Tornado touches down in Northern California's Tehama County
PAYNES CREEK — A tornado touched down in Northern California's Tehama County on Friday, weather officials confirmed.
According to the National Weather Service, a tornado accompanied by quarter-sized hail was spotted around 5:18 p.m. in an unpopulated area near Paynes Creek and around 11 miles southwest of Shingletown.
The NWS said the tornado was recorded on an area webcam and radar. It was moving northeast at around 20 miles per hour and prompted a tornado warning to be issued at 5:22 p.m., which applied to north-central and south-central Tehama County and expired at 6 p.m.
The tornado lasted about three minutes and the path length was just under a mile.
No damage was reported. The NWS said the tornado's rating is unknown because tornadoes are rated based on the damage they cause. Due to no damage caused by this tornado, its rating won't be determined.
Friday's tornado comes as another winter storm moves through Northern California, bringing more rain and high winds to the interior portion of the state and snow to the higher elevations. A winter storm warning remains in effect through 10 p.m. for the Sierra.
Preliminary reports suggest this was the first confirmed tornado in the country in 2025.
Paynes Creek is located approximately 150 miles north of Sacramento.
