Livingston
Population 14,690 (2025)
24 tornadoes have tracked within 25 miles of Livingston since 1950, 0 of them rated EF3 or F3 or stronger; the most recent was on April 27, 2016.
Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed
- Tornado damage paths within 25 miles since 195024
- Wildfire burn scars within 25 miles since 19847
- Major flood years since 1978, Merced County3
At a glance
Tornado paths within 25 miles, tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles and wildfire perimeters within 25 miles of the city centre. Storm events, flood insurance claims and disaster declarations are for Merced County. Earthquakes within 50 miles, volcanoes within 100 miles and smoke days are measured from the city centre; river and tide gauges, tsunami and landslide records and the drought index are for Merced County.
Strongest tornado
F2
April 27, 1953, 0.1 mile path
Federal disaster declarations
19
Most recent: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides, 2023
DetailsTornadoes
About one every 3.2 years since 1950, none rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
April 27, 1953
F2, 0.1 mile path
10 yards wide.
Most recent
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
EF0, 0.1 mile path
10 years ago.
Every recorded tornado
| Apr 27, 2016 | EF0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 24, 2015 | EF0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 15, 2015 | EF1 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 9, 2009 | EF0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 14, 2006 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 28, 2006 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 28, 2006 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 28, 2006 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 8, 2005 | F0 | 1.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 20, 2005 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 16, 2002 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 16, 2002 | F1 | 1.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 14, 1998 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 22, 1996 | F1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 1, 1996 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 1, 1996 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 26, 1991 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 4, 1978 | F1 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 |
| Mar 4, 1978 | F1 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 1, 1978 | F1 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 5, 1975 | F0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 22, 1967 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 1, 1958 | F1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 27, 1953 | F2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond this area.
- Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.
Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
No tropical storm or hurricane has tracked within 100 miles since records began in 1851.
Wildfire and smoke
7 large fires burned within 25 miles since 1984.
Largest
June 15, 2018
Planada Fire, 4,655 acres
20.7 miles from the city centre.
Most recent
June 15, 2018
Planada Fire
4,655 acres in total.
Every large fire
| Planada | 2018 | 20.7 | 4,655 |
| Mersan | 2010 | 8.8 | 1,080 |
| Robinson | 2010 | 20.0 | 1,527 |
| Stuhr | 2006 | 21.7 | 1,545 |
| 165 | 2001 | 11.8 | 1,799 |
| Dry Creek | 1996 | 14.3 | 1,276 |
| Snelling | 1992 | 19.2 | 2,215 |
- Large fires mapped by the Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity program since 1984: 1,000 acres or more in the West, 500 or more in the East. Prescribed burns are excluded. Acres here are the part of each perimeter inside this place.
Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (USGS and U.S. Forest Service), 1984 to 2026.
Smoke overhead
Smokiest year
2020: 59 days
Heavy smoke on 35 days in 2020, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
16.9 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
4 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 4 so far in 2026.
- A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.
NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Floods and flood insurance
499 federal flood insurance claims since 1980, with $14.7 million paid.
Flood insurance figures are for Merced County, the county that contains Livingston.
Most claims in one year
2023: 203 claims
$10.1 million paid.
2nd most
2006: 102 claims
$2.4 million paid.
3rd most
1998: 94 claims
$1.7 million paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 95348 | 188 | $6.5 million |
| 95341 | 139 | $3.4 million |
| 95340 | 83 | $878,000 |
| 95365 | 62 | $2.3 million |
| 95301 | 15 | $1.5 million |
| 95324 | 7 | $115,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flood127
- Heavy Rain29
- Flash Flood6
This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.
River crests
River gauges in Merced County, the county that contains Livingston.
Most severe crest
January 10, 2023
Bear Creek at McKee Road, 26.18 ft
3.18 feet above the 23.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.
Most recent moderate or major crest
January 10, 2023
Bear Creek at McKee Road, 26.18 ft
Major flooding.
