Tornadoes in Washington
The Storm Prediction Center records 135 tornadoes that touched Washington between 1954 and 2024, and 134 of them began there. A tornado that crossed a state line counts in every state it touched. They killed 6 people and injured 303. The busiest month is May, with 32 tornadoes.
- 135tornadoes
- 6deaths
- 303injuries
- 20per 10,000 sq mi of land
- 29counties touched
Tornadoes per 10,000 square miles lets you compare states of different sizes. It counts every tornado that touched the state.
How strong were Washington's tornadoes?
| Rating | Tornadoes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| F0 / EF0 | 79 | 59% |
| F1 / EF1 | 39 | 29% |
| F2 / EF2 | 13 | 10% |
| F3 / EF3 | 3 | 2% |
| F4 / EF4 | 0 | 0% |
| F5 / EF5 | 0 | 0% |
| Unknown rating | 1 | <1% |
Washington tornadoes over time
The 2020s only run to 2024, so that bar is for a shorter period. The record starts in 1954.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| 1950s | 7 |
| 1960s | 7 |
| 1970s | 15 |
| 1980s | 19 |
| 1990s | 23 |
| 2000s | 31 |
| 2010s | 20 |
| 2020s | 13 |
The record has changed over the decades as detection and reporting improved, so more weak tornadoes show up in recent years than in the 1950s. The year with the most in Washington was 1997, with 14.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| Jan | 4 |
| Feb | 0 |
| Mar | 7 |
| Apr | 20 |
| May | 32 |
| Jun | 18 |
| Jul | 12 |
| Aug | 13 |
| Sep | 8 |
| Oct | 13 |
| Nov | 2 |
| Dec | 6 |
Deadliest tornadoes that touched Washington
- Portland, Oregon tornado5 April 1972, F3, 6 deaths, 300 injuries, 8.7 miles long
Strongest tornadoes that touched Washington
- Portland, Oregon tornado5 April 1972, F3, 6 deaths, 300 injuries, 8.7 miles long
- Washington tornado12 December 1969, F3, 1 injury, 3.8 miles long
- Washington tornado5 April 1972, F3, 1 injury, 0.1 miles long
- Washington tornado10 November 1965, F2, 1.5 miles long
- Washington tornado6 May 1957, F2, 1.5 miles long
- Washington tornado18 December 2018, EF2, 1.4 miles long
Most recent tornadoes in Washington
- Washington tornado28 October 2024, EF0, 0.2 miles long
- Washington tornado1 May 2024, EF0, 0.4 miles long
- Washington tornado18 April 2024, EF0, 0 miles long
- Washington tornado26 March 2024, EF0, 0 miles long
- Washington tornado11 October 2023, EF0, 0.5 miles long
Notable Washington tornadoes with their own pages
- Portland, Oregon tornado5 April 1972, F3, 6 deaths, 300 injuries, 8.7 miles long
Many of these tornadoes killed or injured people. The numbers are the official record's, and they may be revised.
Washington counties
Every county that a tornado has touched is listed, most tornadoes first. 22 of them have at least 3 tornadoes and their own page.
| County | Tornadoes | Strongest |
|---|---|---|
| Spokane County | 16 | F/EF2 |
| Clark County | 15 | F/EF3 |
| Lincoln County | 12 | F/EF3 |
| Pierce County | 9 | F/EF1 |
| Yakima County | 8 | F/EF2 |
| Snohomish County | 7 | F/EF2 |
| Grant County | 6 | F/EF2 |
| Walla Walla County | 6 | F/EF2 |
| Benton County | 5 | F/EF0 |
| Cowlitz County | 5 | F/EF1 |
| King County | 5 | F/EF3 |
| Okanogan County | 5 | F/EF1 |
| Stevens County | 5 | F/EF2 |
| Thurston County | 5 | F/EF1 |
| Franklin County | 4 | F/EF1 |
| Adams County | 3 | F/EF1 |
| Douglas County | 3 | F/EF0 |
| Grays Harbor County | 3 | F/EF1 |
| Kitsap County | 3 | F/EF2 |
| Lewis County | 3 | F/EF2 |
| Pacific County | 3 | F/EF0 |
| Whitman County | 3 | F/EF2 |
| Columbia County | 2 | F/EF2 |
| Ferry County | 1 | F/EF0 |
| Garfield County | 1 | F/EF2 |
| Kittitas County | 1 | F/EF0 |
| Mason County | 1 | F/EF1 |
| Pend Oreille County | 1 | F/EF2 |
| Whatcom County | 1 | F/EF0 |