Rare tornado touches down in Pico Rivera, Los Angeles County, California
A rare EF-0 touched down in Pico Rivera, California, at around 03:15 PST (10:15 UTC) on Thursday, March 13, 2025, damaging multiple structures and uprooting trees along its path.
A rare EF-0 tornado struck Pico Rivera in Los Angeles County on Thursday. The twister touched down just west of the 605 Freeway and Whittier Boulevard at approximately 03:15 PST (10:15 UTC), leaving behind a trail of damage.
The tornado had wind speeds of approximately 137 km/h (85 mph), a path length of 1.6 km (1 mile), and a width of 73 m (80 yards), lasting for about two minutes. It damaged multiple homes, vehicles, and trees along its path.
The neighborhoods most affected were along Loch Avon Drive, Holbrook Street, and Glencannon Drive, between Passons Boulevard and Pico Vista Road.
The tornado was classified as a high-end EF-0, uprooting many trees and snapping numerous branches, according to NWS meteorologist Dr. Ariel Cohen.
Tornadoes are relatively uncommon in Southern California, and when they do occur, they tend to be weak and short-lived. Most tornadoes in the region happen during the winter and spring storm season, similar to Thursday’s event, which formed as a storm system moved through the area.
One of the most notable tornadoes to impact the Los Angeles area occurred on March 1, 1983. It was a powerful F2 tornado that touched down in Downtown Los Angeles, causing nine fatalities, 26 injuries, and $25 million in damages along its 6.4 km (4 miles) long path.
A relatively weak EF-1 tornado struck Montebello on March 22, 2023, injuring one person and damaging 17 structures along a 400 m (0.25 miles) long path.
Although tornadoes are relatively rare in Southern California, they occasionally develop during the winter and spring storm season as cold air entering the region interacts with swirling surface winds, increasing the likelihood of tornado formation.
References:
1 Storm Reports (20250312 1200 UTC – 20250313 1159 UTC) – NWS/SPC -March 13, 2025
Featured image: Operative assisting in cleanup after EF-0 tornado in Pico Rivera on March 13, 2025. Credit: The city of Pico Rivera
Rishav Kothari is Editor-in-Chief of The Watchers, where he runs the newsroom and covers earthquakes, volcanoes, severe weather and space weather.
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