River gauges
| Bear Creek at McKee Road | 23.0 | 26.18 ft | 1 |
| Merced River at Stevinson | 71.0 | 71.44 ft | 0 |
- Crests are the highest and the recent crests the National Weather Service lists for each river gauge in the county that has a flood stage, not every flood. Flood categories use each gauge's current flood stages; crests from before levees, dams or channel changes may not be comparable. Crests measured on an old datum are left out of the rankings.
NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge records, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Drought
In severe drought or worse for 273 of 1,581 months since 1895 (17%); the longest spell lasted 33 months.
The drought index is for Merced County, the county that contains Livingston.
273
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
111
Months in extreme drought
17%
Share of all months, severe or worse
60
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
June 2014
−7.83, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
33 months
February 2013 to October 2015.
Latest month
September 2026
−3.17, severe drought
- The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.
NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.
Earthquakes, volcanoes and landslides
29 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles since 1900; the largest was magnitude 5.8 in 1979.
374
Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973
29
Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900
1
Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900
Largest within 50 miles
August 6, 1979
The 1979 Coyote Lake, California Earthquake; 47.5 miles away, 5.2 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
October 21, 2026
Magnitude 3.1
23 km WSW of Gustine, CA; 31.5 miles away.
Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles
| Sep 18, 2023 | 4.5 | 31.5 |
| Mar 30, 2009 | 4.3 | 49.4 |
| Jun 15, 2006 | 4.3 | 46.6 |
| Feb 5, 2005 | 4.2 | 41.6 |
| Jun 14, 1998 | 4.0 | 47.9 |
| Sep 22, 1995 | 4.2 | 47.5 |
| Sep 13, 1995 | 4.2 | 47.7 |
| Jan 15, 1993 | 4.9 | 48.0 |
| Jun 20, 1988 | 4.1 | 47.6 |
| Jan 6, 1988 | 4.5 | 43.0 |
| Apr 30, 1987 | 4.1 | 49.4 |
| Jan 19, 1987 | 4.2 | 48.1 |
| Jun 5, 1984 | 4.2 | 48.5 |
| Feb 5, 1983 | 4.2 | 49.8 |
| Aug 9, 1979 | 4.2 | 47.9 |
| Aug 6, 1979 | 4.3 | 49.4 |
| Aug 6, 1979 | 5.8 | 47.5 |
| Mar 16, 1976 | 4.3 | 45.5 |
| Nov 18, 1975 | 4.4 | 49.9 |
| Aug 9, 1975 | 4.2 | 38.8 |
| Aug 6, 1975 | 4.0 | 48.0 |
| Jun 18, 1975 | 4.1 | 18.5 |
| May 24, 1975 | 4.3 | 18.9 |
| Oct 27, 1974 | 4.2 | 48.2 |
| Jul 10, 1974 | 4.2 | 37.9 |
| Oct 3, 1973 | 4.6 | 48.6 |
| Mar 31, 1972 | 4.1 | 46.9 |
| Sep 21, 1958 | 4.6 | 43.7 |
| Oct 1, 1957 | 4.0 | 44.4 |
- Earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more in the USGS Comprehensive Catalog since 1900. Within 50 miles means the epicentre lies within 50 miles of the city centre.
- Small earthquakes were under-recorded before the modern seismic networks of the 1970s and are still missed in remote areas, so early decades read low. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them and mix scales (moment, local and body-wave).
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, 1900 to present, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Volcanoes within 100 miles
| Mammoth Mountain | 94.3 | Moderate |
| Mono-Inyo Chain | 98.0 | High |
- U.S. volcanoes within 100 miles, from the USGS Volcano Hazards Program. The threat category is the USGS 2018 National Volcanic Threat Assessment, which ranks volcanoes by how hazardous their past eruptions were and how many people and how much infrastructure lie near them. It is not a forecast of eruption.
USGS Volcano Hazards Program, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Mapped landslides
Landslides mapped in Merced County.
1
Landslides mapped, probable or better
0
With a recorded date
1
Source inventory
Mapped by USGS Conterminous (1).
