Tornadoes in Florida, May 17, 2026

Name: Tornadoes in Florida, May 17, 2026
Start: 2026-05-17T14:17
End: 2026-05-17T14:38
Location: Florida

May 17, 2026 · NWS TBW · 3 events in 1 county or zone

A cluster of thunderstorms developing and propagating northward across southwest Florida and Lee County produced three EF-0 landspout tornadoes during the afternoon that affected parts of Fort Myers and Cape Coral in Lee County.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $450,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 3

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS TBW wrote it up.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Tampa Bay, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 17, 1:36 PM EST, 41 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

Above normal temperatures are expected each day through the next week.
Increased chances of showers and thunderstorms today, with a few strong or severe storms possible.
Severe to extreme drought conditions continue for most areas.

Area forecast discussion, May 17, 1:36 PM EST, 41 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tampa Bay Ruskin FL
236 PM EDT Sun May 17 2026

...New DISCUSSION, AVIATION, MARINE, FIRE WEATHER...

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Above normal temperatures are expected each day through the next
  week.

- Increased chances of showers and thunderstorms today, with a few
  strong or severe storms possible.

- Severe to extreme drought conditions continue for most areas.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 228 PM EDT Sun May 17 2026

Comparing yesterday morning Skew-t to this morning you can see
moisture has been increasing in the mid levels. This has brought
our PW up from 1.13 to 1.5 today. This extra moisture and our
favorable wind flow out of the southeast should give us some
welcomed scatted showers and storms across the West Coast of
Florida. We are also seeing a marginal risk of severe weather
today with the main concern will be stronger winds within the
thunderstorms.

As we head into our work week the moisture will be unchanged but
winds will be shifting more northeast. The northeasterly flow
typically pushes much of the seabreeze thunderstorm activity down to
Southwest Florida. Because of this we can expect scattered showers
and storms each afternoon in Southwest Florida with some isolated
storms along West Central Florida and inland areas through Thursday.

By Friday and Saturday we will see an upper level low develop near
the Bahamas. This will help to give the whole area scattered shower
and thunderstorm chances through the afternoon and evening.

&&

.AVIATION...
(18Z TAFS)
Issued at 228 PM EDT Sun May 17 2026

Increased moisture with an easterly flow today will bring a more
active weather pattern to the west coast of Florida. Scattered
shower and storms are expected to develop mainly between 18z-00z.
Terminals with the best chance to see storms today is TPA, PGD,
FMY, and RWS. Winds will start out easterly with coastal sites
seeing a late afternoon seabreeze come in.

&&

.MARINE...
Issued at 228 PM EDT Sun May 17 2026

We will continue to see winds out of the southeast today
around 5 to 10 knots. Our main boating hazard will be increase
showers and storms along the west coast of Florida. These storms are
expected to push off the west coast in the late evening and early
overnight hours. This will continue to be a concern for the rest of
the week with the better chances in Southwest Florida. Winds will
also shift more easterly and pick up to 10 to 15 knots for Monday
and Tuesday before going back down to 5 to 10 for the rest of the
week.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
Issued at 228 PM EDT Sun May 17 2026

Moisture will be increasing throughout our Sunday with scattered
showers and storm. The moist atmosphere with scattered showers
will continue for much of the week.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
TPA  92  74  92  75 /  70  40  20   0
FMY  95  74  94  74 /  80  40  50  20
GIF  92  71  91  72 /  50  20  10   0
SRQ  92  72  94  73 /  60  40  30  10
BKV  94  68  94  69 /  70  40  10   0
SPG  94  74  94  75 /  60  40  20  10

&&

Sea Breeze Thunderstorm Regime For Monday: 2
Sea Breeze Thunderstorm Regime For Tuesday: 3

For additional information on sea breeze regimes, go to:
     https://www.weather.gov/tbw/ThunderstormClimatology

&&

.TBW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...None.
Gulf waters...None.

&&

DISCUSSION/AVIATION/MARINE/FIRE WEATHER...Shiveley
DECISION SUPPORT...Close
UPPER AIR/CLIMATE...Close

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 17, 2:13 PM EST, 4 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Tampa Bay Area Ruskin FL
313 PM EDT Sun May 17 2026

FLZ165-265-171945-
Inland Lee FL-Coastal Lee FL-
313 PM EDT Sun May 17 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHEASTERN LEE COUNTY THROUGH
345 PM EDT...

