Gainesville, Florida tornadoes

Checking live National Weather Service warnings for Gainesville...

15confirmed tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gainesville since NOAA records began in 1950. Most recent: May 20, 2016, EF0.

Join the free alerts waiting list
Map

Every tornado path within 10 miles

Tornado paths, 1950 to 2025
Use two fingers to move the map
(E)F0(E)F1(E)F2(E)F3(E)F4(E)F5Unrated

Each path is a straight line from where the tornado started to where it ended, which is all most NOAA records hold. Tap a path for its details.

Recent warnings

Recent warnings near Gainesville

Loading warnings...

The record

At a glance

Total15within 10 miles, 1950 to 2025
Per year0.2average since 1950
Peak monthMay2 of 15
StrongestF2Sep 28, 1966
Deaths0whole paths, see note
Injuries4whole paths, see note

Deaths and injuries are NOAA's totals for each tornado's whole path, which can run well beyond Gainesville.

Seasons

When tornadoes hit here

By month

20 Jan: 1Feb: 1Mar: 1Apr: 1May: 2Jun: 2Jul: 1Aug: 2Sep: 2Oct: 0Nov: 0Dec: 2JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

May is the peak month, with 2 of 15 tornadoes.

By time of day

30 12 AM: 0: 2: 03 AM: 0: 2: 06 AM: 0: 0: 09 AM: 1: 2: 012 PM: 2: 3: 23 PM: 0: 0: 06 PM: 0: 1: 09 PM: 0: 0: 012 AM3 AM6 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PM9 PM

Most often around 1:00 PM. Times as recorded by NOAA, mostly Central Standard Time.

By year, 1950 to 2025

20 1950: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 01960: 0: 0: 0: 0: 1: 0: 2: 0: 0: 11970: 1: 0: 0: 0: 0: 1: 0: 1: 1: 01980: 0: 0: 0: 1: 0: 0: 1: 1: 0: 01990: 1: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 02000: 0: 0: 0: 1: 0: 0: 0: 1: 0: 02010: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 1: 0: 0: 02020: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 019501960197019801990200020102020

The line is the five-year average. Tornadoes before about 1953 were under-reported, and better radar since the 1990s finds more weak ones.

By rating

EF0
6
EF1
5
EF2
4

Ratings before February 2007 use the original F scale; the numbers line up with today's EF scale. Unknown means NOAA could not assign a rating.

The record

Notable tornadoes

Every tornado

All 15 tornadoes, newest first

Tornadoes, newest first
DateRatingPath lengthWidthDeathsInjuries
May 20, 2016EF00.66 mi20 yd00
Dec 16, 2007EF10.75 mi200 yd00
Apr 25, 2003F00.1 mi10 yd00
Aug 8, 1990F00.2 mi10 yd00
Jul 9, 1987F00.2 mi10 yd00
Mar 14, 1986F22 mi10 yd00
Jun 21, 1983F14 mi40 yd00
May 4, 1978F212.8 mi300 yd04
Jun 21, 1977F16.4 mi20 yd00
Jan 25, 1975F00.3 mi10 yd00
Feb 3, 1970F20.1 mi10 yd00
Dec 25, 1969F10.1 mi10 yd00
Sep 28, 1966F20.5 mi10 yd00
Sep 21, 1966F10.1 mi10 yd00
Aug 16, 1964F00.1 mi10 yd00
Nearby

Gainesville and its county

Gainesville is in Alachua County, where NOAA has recorded 45 tornadoes since 1950. A county's record counts every tornado inside its borders, while this page counts every path within 10 miles of the city, so the two overlap without matching.

Nearby cities

Coming soon

Free tornado alerts for Gainesville

We are building free email alerts for tornado warnings. Join the waiting list and we will email you once when they are ready. Until then, please rely on the National Weather Service and your phone's emergency alerts.

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025. City point and population: US Census Bureau, 2024. Each path is a straight line between NOAA's start and end points.