Florida has a long and well-documented history of severe storms, with 3,779 confirmed tornadoes, 5,562 hailstorm events and 14,621 damaging-wind events recorded by the National Weather Service since 1950. The state ranks 4th nationally for tornado frequency, and averages 50.4 tornadoes per year over the 75-year record. Florida’s position on the Gulf of Mexico exposes it to landfalling tropical systems and to the moisture supply that fuels severe-weather outbreaks across the southern United States. The interactive map below plots every significant severe-weather event in Florida from the official NOAA Storm Events Database (1950 through September 2025).

Use the map to find your county, click any marker for the date, magnitude, and casualty details of that event, and switch between tornadoes, hail and wind using the chips. For the national view across all 50 states, see our NOAA Storm Reports interactive map. For tornado tracks specifically, see the US Tornado Tracks map; for hail size and frequency, the US Hailstorms map.

Florida Severe Weather by the Numbers (1950–2025)

• 3,779 tornadoes recorded between 1950 and 2025
• 428 violent tornadoes rated F2/EF2 or stronger
• 206 direct tornado deaths and 3,426 direct injuries
• 5,562 hailstorm events recorded by the NWS
• 14,621 damaging-wind events on record
• 50.4 tornadoes per year on average across the 75-year record
• June is the peak severe-weather month, accounting for roughly 14.2% of Florida tornadoes
• 1,187 total direct deaths from all severe-weather event types tracked by the NWS

When Florida Severe Weather Happens

Florida tornado activity peaks in spring, with March through June accounting for about 41% of all events. The single busiest month is June, which alone produces around 14.2% of recorded tornadoes.

• June: 537 tornadoes (14.2%) — peak month
• September: 379 tornadoes (10%)
• July: 378 tornadoes (10%)
• August: 364 tornadoes (9.6%)
• May: 350 tornadoes (9.3%)
• March: 346 tornadoes (9.2%)

Top 10 Florida Counties by Tornado Frequency

Tornado activity in Florida is geographically broad, but a handful of counties have logged many times the state average. The combination of population density (more spotters and damage reports), county land area and local climatology drives the rankings below.

The Deadliest Tornadoes in Florida History

Florida has lost 206 lives to tornadoes since the National Weather Service began systematic tornado record-keeping in 1950. The single deadliest event killed 25 people in Flz001>023 County in 1993.

Florida Tornado Strength Distribution

Most Florida tornadoes are weak: roughly 88% are rated F0/EF0 or F1/EF1. Violent tornadoes (F2+/EF2+) account for around 11.9% of rated tornadoes in the state.

• F0/EF0 (weak): 2,119 tornadoes — 59% of rated events
• F1/EF1: 1,042 tornadoes — 29% of rated events
• F2/EF2 (strong): 375 tornadoes — 10.4% of rated events
• F3/EF3: 49 tornadoes — 1.4% of rated events
• F4/EF4 (violent): 4 tornadoes — 0.1% of rated events

Record-Setting Severe Weather in Florida

Largest hailstone: 4.50 inches in diameter, observed in Polk County near Lake Wales on March 30, 1996. The three largest hailstones on record in Florida measured 4.50″, 4.50″, 4.50″.

Highest measured wind gust: 92 knots (106 mph) recorded in Walton County near Santa Rosa Beach on January 9, 2024. Most damaging-wind events in Florida are estimated rather than measured because anemometers are sparse across the rural areas where supercells most often produce destructive thunderstorm winds.

How Florida Compares Nationally

Florida is one of the top severe-weather states in the country, ranking 4th nationally for tornado frequency since 1950.

• Tornadoes (top 5): Texas (9,908), Kansas (4,890), Oklahoma (4,856), Florida (3,779), Iowa (3,417).
• Florida tornado total: 3,779 — ranked 4th nationally.
• Florida hail total: 5,562 hail events on record since 1950.
• Florida wind total: 14,621 damaging-wind events on record since 1950.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes does Florida have on average per year?

Florida averages 50.4 tornadoes per year over the 1950–2025 period. Counts vary widely year to year, but the long-term mean over 75 years of NWS records is a reliable benchmark for typical activity.

What was the deadliest tornado in Florida history?

The March 12, 1993 tornado killed 25 people in Flz001>023 County. It remains the single deadliest tornado in the Florida modern record.

Where in Florida are tornadoes most common?

The single county with the most tornadoes on record is Palm Beach County with 196 events. The three most active counties overall are Palm Beach, Polk, Miami-Dade.

How does Florida compare to its neighbors?

Florida shares a severe-weather climate with Georgia, Alabama. Severe storms regularly cross state lines, so the same supercells, hail cores and wind events often appear in Florida’s neighbors’ records on the same date.

How recent is the data on this map?

The map and statistics on this page are pulled from NOAA’s official Storm Events Database, which currently runs from January 1950 through September 2025. New records typically appear in the database within 30–90 days of the event date, once damage surveys and ratings are complete.

Compare Florida to Neighboring States

Severe weather doesn’t stop at state lines. The same supercell systems that produce Florida tornadoes regularly cross into neighboring states. Compare Florida’s storm history to its land neighbors:

• Georgia severe storm history — ranked 15th nationally, Dixie Alley state with frequent overnight tornadoes
• Alabama severe storm history — ranked 9th nationally, Dixie Alley state with frequent overnight tornadoes

Explore the national NOAA Storm Reports map · US Tornado Tracks map · US Hailstorms map