San Diego County Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes
The chance of earthquake damage in San Diego County is much lower than California average and is much higher than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in San Diego County is about the same as California average and is much lower than the national average.
Earthquake Index, #24
| San Diego County | 8.38 |
| California | 21.80 |
| U.S. | 1.81 |
The earthquake index value is calculated based on historical earthquake events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the earthquake level in a region. A higher earthquake index value means a higher chance of an earthquake.
Volcano Index, #50
| San Diego County | 0.0002 |
| California | 0.0068 |
| U.S. | 0.0023 |
The volcano index value is calculated based on the currently known volcanoes using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the possibility of a region being affected by a possible volcano eruption. A higher volcano index value means a higher chance of being affected.
Tornado Index, #12
| San Diego County | 14.70 |
| California | 18.56 |
| U.S. | 136.45 |
The tornado index value is calculated based on historical tornado events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the tornado level in a region. A higher tornado index value means a higher chance of tornado events.
Other Weather Extremes Events
A total of 1,796 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of San Diego County were recorded from 1950 to 2010. The following is a break down of these events:
| Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count |
| Avalanche: | 0 | Blizzard: | 0 | Cold: | 3 | Dense Fog: | 6 | Drought: | 30 |
| Dust Storm: | 5 | Flood: | 513 | Hail: | 94 | Heat: | 7 | Heavy Snow: | 1 |
| High Surf: | 7 | Hurricane: | 0 | Ice Storm: | 0 | Landslide: | 1 | Strong Wind: | 99 |
| Thunderstorm Winds: | 198 | Tropical Storm: | 0 | Wildfire: | 338 | Winter Storm: | 2 | Winter Weather: | 1 |
| Other: | 491 | ||||||||
Volcanos Nearby
A total of 3 volcanoes are found in or near San Diego County.
| Distance (miles) | Name | Region | Latitude | Longitude | Elevation (foot) | Type | Status | Last Eruption |
| 95.1 | Prieto, Cerro | Mexico, Mexico | 32.418 | -115.305 | 223 | Lava dome | Holocene | Unknown |
| 119.5 | Lavic Lake | US-California, United States | 34.75 | -116.625 | 1495 | Volcanic field | Holocene | Undated, but probable Holocene eruption |
| 119.9 | Amboy | US-California, United States | 34.55 | -115.78 | 288 | Cinder cone | Holocene | Undated, but probable Holocene eruption |
Historical Earthquake Events
A total of 116 historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in or near San Diego County.
| Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Depth (km) | Latitude | Longitude |
| 40.4 | 1968-04-09 | 6.5 | N/A | 33.2 | -116.11 |
| 45.1 | 1942-10-21 | 6.5 | N/A | 32.97 | -116 |
| 38.7 | 1954-03-19 | 6.2 | N/A | 33.28 | -116.18 |
| 32.8 | 1937-03-25 | 6 | N/A | 33.47 | -116.58 |
