NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit San Diego, TX
Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.
32 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of San Diego, Texas since 1851, 7 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Harold in 2023. Since 1950, 44 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 0 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 7
- Tropical storms
- 25
- Tornadoes
- 44
- EF3 or stronger
- 0
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
no recorded deaths
Tropical storms and hurricanes near San Diego
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | HaroldAug 22 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2010 | HermineSep 7 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2008 | DollyJul 24 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 2003 | ClaudetteJul 16 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1999 | BretAug 23 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1998 | FrancesSep 11 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1998 | CharleyAug 22 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1993 | ArleneJun 20 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1980 | AllenAug 10 | 44 mi | Category 1 (84 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1978 | AmeliaJul 31 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1971 | FernSep 11 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1970 | CeliaAug 4 | 39 mi | Category 2 (101 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1967 | BeulahSep 21 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1960 | Unnamed 1960 stormJun 24 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1958 | EllaSep 6 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1954 | AliceJun 26 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1936 | Unnamed 1936 stormSep 13 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1936 | Unnamed 1936 stormJun 27 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormJul 25 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1919 | Unnamed 1919 stormSep 15 | 12 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormAug 19 | 8 mi | Category 1 (89 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1913 | Unnamed 1913 stormJun 28 | overhead | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormOct 17 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1910 | Unnamed 1910 stormSep 15 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 26 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormSep 23 | 54 mi | Category 1 (82 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormAug 13 | 72 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1875 | Unnamed 1875 stormSep 16 | 70 mi | Category 2 (105 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 5 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1869 | Unnamed 1869 stormAug 17 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1857 | Unnamed 1857 stormSep 30 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormJun 26 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in San Diego: a hurricane's worst winds sit within a few dozen miles of its centre, and inland cities are usually past that.
Tornadoes within 25 miles of San Diego
By decade
- 2010s5
- 2000s8
- 1990s8
- 1980s2
- 1970s2
- 1960s16
- 1950s3
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 10, 1980 | F2 | 19 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 1 |
| May 18, 1965 | F2 | 19 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 1, 1962 | F2 | 19 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 27, 2014 | EF1 | 20 mi | 2.34 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 24, 2009 | EF1 | 19 mi | 0.23 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 20, 2005 | F1 | 17 mi | 12 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 20, 1996 | F1 | 23 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 8, 1993 | F1 | 23 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 10, 1974 | F1 | 10 mi | 0.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 16, 1971 | F1 | 7 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 21, 1967 | F1 | 18 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 21, 1967 | F1 | 18 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 44, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
How to read this page
A storm is listed when the centre of its track passed within 75 miles of San Diego while it was at least a tropical storm, which is the reach of damaging wind and rain for a typical hurricane. Being on the list does not mean the city took a direct hit; the "closest" column says how near the centre came. Tornadoes are counted when any part of the path came within 25 miles.
Tornado records before the 1990s are thinner, because weak tornadoes in open country often went unreported before Doppler radar and mobile phones. A rise in the decade counts is mostly better reporting, not a change in the weather.
Tracks come from the National Hurricane Center's HURDAT2 database, tornadoes from the Storm Prediction Center's database. Both are the official federal records and both are revised as old storms are re-analysed.