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Storms That Hit

Tornadoes in San Diego, Coronado and Chula Vista

Data: NOAA NHC HURDAT2 and NOAA SPC tornado and hail reports, through 2025 · Updated

Yes: since 1950 the Storm Prediction Center has recorded 17 tornadoes within 25 miles of Coronado, Chula Vista and San Diego (Coronado 12, Chula Vista 10 and San Diego 17; a tornado near two of them counts once). 11 were rated F0 or EF0, the weakest, 6 F1 or EF1; none was rated above 1 on the Fujita or Enhanced Fujita scale.

Coronado
12

tornadoes within 25 mi since 1950

Chula Vista
10

tornadoes within 25 mi since 1950

San Diego
17

tornadoes within 25 mi since 1950

Tornadoes near each city

  • Coronado: 12 tornadoes within 25 miles, the first on April 13, 1956. The strongest was F1 on November 10, 2000, 21 miles from the city centre; the most recent EF0 on September 22, 2007, 24 miles away.
  • Chula Vista: 10 tornadoes within 25 miles, the first on April 13, 1956. The strongest was F1 on November 10, 2000, 22 miles from the city centre; the most recent F0 on February 23, 2005, 3 miles away.
  • San Diego: 17 tornadoes within 25 miles, the first on April 13, 1956. The strongest was F1 on November 10, 2000, 12 miles from the city centre; the most recent EF0 on September 22, 2007, 18 miles away.

Every tornado near San Diego Bay

For scale, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma has 340 tornadoes on record within 25 miles over the same years: 20 for every one near San Diego. The 17 tornadoes killed no one and injured 1. Half had a path shorter than 0.1 miles; the longest, on February 8, 1998, ran 3 miles. 5 came in February, 5 came in March and 3 came in January.

Tornadoes within 25 miles of Coronado, Chula Vista and San Diego, newest first
DateRatingNearest cityDistancePathKilled / injured
September 22, 2007EF0San Diego18 mi0.1 mi0 / 0
March 11, 2006F0San Diego24 mi2 mi0 / 0
March 10, 2006F0San Diego20 mi0.2 mi0 / 0
February 23, 2005F0Chula Vista3 mi0.1 mi0 / 0
November 10, 2000F1San Diego12 mi0.4 mi0 / 0
February 8, 1998F0San Diego16 mi3 mi0 / 0
January 29, 1998F1San Diego20 mi0.5 mi0 / 0
March 27, 1991F1San Diego25 mi0.2 mi0 / 0
March 19, 1991F1San Diego4 mi1 mi0 / 0
January 14, 1990F0San Diego4 mi0.1 mi0 / 0
February 4, 1985F0San Diego2 mi0.1 mi0 / 0
March 17, 1982F0Coronado3 mi0.1 mi0 / 0
February 20, 1980F1San Diego4 mi0.1 mi0 / 0
January 18, 1979F0San Diego2 mi0.1 mi0 / 0
October 29, 1974F0San Diego20 mi0.1 mi0 / 0
February 23, 1971F0Chula Vista3 mi0.1 mi0 / 0
April 13, 1956F1Chula Vista3 mi0.1 mi0 / 1
Tornadoes near Coronado, Chula Vista and San Diego by decadeTornadoes1195019603197031980519905200020102020

More weak tornadoes are reported since the 1990s, when Doppler radar and storm spotters spread; the counts by decade show reporting as much as climate.

How each figure on this page is counted: methodology.