| 33.4 | 1969-04-28 | 5.9 | N/A | 33.35 | -116.35 |
| 39.7 | 1945-08-15 | 5.7 | 16 | 33.22 | -116.13 |
| 40.5 | 1945-08-15 | 5.7 | 16 | 33.38 | -116.22 |
| 36.7 | 1980-02-25 | 5.5 | 6 | 33.52 | -116.55 |
| 43.5 | 1968-04-09 | 5.2 | N/A | 33.1 | -116.03 |
| 38.7 | 1954-03-23 | 5.1 | N/A | 33.28 | -116.18 |
| 45.4 | 1957-05-26 | 5 | N/A | 33.2 | -116.02 |
| 28.9 | 1973-09-13 | 4.8 | 8 | 32.9 | -116.3 |
| 35.3 | 1951-02-15 | 4.8 | 16 | 33.48 | -116.5 |
| 37.5 | 1982-06-15 | 4.8 | 12 | 33.56 | -116.67 |
| 43.3 | 1950-09-05 | 4.8 | 16 | 33.65 | -116.75 |
| 46.1 | 1968-04-16 | 4.8 | N/A | 33.03 | -115.98 |
| 31.7 | 1961-08-23 | 4.7 | N/A | 33.05 | -116.23 |
| 33.5 | 1968-04-09 | 4.7 | N/A | 33.3 | -116.3 |
| 35.4 | 1967-05-21 | 4.7 | N/A | 33.51 | -116.58 |
| 43.5 | 1968-04-09 | 4.7 | N/A | 33.1 | -116.03 |
| 17.9 | 1984-10-10 | 4.6 | 12 | 33.14 | -116.5 |
| 24.1 | 1957-01-24 | 4.6 | N/A | 33.13 | -116.38 |
| 48.3 | 1983-06-29 | 4.6 | 6 | 32.59 | -117.43 |
| 29.1 | 1954-02-12 | 4.5 | N/A | 33.33 | -116.43 |
| 32.9 | 1982-03-22 | 4.5 | 5 | 33.06 | -116.21 |
| 33.5 | 1976-10-22 | 4.5 | 15 | 33.48 | -116.58 |
| 34.2 | 1943-01-02 | 4.5 | 16 | 33.42 | -116.42 |
| 37.1 | 1941-02-23 | 4.5 | 16 | 33.5 | -116.48 |
| 39.0 | 1943-06-18 | 4.5 | 16 | 33.11 | -116.11 |
| 40.7 | 1969-05-19 | 4.5 | N/A | 33.35 | -116.19 |
| 40.9 | 1936-05-07 | 4.5 | 16 | 33.13 | -116.08 |
| 41.3 | 1943-06-18 | 4.5 | 16 | 33.11 | -116.07 |
| 45.1 | 1943-11-02 | 4.5 | 16 | 32.97 | -116 |
| 46.5 | 1965-08-26 | 4.5 | N/A | 33.2 | -116 |
| 48.9 | 1941-12-24 | 4.5 | 16 | 32.6 | -116.1 |
| 27.7 | 1978-06-05 | 4.4 | 12 | 33.42 | -116.7 |
| 29.4 | 1961-08-22 | 4.4 | N/A | 33.05 | -116.27 |
| 31.6 | 1961-09-20 | 4.4 | N/A | 33.03 | -116.23 |
| 31.6 | 1961-09-16 | 4.4 | N/A | 33.03 | -116.23 |
| 37.7 | 1968-05-22 | 4.4 | N/A | 33.31 | -116.22 |
| 46.6 | 1951-03-29 | 4.4 | 16 | 33.28 | -116.03 |
| 18.6 | 1959-08-18 | 4.3 | N/A | 33.13 | -116.48 |
| 34.8 | 1976-08-11 | 4.3 | 15 | 33.48 | -116.52 |
| 36.8 | 1968-04-14 | 4.3 | N/A | 33.21 | -116.18 |
| 37.3 | 1956-09-23 | 4.3 | N/A | 33.53 | -116.55 |
| 41.6 | 1984-02-29 | 4.3 | 7 | 33.14 | -116.07 |
| 46.1 | 1968-04-09 | 4.3 | N/A | 33.05 | -115.98 |
| 20.4 | 1960-08-01 | 4.2 | N/A | 33.17 | -116.47 |
| 32.2 | 1963-01-13 | 4.2 | N/A | 33.01 | -116.22 |
| 35.6 | 1979-02-12 | 4.2 | 4 | 33.45 | -116.43 |
| 38.5 | 1971-02-23 | 4.2 | 8 | 33.5 | -116.43 |
| 39.9 | 1950-12-28 | 4.2 | 16 | 33.2 | -116.12 |
| 42.6 | 1954-01-04 | 4.2 | N/A | 33.27 | -116.1 |
| 8.5 | 1957-07-02 | 4.1 | N/A | 33.03 | -116.63 |
| 25.5 | 1971-05-25 | 4.1 | 8 | 33.12 | -116.35 |
| 29.6 | 1970-01-21 | 4.1 | 8 | 32.68 | -116.47 |
| 30.9 | 1951-11-14 | 4.1 | 16 | 32.95 | -116.25 |
| 34.6 | 1967-08-11 | 4.1 | N/A | 33.51 | -116.63 |
| 38.0 | 1962-10-05 | 4.1 | N/A | 33.33 | -116.23 |
| 38.2 | 1984-09-07 | 4.1 | 15 | 33.46 | -116.37 |
| 41.8 | 1978-08-19 | 4.1 | 5 | 32.42 | -116.83 |
| 18.9 | 1932-06-23 | 4 | 16 | 33.17 | -116.5 |
| 31.8 | 1948-12-28 | 4 | 16 | 33.48 | -116.7 |
| 32.1 | 1985-06-18 | 4 | 6 | 32.68 | -117.15 |
