San Fernando

Every recorded tornado

1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond this area.
2. 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.

Every large fire

1. 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

1. 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.

Flood insurance figures are for Los Angeles County, the county that contains San Fernando.

Claims by ZIP code

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 Los Angeles County, the county that contains San Fernando.

The National Weather Service sets flood stages for 13 gauges here but lists no crests for them.

River gauges

1. 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.

High tide flooding

Tide gauges in Los Angeles County.

Other tide gauges here: Santa Monica (record 7 days, 2025).

1. High tide flooding days are days on which a NOAA tide gauge recorded water at or above NOAA's minor flood threshold, set from the gauge's tide range, counted by meteorological year (May to April). These are the counts in NOAA's annual high tide flooding reports; they are not National Weather Service flood stages. Years with less than 80 percent of data are left out.

NOAA CO-OPS high tide flooding counts, through April 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.

The drought index is for Los Angeles County, the county that contains San Fernando.

1. 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.

Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles

1. 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.
2. 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.

Tsunamis

Tsunami records for Los Angeles County.

1. Places where NOAA's Global Historical Tsunami Database records a tsunami's water arriving, with the greatest height it reached above sea level at the time. Only tsunamis NOAA rates probable or definite are counted. Heights from eyewitness accounts and tide gauges are mixed, and older events are less completely recorded.

NOAA NCEI/WDS Global Historical Tsunami Database, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Mapped landslides

Landslides mapped in Los Angeles County.

Mapped by USGS Earthquake-Triggered Ground Failure (8,920), CA GS (7,105), Santa Catalina Island CA (Regmi and others, 2019) (1,795), USGS CA LA County Jan 2019 (286), USGS Post-Fire Debris Flows (116), NASA (114) and 2 more.

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.

More event types since 1996

Costliest events since 1996

1. Sep 22, 2002Wildfire$15.3 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The Williams Fire burned 38.094 acres of land in the Angeles National Forest. This fire, which was located about 25 miles north of Azusa, destroyed 77 structures, including 62 cabins. No reports on the number of possible injuries have been received.

2. Sep 1, 2002Wildfire$12.7 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The Curve Fire burned 20,857 acres of land in the Angeles National Forest. The Curve Fire, which was caused by candles from a ritual sacrifice, destroyed 73 structures and injured at least 14 people.

3. Jan 7, 2005Heavy Rain$5.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   A powerful Pacific storm brought heavy rain, snow, flash flooding, high winds and landslides to Central and Southern California. During the 5 day event, rainfall totals ranged from 3 to 10 inches over coastal areas with up to 32 inches in the mountains. With such copious rainfall, flash flooding was a serious problem across Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties. In Santa Barbara county, flash flooding and mudslides closed Gibraltar Road at Mt. Calvary Road, stranding several vehicles, while mudslides inundated 3 homes in Lake Casitas. Across Ventura county, flash flooding and mudslides closed down Creek Road at Hermosa Road. In addition, the Ventura Beach RV Resort was…

4. Nov 12, 2003Hail$3.5 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   A large and powerful thunderstorm produced heavy rain in excess of 5 inches in less than two hours, flash flooding and hail across South Central Los Angeles county. Hail accumulations in the area were over 5 inches. Numerous intersections were flooded with several feet of water, stranding thousands of motorists during rush hour. Over 130 homes and businesses experienced significant damage due to flooding and hail. Damage was so significant that South Central Los Angeles county was declared a state disaster area. Overall, damage estimates were around $3.5 million for the area.

5. May 10, 2007Wildfire, Catalina Island$3.3 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The Catalina Island wildfire burned 4,750 acres on Catalina Island. The fire, which was started accidentally by a repair crew at the KBRT transmitter tower, was fueled by warm temperatures, low relative humidity and very dry vegetation. The fire burned very close to the community of Avalon, resulting in the evacuation of over 4,000 people from the island. One home and six commercial building were destroyed. Total damage and firefighting cost was approximately $3.3 million. One minor firefighter injury was reported due to smoke inhalation.

6. Oct 21, 1996Wildfire$1.5 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   A wildfire...sparked by arcing power lines...burned over 13,000acres of land between Calabasas and Malibu. Two seperate SantaAna wind events...with wind gusts up to 70 mph...helped spread theflames toward the ocean through the week. Six homes...four mobilehomes and three vehicles were destroyed. Sixteen emergencypersonnel were injured...including fourteen firefighters.

7. Feb 20, 2005Flash Flood$1.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   A powerful Pacific storm tapped into a subtropical moisture source to produce heavy rain and flash flooding across Southwestern California. Overall, rainfall totals ranged from 4 to 8 inches over coastal areas to between 10 and 20 inches in the mountains. In Ventura county, State Route 150 was closed at the Dennison Grade due to flash flooding and mudslides. In Los Angeles county, numerous roadways were closed due to mudslide and flash flooding including Interstates 5 and 10, Highway 101 in Hollywood, North Topanga Canyon Road in the San Fernando Valley, Malibu Canyon Road near Malibu and East Colima Road in Walnut. In Santa Barbara county, flash flooding and mudslides closed down…

8. Sep 22, 2007Flash Flood$300,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Strong thunderstorms dumped heavy rain over the Barham burn area. The heavy generated a significant mud and debris flow below the burn area. Nearly two feet of mud covered a hundred yard stretch of Forest Lawn Drive. A dozen parked cars were buried by the mud and debris. No injuries were reported.

9. Nov 26, 2008Flash Flood$10,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Heavy rain showers, in excess of one half inch per hour, fell across the Barham Fire burn area. The heavy showers produced flash flooding and mud flows along Forest Lawn Drive where over 1 foot of water and mud was reported.

10. Mar 31, 2024Thunderstorm Wind$5,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    A trained spotter near Paramount reported roof damage due to a downed tree from gusty thunderstorm winds.

1. 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.

All-time high

118°FSep 6, 2020

All-time low

22°FJan 12, 1949

Warmest night

84°FOct 24, 2017

Coldest day

39°FJan 11, 1949

Wettest day

6.51 inMar 20, 2011

Hottest year

2022mean 69.5°F

Coldest year

1949mean 60.6°F

Wettest year

202334.14 in

Driest year

20021.93 in

Station Van Nuys Airport (USW00023130), 785 ft elevation, 6.2 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1949 to October 27, 2026; 94.5% 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.

Declarations for Los Angeles County.

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.

• 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 USW00023130.
• River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
• Tide gauges NOAA CO-OPS high tide flooding counts, 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.
• Tsunamis NOAA NCEI/WDS Global Historical Tsunami Database.
• 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.