Why aren’t Tornadoes common in Washington?

Tornadoes are not as common in Washington as they are in the central part of the United States. Why? Due to Washington’s rugged mountainous landscape. 

Is There a Time of Year When Tornadoes Usually Happen in Washington?

Tornadoes can and do occur any month of the calendar in Washington, but they mainly materialize in April, May, and June. These have happened in all parts of Washington.

How often Do Tornadoes Touch Down in Washington annually?

Tornadoes in Washington only touch down an average of 2–3 tornadoes yearly.

Has Washington Ever Had an F2 Tornado or Stronger?

We’ve had dozens of documented tornadoes touch down in Washington. Fourteen tornadoes rated F2 or stronger have touched down in our state.

June 26, 1916 – A quick and fierce F2 tornado touched down near Walla Walla, causing unknown damage to area structures.

December 23, 1949 – A brief F2 tornado touched down north of Long Beach, causing minor damage.

June 15, 1954 – A weak F2 tornado touched down near Spokane and Fairfield, a town south of what today is the Spokane Valley. The tornado only damaged trees.

June 26, 1958 – A brief F2 tornado formed downriver from the Tri-Cities, in Finley over a lake. Eyewitnesses said it looked like a waterspout.

November 10, 1965 – A strong F2 tornado touched down outside Centralia, damaging a barn.

March 14, 1966 – A brief F2 tornado touched down in southeast Washington, just west of Pomeroy, near the small community of Houser.

December 12, 1969 – A long-tracked F3 tornado moved through metropolitan Seattle, causing extensive damage in White Center. Miraculously, only one person was injured.

November 24, 1970 – An F2 tornado tracked through rural areas near Marysville, causing tree damage.

A Ferocious Weather System moved into Washington State on April 5, 1972

A sharp, cold front produced an intense squall line. This strong system moved in before Noon on Wednesday, April 5, 1972. The storms produced strong winds, large hail, and documented F2 and F3 tornadoes throughout Washington. 

• A strong F3 tornado rolled into the Highway 2 community of Creston, in Eastern Washington. The strong twister uprooted trees, injured one person, and caused minor damage.

• A brief F2 tornado touched down just west of Creston, in another Highway 2 community of Almira. The tornado damaged trees and structures. 

• Another brief F2 tornado touched down in Kettle Falls, in the state's northeast corner, 28 miles south of the Canadian border. The twister damaged trees.

• The deadliest tornado in Washington state history had an F3 rating. The twister moved through the Portland suburb of Vancouver, Washington, killing six, injuring 600, and destroying hundreds of structures. It hopped over the Columbia River into Portland, Oregon.

Many witnesses described a roaring sound like a train as the storm approached. Those who saw the storm described structures being picked up bodily, and debris carried several hundred feet into the air and whirling in a circular pattern. -Post tornado report by NOAA

July 17, 1978 – A brief but strong F2 tornado moved through the Washington-Idaho border town of Newport, causing tree damage.

May 13, 1986 – An F2 tornado touched down in Snohomish County near Arlington, damaging trees.

December 18, 2018 – An EF2 tornado touched down in Port Orchard, resulting in $1.81 million in damages. The twister stayed on the ground for over 5 minutes, damaging 250 homes.

What does the EF term for tornadoes mean?

In early 2007, the National Weather Service debuted the EF Scale, or the Enhanced Fujita Scale. The EF scale gave tornado ratings based on estimated wind speeds.