- Landslides mapped in the USGS compilation of landslide inventories across the United States (version 3.0, 2025), rated probable or better. The compilation joins inventories made by federal and state agencies for different purposes and areas, so the number mapped in a county reflects how closely it has been surveyed as much as how often its slopes fail. An area with few records may simply not have been mapped. Deaths are as recorded in the inventories; a slide listed in two inventories is counted once.
USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0, retrieved October 27, 2026.
Severe weather and other events
616 events in the National Weather Service record for Merced County, 607 of them since 1996.
5
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
0
Hail, 2 inches or larger
6
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
4
Winter weather events since 1996
84
Heat events since 1996
70
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
April 12, 2012
1.75 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
April 1, 1996
92 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 9 | 0 |
| Dust storms and dust devils | 2 | 0 |
| Dense fog and smoke | 121 | 2 |
| Debris flows | 4 | 0 |
| Avalanches | 1 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Jan 9, 2023Flood$10.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
The Merced County Emergency Manager reported that several mandatory evacuations took place in Merced County as a result of flooding, The impacted areas included Planada which was completely evacuated as well as portions of Merced. Rainfall amounts in the Merced area were between 2 and 3 inches between noon on January 9 and the early morning of January 10 resulting in several cars being stranded and abandoned in flood waters as SR 99 through Merced and 16th St. in Merced were inundated with flood waters. A Flood Warning was already in place for Bear Creek since January 8 and continued through January 11. Bear Creek overflowed and peaked at a new record crest of 26.2 feet during the…
- Apr 4, 2006Flood$9.7 million
National Weather Service narrative
Due to continued heavy rain and subsequent high stream flows, a break in Black Rascal Creek flooded homes in north Merced. And Bear Creek raised over its banks in West Merced flooding a residential section in that vicinity. Overall there were approximately 300 homes flooded around Merced with over 500 people evacuated during the event.
- Mar 25, 1998Flash Flood$9.6 million
National Weather Service narrative
Over 65 homes and 19 apartments were flooded in and around Merced City as the result of torrential/record-setting rainfall in the previous 18 hours.
- Jan 9, 2023Winter Storm, Mariposa - Madera Foothills$5.2 million
National Weather Service narrative
The Mariposa County Emergency Manager reported that the widespread flooding and damaging winds that took place on January 9th and January 10th resulted in $5.2 million in property damage throughout Mariposa County. Most of this was for road and bridge repairs as well as for the costs of emergency RMO response to clean rock slides, mud slides and debris flows across roads and to pay for overtime and contractors to complete the necessary repairs and cleaning.
- Feb 1, 1998Heavy Rain$2.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
The following figures reflect estimated losses from the much above-normal rains and flooding of February. Subsequent months with normally increasing agricultural field operations were more significantly impacted by above normal rainfall. Consider this February list abridged and estimated in many respects (note Madera County is omitted, for example). The total rain/flood damage to area agriculture from the cooler and wetter spring in Central California is presented in the May Storm data figures.Fresno County Ag Loss $1.8M Property $1.6MKern County Ag Loss $5.4M Property $12.5MKings County Ag Loss $1.0M Property $20KMerced County Ag Loss $1.4M Property $2.0MTulare County Ag Loss…
- May 5, 2016Lightning$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
California Highway Patrol reported vehicle struck by lightning on SR 152 west of Los Banos at 1834 PST. Vehicle was disabled and no injuries were reported.