At 313 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Three Oaks, or 7 miles north of Bonita Springs. This thunderstorm was
nearly stationary.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and half inch hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, San Carlos Park, Pine Manor, Southwest
Florida Airport, Cypress Lake, Villas, Three Oaks, McGregor, Whiskey
Creek, Page Park, Fort Myers Villas, Estero, and Gateway.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

&&

LAT...LON 2633 8182 2633 8185 2657 8191 2658 8190
      2659 8167 2632 8166 2631 8182
TIME...MOT...LOC 1913Z 190DEG 3KT 2644 8178

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

TBW

The radar

The Tampa radar (KTBW), 138 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:20 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Tornado, Lee

When: May 17, 2:17 PM EST to 2:18 PM EST
Where: Lee County, 0.52 mi N of Fort Myers Villas to 0.62 mi N of Fort Myers Villas
Rating: EF0
Path length: 0.11 mi
Path width: 25 yd
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 26.557, -81.871

A landspout tornado was observed at 3:17 PM EDT just to the east of U.S. Hwy 41/S Cleveland Ave and north of Woodland Blvd, where a citizen submitted video of a rotating cloud base and funnel near Wawa and Culver's, and later confirmed that they witnessed a ground circulation with surface and lofted dust and small debris. No significant damage was reported, and no other reports, pictures or videos have been confirmed indicating that the track extended beyond that location. Maximum estimated peak wind of 65 mph.

Tornado, Lee

When: May 17, 2:25 PM EST to 2:31 PM EST
Where: Lee County, 0.77 mi E of Whiskey Creek to 1.77 mi N of Whiskey Creek
Rating: EF0
Path length: 2.07 mi
Path width: 150 yd
Property damage: $250,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 26.578, -81.888

A landspout tornado that was likely associated with the circulation from a previous landspout that dissipated minutes earlier is estimated to have formed around 3:25 PM EDT approximately 1.75 miles to the northwest of the previous landspout, where damage was first noted along Reynard Ave in the Tanglewood area where a large tree had numerous medium to large branches snapped. Continuing northwest, branches and limbs were snapped at multiple locations across Cumberland and Woodwind Courts, and a home near Tanglewood Pkwy had a large tree uprooted in its yard. Additional footage was submitted from the Tanglewood area depicting lawn furniture and yard decor scattered about, along with fence and roof damage, and a video taken by a resident along Westminster Dr at 3:28 PM EDT showed airborne debris along with indications of the ground circulation as the landspout neared the McGregor Gardens area and Argyle Dr and McGregor Blvd. The circulation continued northwest across the Georgetown area just south of Colonial Blvd and began crossing the Caloosahatchee River just to the west-southwest of McGregor Colonial Memorial Park, and to the south of the Midpoint Bridge around 3:30 PM EDT. Videos taken by the public showed surface spray associated with the circulation as it approached and crossed the Midpoint Bridge west of McGregor Colonial Memorial Park and continued northwest toward the central section of the river north of the bridge, where it is estimated to have dissipated around 3:31 PM EDT before reaching the western shore of the river. Maximum estimated winds of 75 mph.

Tornado, Lee

When: May 17, 2:35 PM EST to 2:38 PM EST
Where: Lee County, 3.52 mi SSW of Cape Coral to 3.3 mi SSW of Cape Coral
Rating: EF0
Path length: 0.53 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Property damage: $200,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 26.600, -81.983

A landspout tornado formed over Cape Coral just north of the Sovereign Canal near SW 28th St around 3:35 PM EDT in association with a separate segment of the cluster of thunderstorms, with evidence of the circulation visible in video taken by residents along SW 4th Ave and SW 5th Ave. Footage from SW 4th Ave showed a pickup truck in the driveway of a home being displaced a number of feet as the circulation passed by the location, and footage from the SW 5th Ave location showed the funnel of the landspout and the surface circulation behind a home over the Niagara Canal. Additional footage of the circulation was taken approximately one-quarter mile to the northwest near the Seabell Canal, where footage from a home on the southern edge of the canal along SW 26th Ter showed the circulation blowing lawn chairs around and lofting additional unidentified debris, while also knocking over and blowing around vinyl fencing in the backyard of a home on the opposite/northern side of the canal along SW 26th St. A few additional reports and photos from the vicinity also indicated fence and some roof damage as the circulation neared the intersection of Skyline Blvd and Veterans Pkwy before it is estimated to have dissipated around 3:38 PM EDT, as no other reports, pictures or videos have been confirmed to indicate that the track extended further. Maximum estimated winds of 75 mph.

What these are

Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Florida in 2026 Every state in 2026 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Florida, 2026 Warnings in Florida, May 2026

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1338392, 1338393, 1338395.