Tornadoes · United States · Florida

1978 tornadoes in Florida

91 tornadoes touched down in Florida in 1978, 84 percent above the average of the record for the state. They killed 3 people and injured 155.

1977 1979 The whole country in 1978

The rating scale

Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.

F040 to 72 mph
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
F173 to 112 mph
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
F2113 to 157 mph
Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.
F3158 to 206 mph
Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.
F4207 to 260 mph
Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.
F5261 to 318 mph
Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.
Unrated
The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.

Every tornado in Florida in 1978

January 8 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
January 8	5:20 PM EST	F2	Hillsborough	10.0	100	2	$50,000 to $500,000
January 8	6:18 PM EST	F2	Orange	2.0	100		$5,000 to $50,000
January 8	6:35 PM EST	F2	Orange	19.3	200	23	$500,000 to $5 million

January 13 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
January 13	1:39 PM EST	F0	Brevard	2.0	20			$5,000 to $50,000

January 19 6 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
January 19	9:32 AM EST	F0	Clay	0.5	20	$5,000 to $50,000
January 19	1:50 PM EST	F0	Hillsborough	1.0	50	$500 to $5,000
January 19	2:30 PM EST	F1	Seminole	0.5	20	$50,000 to $500,000
January 19	3:50 PM EST	F0	Martin	3.6	50	$5,000 to $50,000
January 19	4:45 PM EST	F1	Sarasota	1.0	50	$50,000 to $500,000
January 19	5:03 PM EST	F0	Charlotte	0.3	10	$500 to $5,000

January 25 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
January 25	9:30 PM EST	F0	Lake	0.5	20		2	$5,000 to $50,000

March 3 5 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
March 3	12:35 PM EST	F1	Lee	0.1	20	$50,000 to $500,000
March 3	12:45 PM EST	F1	Charlotte	0.1	20	$5,000 to $50,000
March 3	1:30 PM EST	F1	Broward	0.1	20	$50,000 to $500,000
March 3	1:35 PM EST	F1	Highlands	0.1	20	$5,000 to $50,000
March 3	3:04 PM EST	F1	Palm Beach	0.1	10	$500 to $5,000

April 18 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
April 18	4:45 PM EST	F1	Nassau	0.3	20	$5,000 to $50,000
April 18	6:45 PM EST	F1	Volusia	0.5	20	$50,000 to $500,000
April 18	6:45 PM EST	F1	Lake	1.0	50	$50,000 to $500,000

April 19 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
April 19	7:40 AM EST	F2	Alachua	1.0	50	6	$50,000 to $500,000
April 19	10:03 AM EST	F2	Marion	5.6	100	14	$500,000 to $5 million
April 19	11:07 AM EST	F1	Lake	1.0	50		$50,000 to $500,000

May 1 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
May 1	7:30 PM EDT	F0	Alachua	0.1	10
May 1	7:30 PM EDT	F0	Putnam	0.1	10	$500 to $5,000
May 1	7:30 PM EDT	F0	Putnam	0.5	10	$50 to $500

May 2 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 2	6:30 PM EDT	F0	Palm Beach	0.1	10

May 3 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
May 3	12:30 PM CDT	F0	Okaloosa	0.1	10	$5,000 to $50,000
May 3	7:43 PM EDT	F0	Clay	0.1	10	$500 to $5,000
May 3	7:45 PM EDT	F1	Duval	0.1	10	$50,000 to $500,000

May 4 11 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 4	3:10 AM EDT	F0	Bradford	0.1	13
May 4	5:30 AM EDT	F0	Dixie	0.1	13			$5,000 to $50,000
May 4	6:30 AM EDT	F2	Alachua	12.8	300		4	$500,000 to $5 million
May 4	9:00 AM EDT	F0	Saint Johns	0.1	13			$5,000 to $50,000
May 4	11:00 AM EDT	F0	Saint Johns	0.2	10			$500 to $5,000
May 4	11:45 AM EDT	F0	Pasco	0.1	13			$500 to $5,000
May 4	11:47 AM EDT	F3	Pinellas	1.5	200	3	94	$500,000 to $5 million
May 4	1:55 PM EDT	F0	Putnam	0.1	13			$500 to $5,000
May 4	3:20 PM EDT	F1	Highlands	0.5	50		2	$500,000 to $5 million
May 4	3:50 PM EDT	F0	Osceola	0.1	13		1	$5,000 to $50,000
May 4	4:00 PM EDT	F0	Highlands	0.1	20			$5,000 to $50,000

May 13 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 13	6:45 AM EDT	F0	Pasco	0.1	13			$500 to $5,000

May 17 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 17	3:30 PM EDT	F0	Palm Beach	0.1	10

May 18 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 18	10:14 AM CDT	F0		0.1	10

May 20 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 20	7:15 PM EDT	F0	Manatee	0.1	10			$500 to $5,000