- Mar 27, 2011Flood$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
During the frequently stormy period that began on the 18th and ended on the 28th, as much as 7 inches of rain fell in the San Joaquin Valley and up to 10 inches of rain drenched the adjacent foothills while the higher elevations of the Sierra (above 7000 feet) received snow accumulations of up to 15 feet. Excessive runoff, combined with an increase in reservoir releases at the major dams caused higher than normal flows along rivers and streams through the end of the month. The Merced River at Stevinson peaked a half of a foot below flood stage at 4:30 pm on the 21st but otherwise remained well above monitor stage during the last two weeks of the month. Water levels along the San…
- Dec 16, 2002Tornado$400,000
National Weather Service narrative
From low-topped convection, a short duration tornado touched down northwest of Merced California on the 16th and had a discernible damage track of 1.25 miles. The tornado dissipated but the parent cell...after a distance of about 3 miles...generated another weak tornado (with a noticable condensation funnel). This tornado was reported to have traveled about one mile over pasture land before dissipating. At its most intense, this cell spawned F1 Tornado damage for 3/8-mile when it lifted a roof from a house and carport and caused damage to various light structures along its path. There were no injuries or fatalities despite residents at home when the roof lifted from a house along…
- Nov 11, 2024Dust Storm, Merced-Madera-Mendota$400,000
National Weather Service narrative
California Highway Patrol reported a 20 vehicle collision which led to several injuries on SR 152 at the intersection of Road 17 near Chowchilla as a dust storm pushed through the area. The Merced and Madera ASOS's both had visibility drop to 1.5 to 1.75 miles and had gusts between 40 and 50 mph. The portion of SR 152 south of Chowchilla was closed for a portion of the afternoon due to the collision.
- Dec 3, 2021Dense Fog, Merced-Madera-Mendota$250,000
National Weather Service narrative
Visibility below a quarter mile was reported in Atwater, Merced and Madera. Several webcams showed visibility below 1000 feet. California Highway Patrol was pacing traffic on SR 99 for several hours during the morning. California Highway Patrol also reported several fog realted multiple car accidents west of Chowchilla where visibility was below 100 feet. One accidents at the intersection of SR 152 and Ave. 9 at 836 PST resulted in one fatality. Several school districts either opened late or delayed or cancelled bus service.
- Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.
Weather records
From Modesto Airport, 20.7 miles from the city centre, with records from 1927.
- All-time high
- 113°F2 times, most recently Jul 24, 2006
- All-time low
- 18°F2 times, most recently Jan 11, 1949
- Warmest night
- 84°FJul 22, 2006
- Coldest day
- 31°FDec 11, 1932
- Wettest day
- 2.72 inMar 4, 1978
- Snowiest day
- 1.5 inJan 21, 1962
- Hottest year
- 2016mean 65.6°F
- Coldest year
- 1948mean 57.9°F
- Wettest year
- 198327.39 in
- Driest year
- 19123.81 in
- Snowiest season
- 1.5 in1961-62
46 of 49 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Modesto Airport (USW00023258), 87 ft elevation, 20.7 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1927 to October 27, 2026; 99.7% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.
NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.
Federal disaster declarations
19 since 1953. The most recent: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides, April 3, 2023.
Declarations for Merced County.
| Apr 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699-CA |
| Mar 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592-CA |
| Jan 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683-CA |
| Jan 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591-CA |
| Mar 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482-CA |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3428-CA |
| Apr 1, 2017 | Flood | DR-4308-CA |
| Feb 14, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4301-CA |
| Mar 13, 2007 | Freezing | DR-1689-CA |
| Jun 5, 2006 | Severe Storm | DR-1646-CA |
| Sep 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3248-CA |
| Feb 9, 1999 | Freezing | DR-1267-CA |
| Feb 9, 1998 | Severe Storm | DR-1203-CA |
| Jan 4, 1997 | Severe Storm | DR-1155-CA |
| Mar 12, 1995 | Severe Storm | DR-1046-CA |
| Feb 11, 1991 | Freezing | DR-894-CA |
| Feb 9, 1983 | Coastal Storm | DR-677-CA |
| Jan 20, 1977 | Drought | EM-3023-CA |
| Jan 26, 1969 | Flood | DR-253-CA |
This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.
Sources and vintage
Every number on this page comes from these public records.
- Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
- Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
- Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
- Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
- Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
- Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USW00023258.
- River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
- Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Volcanoes USGS Volcano Hazards Program, U.S. volcanoes and 2018 threat assessment.
- Landslides USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0 (2025).
- Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.
Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.