Polk County, Florida tornadoes

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171confirmed tornadoes since NOAA records began in 1950 (the first here in 1951). Most recent: September 26, 2024, EF0. 2026 so far: 0 preliminary reports preliminary

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Map

Every tornado path in the county

Fromto

Tornado paths, 1950 to 2025

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(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.

The record

At a glance

Total1711950 to 2025

Per year2.3average since 1950

Peak monthJune37 of 171

StrongestF4Apr 4, 1966

Deaths12whole paths, see note

Injuries620whole paths, see note

Deaths and injuries are NOAA's totals for each tornado's whole path, which can extend beyond Polk County.

Seasons

When tornadoes hit here

By month

June is the peak month, with 37 of 171 tornadoes.

By time of day

Most often around 3:00 PM. Times as recorded by NOAA, mostly Central Standard Time.

By year, 1950 to 2025

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

108

EF1

EF2

EF4

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

Deadliest

All 171 tornadoes, newest first

Tornadoes, newest first
Date	Rating	Path length	Width	Deaths	Injuries
Sep 26, 2024	EF0	1.05 mi	25 yd	0	0
Aug 4, 2024	EF0	1.52 mi	25 yd	0	0
Aug 4, 2024	EF0	1.17 mi	25 yd	0	0
Jul 23, 2024	EF0	0.06 mi	25 yd	0	0
Apr 11, 2021	EF0	1.44 mi	50 yd	0	0
Dec 16, 2020	EF1	12.93 mi	250 yd	0	0
Oct 18, 2019	EF2	11.45 mi	525 yd	0	0
Dec 20, 2018	EF0	0.07 mi	30 yd	0	1
Dec 20, 2018	EF0	0.76 mi	75 yd	0	0
Sep 10, 2017	EF2	0.59 mi	50 yd	0	0
Jun 1, 2016	EF0	0.7 mi	30 yd	0	0
Jun 24, 2012	EF2	6.22 mi	150 yd	0	0
Jun 24, 2012	EF0	0.92 mi	25 yd	0	0
Mar 31, 2011	EF0	9.44 mi	60 yd	0	0
Mar 31, 2011	EF1	0.83 mi	30 yd	0	0
Mar 31, 2011	EF0	5.55 mi	50 yd	0	0
Mar 11, 2010	EF1	1.41 mi	70 yd	0	0
Mar 11, 2010	EF0	0.36 mi	20 yd	0	0
Aug 12, 2009	EF0	0.14 mi	30 yd	0	0
May 12, 2009	EF0	0.04 mi	15 yd	0	0
Aug 22, 2008	EF0	0.72 mi	30 yd	0	0
Apr 15, 2007	EF0	2 mi	300 yd	0	0
Feb 2, 2007	EF0	0.5 mi	50 yd	0	0
Sep 15, 2006	F0	0.7 mi	50 yd	0	0
Jun 24, 2006	F0	0.3 mi	40 yd	0	0
Jun 12, 2006	F0	0.5 mi	40 yd	0	0
Oct 23, 2005	F0	1 mi	50 yd	0	0
Aug 12, 2005	F0	0.5 mi	40 yd	0	0
Jun 30, 2005	F0	0.5 mi	40 yd	0	0
Apr 23, 2005	F1	7 mi	150 yd	0	0
Sep 6, 2004	F0	0.3 mi	30 yd	0	0
Sep 4, 2004	F0	3.6 mi	50 yd	0	0
Aug 13, 2004	F0	1 mi	30 yd	0	0
Aug 13, 2004	F0	1 mi	30 yd	0	0
Feb 24, 2004	F0	0.3 mi	30 yd	0	0
May 24, 2003	F0	0.2 mi	30 yd	0	0
Aug 14, 2002	F0	0.5 mi	40 yd	0	0
Jul 25, 2002	F0	1 mi	40 yd	0	0
May 17, 2002	F0	0.5 mi	33 yd	0	0
Jul 30, 2000	F0	0.2 mi	n/a	0	0
Jun 27, 2000	F0	0.1 mi	n/a	0	0
Jun 27, 1999	F0	0.3 mi	n/a	0	0
May 21, 1999	F1	1.5 mi	50 yd	0	0