| 32.9 | 1959-06-12 | 4 | N/A | 33.5 | -116.76 |
| 33.3 | 1969-10-14 | 4 | N/A | 32.6 | -116.5 |
| 33.3 | 1969-10-14 | 4 | N/A | 32.6 | -116.5 |
| 45.2 | 1943-08-17 | 4 | 16 | 32.96 | -116 |
| 46.9 | 1979-08-22 | 4 | 16 | 33.7 | -116.85 |
| 15.2 | 1981-09-04 | 3.9 | 15 | 33.15 | -116.56 |
| 22.6 | 1984-04-01 | 3.9 | 11 | 33.11 | -116.4 |
| 32.1 | 1985-06-18 | 3.9 | 6 | 32.68 | -117.15 |
| 33.4 | 1985-06-18 | 3.9 | 6 | 32.67 | -117.17 |
| 34.9 | 1980-02-22 | 3.9 | 5 | 33.22 | -116.22 |
| 35.7 | 1983-07-04 | 3.9 | 11 | 33.44 | -116.41 |
| 38.0 | 1976-10-09 | 3.9 | 16 | 33.33 | -116.23 |
| 40.7 | 1951-04-21 | 3.9 | 16 | 33.48 | -116.33 |
| 43.2 | 1968-04-10 | 3.9 | N/A | 33.25 | -116.08 |
| 44.8 | 1984-10-05 | 3.9 | 19 | 33.67 | -116.7 |
| 45.3 | 1954-01-04 | 3.9 | N/A | 33.27 | -116.05 |
| 26.6 | 1959-07-20 | 3.8 | N/A | 33.36 | -116.55 |
| 32.7 | 1962-11-02 | 3.8 | N/A | 33.25 | -116.28 |
| 35.2 | 1962-10-22 | 3.8 | N/A | 33.07 | -116.17 |
| 37.0 | 1983-05-26 | 3.8 | 20 | 33.49 | -116.46 |
| 38.7 | 1954-03-24 | 3.8 | N/A | 33.28 | -116.18 |
| 49.5 | 1969-06-08 | 3.8 | N/A | 33.21 | -115.95 |
| 50.0 | 1958-08-18 | 3.8 | 16 | 33.17 | -115.93 |
| 20.7 | 1960-02-09 | 3.7 | N/A | 33.18 | -116.47 |
| 28.3 | 1946-10-28 | 3.7 | 16 | 33.42 | -116.9 |
| 31.7 | 1945-01-30 | 3.7 | 16 | 33.22 | -116.28 |
| 31.9 | 1964-06-21 | 3.7 | N/A | 32.67 | -117.13 |
| 33.6 | 1981-02-01 | 3.7 | 3 | 33.51 | -116.77 |
| 33.8 | 1985-06-05 | 3.7 | 12 | 33.34 | -116.33 |
| 34.3 | 1985-05-14 | 3.7 | 1 | 33.52 | -116.8 |
| 36.8 | 1979-07-02 | 3.7 | 16 | 33.5 | -116.49 |
| 38.1 | 1958-01-14 | 3.7 | 16 | 32.57 | -117.15 |
| 39.7 | 1968-04-09 | 3.7 | N/A | 33.16 | -116.11 |
| 46.9 | 1965-11-02 | 3.7 | N/A | 33.4 | -116.1 |
| 22.7 | 1980-12-22 | 3.6 | 16 | 32.73 | -116.6 |
| 28.6 | 1947-05-19 | 3.6 | N/A | 33.38 | -117.03 |
| 31.9 | 1964-06-23 | 3.6 | N/A | 32.67 | -117.13 |
| 35.9 | 1960-08-12 | 3.6 | N/A | 33.45 | -116.42 |
| 36.2 | 1969-04-30 | 3.6 | N/A | 33.28 | -116.23 |
| 38.7 | 1979-07-02 | 3.6 | 17 | 33.53 | -116.49 |
| 46.8 | 1962-05-05 | 3.6 | N/A | 33.7 | -116.72 |
| 48.6 | 1981-06-12 | 3.6 | 4 | 33.25 | -115.98 |
| 17.8 | 1983-02-04 | 3.5 | 6 | 32.91 | -116.5 |
| 26.3 | 1982-08-05 | 3.5 | 3 | 33.26 | -116.42 |
| 31.9 | 1964-07-15 | 3.5 | N/A | 32.67 | -117.13 |
| 32.0 | 1980-02-22 | 3.5 | 7 | 33.23 | -116.28 |
| 32.1 | 1972-10-19 | 3.5 | 8 | 32.88 | -116.25 |
| 35.5 | 1977-04-06 | 3.5 | 16 | 33.47 | -116.47 |
| 43.3 | 1983-05-27 | 3.5 | 18 | 33.65 | -116.75 |
| 44.8 | 1978-08-03 | 3.5 | 5 | 33.67 | -116.7 |
| 45.2 | 1943-05-30 | 3.5 | 16 | 32.96 | -116 |
| 48.5 | 1982-08-26 | 3.5 | 4 | 33.27 | -115.99 |
Historical Tornado Events
No historical tornado events that had recorded magnitudes of 2 or above found in or near San Diego County.
No historical earthquake events found in or near San Diego County.
* The information on this page is based on the global volcano database, the U.S. earthquake database of 1638-1985, and the U.S. Tornado and Weather Extremes database of 1950-2010.