May 26 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 26	2:50 PM EDT	F0	Baker	0.1	13			$50 to $500
May 26	7:40 PM EDT	F0	Hillsborough	0.1	13			$500 to $5,000

May 28 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 28	5:20 PM EDT	F0	Sarasota	0.1	10			$500 to $5,000

June 3 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
June 3	4:24 PM EDT	F0	Putnam	0.1	13			$50 to $500

June 8 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
June 8	9:00 AM EDT	F0	Pinellas	0.1	10			$500 to $5,000

June 9 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
June 9	3:35 PM EDT	F0	Volusia	0.1	10			$500 to $5,000

June 10 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
June 10	7:50 PM EDT	F0	Orange	0.5	20			$5,000 to $50,000

June 11 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
June 11	3:00 PM EDT	F0	Palm Beach	0.5	10		1	$5,000 to $50,000

June 12 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
June 12	1:30 PM EDT	F0	Broward	0.1	10	$50 to $500
June 12	4:30 PM EDT	F0	Hernando	0.1	10	$500 to $5,000
June 12	6:55 PM EDT	F0	Manatee	0.2	23	$500 to $5,000

June 23 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
June 23	1:14 PM EDT	F0	Palm Beach	0.2	13			$5,000 to $50,000

June 25 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
June 25	12:00 AM CDT	F0	Walton	0.1	10			$50 to $500

June 28 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
June 28	8:00 PM EDT	F0	Suwannee	0.5	10			$500 to $5,000

June 29 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
June 29	12:43 PM EDT	F0	Pinellas	0.1	13		2	$5,000 to $50,000

July 1 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
July 1	9:43 PM EDT	F0	Orange	0.1	10			$50 to $500

July 5 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
July 5	6:30 PM EDT	F0	Saint Lucie	0.1	10			$500 to $5,000

July 9 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
July 9	5:48 PM EDT	F0	Hendry	0.5	13

July 12 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
July 12	3:10 PM EDT	F0	Hillsborough	0.5	10
July 12	3:30 PM EDT	F0	Pasco	0.1	10

July 21 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
July 21	4:35 AM CDT	F0	Escambia	0.2	10			$5,000 to $50,000

July 26 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
July 26	2:10 PM EDT	F0	Hillsborough	0.1	10
July 26	3:10 PM EDT	F0	Pasco	0.1	10	$50 to $500
July 26	3:30 PM EDT	F0	Pasco	0.1	10	$50 to $500

July 27 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
July 27	3:30 PM EDT	F0	Volusia	0.1	10			$50 to $500

July 29 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
July 29	7:00 PM EDT	F0	Broward	0.1	10			$50 to $500

August 5 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
August 5	6:30 PM EDT	F0	Lee	7.0	10

August 6 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
August 6	12:40 PM EDT	F0	Duval	0.1	10

August 13 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
August 13	2:30 PM EDT	F1	Volusia	0.1	20		1	$5,000 to $50,000

August 17 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
August 17	7:15 PM EDT	F0	Manatee	0.1	10			$50 to $500

August 19 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
August 19	1:05 PM EDT	F0	Broward	0.1	10			$500 to $5,000

August 20 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
August 20	5:17 PM EDT	F0	Monroe	0.1	10			$5,000 to $50,000

September 4 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
September 4	4:00 PM EDT	F0	Volusia	0.2	20			$500 to $5,000

September 22 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
September 22	12:30 PM EDT	F0	Volusia	0.1	10

September 27 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
September 27	4:25 PM EDT	F0	Volusia	0.1	10			under $50

October 4 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
October 4	3:00 PM EDT	F0	Indian River	0.3	20			$5,000 to $50,000

October 13 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
October 13	2:40 PM EDT	F0	Manatee	11.6	10

November 8 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
November 8	6:30 AM EST	F1	Broward	0.4	40			$50,000 to $500,000

November 27 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
November 27	7:30 AM CST	F0	Bay	0.1	10

December 1 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
December 1	1:01 AM EST	F2	Pasco	0.8	30			$50,000 to $500,000
December 1	1:30 AM EST	F2	Pasco	0.6	30			$50,000 to $500,000

December 5 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
December 5	5:14 AM EST	F1	Pasco	0.4	20		2	$5,000 to $50,000

December 9 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
December 9	11:00 AM CST	F1	Bay	0.2	20			$5,000 to $50,000

December 24 4 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
December 24	4:10 AM CST	F1	Gulf	0.5	20		$50,000 to $500,000
December 24	2:45 PM EST	F1	Sarasota	0.4	20	1	$50,000 to $500,000
December 24	3:00 PM EST	F1	Orange	0.3	20		$5,000 to $50,000
December 24	3:15 PM EST	F1	Orange	0.3	20		$5,000 to $50,000

Nearby

Every tornado in Florida since 1950 Warnings in force in Florida The live radar over Florida

What this means

Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. Tornado counts rise through the record as reporting improved, so a year in the 1950s is not comparable with one today except for the strongest tornadoes, which were always noticed.

Sources

NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.