May 19, 1999	F0	1.5 mi	50 yd	0	0
Sep 25, 1998	F0	0.5 mi	30 yd	0	0
Sep 25, 1998	F0	0.5 mi	30 yd	0	0
Mar 9, 1998	F2	10.4 mi	250 yd	0	4
Mar 1, 1998	F0	0.1 mi	30 yd	0	0
Feb 17, 1998	F1	1.6 mi	30 yd	0	0
Feb 17, 1998	F1	0.2 mi	30 yd	0	0
Feb 16, 1998	F0	1.5 mi	30 yd	0	0
Dec 27, 1997	F2	5.8 mi	150 yd	0	18
Dec 27, 1997	F0	1 mi	30 yd	0	0
Nov 13, 1997	F0	0.2 mi	10 yd	0	0
Oct 31, 1997	F1	0.5 mi	30 yd	0	0
Oct 31, 1997	F1	4 mi	23 yd	0	0
Jun 11, 1997	F0	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
Jun 5, 1997	F0	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
May 28, 1997	F0	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
May 22, 1997	F0	0.8 mi	10 yd	0	0
Oct 7, 1996	F0	6 mi	10 yd	0	0
Oct 7, 1996	F0	52 mi	10 yd	0	0
Apr 30, 1996	F0	11 mi	15 yd	0	0
Mar 30, 1996	F0	2.5 mi	10 yd	0	0
Nov 8, 1995	F0	1.2 mi	73 yd	0	0
Jun 4, 1995	F1	16 mi	50 yd	0	0
Sep 19, 1994	F0	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
May 18, 1994	F0	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
May 18, 1994	F0	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
May 18, 1994	F0	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
May 16, 1994	F0	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
Apr 7, 1994	F0	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
Jan 3, 1994	F1	0.5 mi	13 yd	0	1
Jan 3, 1994	F0	1 mi	13 yd	0	0
Mar 13, 1993	F0	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
Jan 4, 1993	F0	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
Dec 10, 1992	F0	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
Jun 28, 1992	F0	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
Jun 21, 1992	F1	0.5 mi	40 yd	0	0
Jul 17, 1991	F0	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
Jun 24, 1991	F0	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
Jun 1, 1991	F0	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
Apr 25, 1991	F0	0.5 mi	50 yd	0	0
Apr 25, 1991	F0	0.5 mi	40 yd	0	0
Apr 25, 1991	F0	0.5 mi	40 yd	0	0
Mar 18, 1991	F0	0.5 mi	30 yd	0	0
Mar 18, 1991	F1	2 mi	100 yd	0	2
Jan 19, 1991	F0	0.8 mi	40 yd	0	0
Aug 13, 1990	F0	0.2 mi	10 yd	0	0
Jul 11, 1990	F0	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
Jul 7, 1990	F0	0.2 mi	10 yd	0	0
Jun 22, 1990	F0	0.2 mi	10 yd	0	0
Jun 10, 1990	F0	0.2 mi	10 yd	0	0
Jun 20, 1989	F0	0.2 mi	10 yd	0	0
Jun 10, 1989	F0	0.2 mi	10 yd	0	0
Jun 10, 1989	F0	0.2 mi	10 yd	0	0
Apr 13, 1989	F0	0.2 mi	10 yd	0	0
Nov 5, 1988	F1	1 mi	30 yd	0	0
Jun 22, 1988	F1	1 mi	30 yd	0	0
Aug 19, 1987	F0	0.5 mi	30 yd	0	0
Jun 29, 1987	F0	2 mi	30 yd	0	1
Jun 22, 1987	F0	0.2 mi	30 yd	0	0
Jul 5, 1986	F0	1 mi	30 yd	0	0
Jun 19, 1986	F0	0.5 mi	30 yd	0	0
Jun 3, 1986	F0	0.5 mi	20 yd	0	0
May 9, 1986	F0	0.5 mi	30 yd	0	0
May 9, 1986	F0	0.5 mi	30 yd	0	0
