 80 ft oak tree fell on a mini van killing the driver. Saturated soils were likely an influencing factor. Winds were light at the time.
A pine tree 8 ft in diameter succumbed to strong winds, falling on 4 cars and killing a 48 year old woman who was driving down Ingraham Street. An additional tree fell during the cleanup operations, injuring 2 reporters.
A narrow band of thunderstorms moved through San Diego county around 1500 PST. In Santee, winds tore off the roofs of three mobile homes, with some parts of the roof flying as much as 75 feet away. In Flinn Springs, a 10 foot diameter tree fell onto a mobile home, killing a woman…
This fire began on September 30 and wasn't fully contained until October 8. A total of 7,691 acres, one house, two trailers, and an out building were burned or destroyed. Campers and counselors at Camp Denver C. Fox and residents in Will Valley were evacuated. Ten fire fighters s…
A 19 year old male, visiting from Tucson, AZ , entered the water after being warned by friends not to, was caught in a rip current and drowned.
A 22 year old student from Switzerland who went out in rough surf, got caught in a rip current off Sunset Cliffs Park near the end of Guizot Street and drowned.
Waves reaching 15 feet generated strong rip currents. Seven surfers, divers, and swimmers had to be rescued by lifeguards. Heavy surf continued into the following day, but no other rescues were reported.
Santa Ana winds averaging 30 mph, with gusts to 45, fanned the flames of three wildfires across San Diego County. The first fire started in Harmony Grove, and quickly spread westward to eastern sections of Carlsbad and Encinitas, burning some 8,600 acres, destroying 125 homes, da…
CalTrans report of significant flooding near I-805 South and Imperial Avenue and Market Street in Encanto. Large debris and several vehicles were video taped moving downstream on Chollas Creek near Jacob Center and Chollas View, starting at the park. The light rail double train t…
Mudslide under a home spilled onto Black Mountain Road in Rancho Penasquitos, closing part of the road and causing stress to owner's house and property.
Significant flooding occurred along the San Diego River in Mission Valley with the river cresting at 14.15 ft, the third highest stage all-time. Numerous roadways were closed, the Fashion Valley Mall parking structure was closed and the Fashion Valley Transit Center was closed to…
The San Diego River at Fashion Valley has been above its flood stage of 11.3 feet since 1330 PST. A peak river stage of 14.01 feet was reported, making this a moderate flood event. The river flooding resulted in numerous closed roadways and portions of the Fashion Valley Mall par…
San Diego Lindbergh Field recorded a wind gust of 58 mph ahead of an approaching squall line. This was the highest wind gust ever measured at Lindbergh Field for the month of December. Just south of the airport in National City, the top 200 feet of the KSON broadcast tower snappe…
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 10 | 0 |
| 2025 | 45 | 0 |
| 2024 | 70 | 0 |
| 2023 | 72 | 0 |
| 2022 | 49 | 0 |
| 2021 | 75 | 0 |
| 2020 | 30 | 0 |
| 2019 | 37 | 1 |
| 2018 | 15 | 0 |
| 2017 | 36 | 0 |
| 2016 | 33 | 0 |
| 2015 | 28 | 0 |
| 2014 | 44 | 0 |
| 2013 | 24 | 0 |
| 2012 | 29 | 0 |
| 2011 | 9 | 0 |
| 2010 | 12 | 0 |
| 2009 | 5 | 0 |
| 2008 | 17 | 0 |
| 2007 | 14 | 1 |
| 2006 | 14 | 2 |
| 2005 | 65 | 3 |
| 2004 | 49 | 1 |
| 2003 | 56 | 0 |
| 2002 | 56 | 0 |
| 2001 | 56 | 0 |
| 2000 | 41 | 1 |
| 1999 | 43 | 1 |
| 1998 | 34 | 2 |
| 1997 | 16 | 1 |
| 1996 | 7 | 0 |
| 1995 | 1 | 0 |
| 1994 | 1 | 0 |
| 1992 | 3 | 2 |
| 1991 | 2 | 2 |
| 1990 | 1 | 1 |
| 1989 | 1 | 0 |
| 1985 | 1 | 1 |
| 1983 | 2 | 0 |
| 1982 | 1 | 1 |
| 1981 | 2 | 0 |
| 1980 | 2 | 1 |
| 1979 | 1 | 1 |
| 1978 | 1 | 1 |
| 1975 | 1 | 0 |
| 1974 | 1 | 1 |
| 1971 | 1 | 1 |
| 1969 | 1 | 0 |
| 1961 | 1 | 1 |
| 1958 | 1 | 0 |
| 1956 | 1 | 1 |
| 1955 | 1 | 0 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in San Diego County, measured to its path.
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