Feb 11, 1986	F1	0.5 mi	10 yd	0	4
Feb 8, 1986	F2	2 mi	10 yd	0	0
Jul 1, 1984	F0	0.5 mi	30 yd	0	0
Sep 6, 1983	F0	1 mi	100 yd	0	0
Mar 24, 1983	F1	0.8 mi	80 yd	0	2
Jul 31, 1982	F1	0.3 mi	10 yd	0	0
Jul 26, 1982	F1	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
Jul 20, 1982	F0	0.2 mi	10 yd	0	0
Jul 19, 1982	F1	1 mi	10 yd	0	0
Jun 18, 1982	F1	0.5 mi	10 yd	0	0
Jun 18, 1982	F0	0.4 mi	10 yd	0	0
Jun 17, 1982	F1	0.3 mi	10 yd	0	0
Jun 15, 1982	F0	1 mi	10 yd	0	0
Apr 15, 1982	F0	0.5 mi	20 yd	0	0
Sep 16, 1981	F0	1 mi	20 yd	0	0
Jun 13, 1981	F1	0.5 mi	30 yd	0	0
May 17, 1981	F1	1 mi	30 yd	0	0
Sep 24, 1979	F0	0.1 mi	20 yd	0	0
May 8, 1979	F2	4 mi	200 yd	1	40
Jun 5, 1977	F0	0.1 mi	13 yd	0	0
Jun 8, 1976	F1	0.1 mi	30 yd	0	0
May 16, 1976	F0	0.3 mi	10 yd	0	0
May 16, 1975	F1	7.3 mi	50 yd	0	0
May 9, 1975	F1	2.5 mi	50 yd	0	0
Apr 14, 1975	F0	0.1 mi	23 yd	0	0
Jun 18, 1974	F1	0.2 mi	10 yd	0	0
May 15, 1974	F0	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
May 6, 1974	F1	2 mi	20 yd	0	0
Apr 16, 1974	F0	0.5 mi	10 yd	0	2
Mar 17, 1973	F1	0.5 mi	50 yd	0	0
Mar 17, 1973	F2	0.3 mi	20 yd	0	0
Jan 22, 1973	F1	1.5 mi	20 yd	0	0
Jul 13, 1972	F1	0.2 mi	50 yd	0	0
Jun 18, 1972	F1	0.3 mi	50 yd	0	3
Nov 29, 1971	F2	0.5 mi	50 yd	0	0
Jul 26, 1971	F1	1 mi	500 yd	0	0
Jul 23, 1971	F0	0.3 mi	10 yd	0	0
Jul 22, 1971	F0	1 mi	20 yd	0	0
Mar 3, 1971	F1	0.5 mi	50 yd	0	0
Jul 14, 1969	F1	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
Jun 6, 1969	F2	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
Nov 11, 1968	F1	57.2 mi	10 yd	0	0
Nov 9, 1968	F1	69.3 mi	10 yd	0	3
Jun 5, 1968	F1	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
Jan 24, 1968	F0	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
Dec 11, 1967	F1	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
Apr 4, 1966	F2	123.3 mi	150 yd	0	0
Apr 4, 1966	F4	135.8 mi	300 yd	11	530
Jun 6, 1964	F2	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
Jan 12, 1964	F1	4.7 mi	20 yd	0	0
May 29, 1963	F2	0.1 mi	30 yd	0	2
Feb 19, 1963	F2	0.2 mi	10 yd	0	0
Mar 15, 1960	F1	1 mi	100 yd	0	0
Feb 13, 1960	F1	0.1 mi	27 yd	0	0
Jul 21, 1958	F0	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
Apr 15, 1958	F4	0.1 mi	300 yd	0	7
Jan 21, 1958	F1	0.2 mi	17 yd	0	0
May 16, 1957	F0	0.1 mi	150 yd	0	0
Mar 4, 1957	F0	0.5 mi	20 yd	0	0
Jul 2, 1956	F0	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
Apr 30, 1954	F0	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
Dec 18, 1951	F2	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
Dec 18, 1951	F2	0.1 mi	150 yd	0	0
Dec 4, 1951	F1	0.1 mi	27 yd	0	0

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Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025, and SPC preliminary reports for 2026. Page built October 12, 2026.