Tornadoes · United States · Florida

Tornadoes in Bay County, Florida

93 tornadoes have crossed Bay County since 1950, 13th of the 67 counties in Florida with a tornado on record, an average of 1.2 a year. They have killed 4 people and injured 159. None was rated F4 or above.

The rating scale

Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The United States rated tornadoes on Ted Fujita’s F scale until 31 January 2007 and on the Enhanced Fujita scale after it. Both run from 0 to 5, and both rate the damage rather than measure the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.

  1. F0 / EF040 to 72 mph on the F scale, 65 to 85 mph on the EF scale

    Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.

  2. F1 / EF173 to 112 mph on the F scale, 86 to 110 mph on the EF scale

    Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.

  3. F2 / EF2113 to 157 mph on the F scale, 111 to 135 mph on the EF scale

    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.

  4. F3 / EF3158 to 206 mph on the F scale, 136 to 165 mph on the EF scale

    Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.

  5. F4 / EF4207 to 260 mph on the F scale, 166 to 200 mph on the EF scale

    Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.

  6. F5 / EF5261 to 318 mph on the F scale, over 200 mph on the EF scale

    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.

  7. 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.

Now

Tornadoes
93
Deaths
4
Injuries
159
F4 and above
0
Worst on record
F3, December 10, 1967

The deadliest in Bay County

  1. F3, Bay County, FloridaDecember 10, 19671 killed, 50 injured
  2. F2, Bay, Calhoun, Jackson, Seminole, Decatur, Mitchell and Worth counties, Florida and GeorgiaJanuary 12, 19751 killed, 33 injured
  3. F1, Bay County, FloridaSeptember 15, 20041 killed, 7 injured
  4. F1, Bay County, FloridaSeptember 15, 20041 killed, 1 injured

The strongest

  1. F3, Bay County, FloridaDecember 10, 1967F3, 7.1 mi (11 km)
  2. EF3, Bay County, FloridaJanuary 9, 2024EF3, 5.2 mi (8 km)
  3. F2, Bay, Calhoun, Jackson, Seminole, Decatur, Mitchell and Worth counties, Florida and GeorgiaJanuary 12, 1975F2, 168.5 mi (271 km)
  4. EF2, Bay County, FloridaJanuary 9, 2024EF2, 12.9 mi (21 km)
  5. F2, Bay County, FloridaFebruary 18, 1960F2, 7.6 mi (12 km)
  6. F2, Bay County, FloridaJanuary 2, 1999F2, 3.8 mi (6 km)
  7. F2, Bay County, FloridaApril 16, 1954F2, 2.0 mi (3 km)
  8. EF2, Bay County, FloridaMarch 18, 2022EF2, 1.6 mi (3 km)
  9. F2, Bay County, FloridaFebruary 20, 1952F2, 1.5 mi (2 km)
  10. EF2, Bay County, FloridaJanuary 9, 2024EF2, 0.9 mi (1 km)

Every year with a tornado

The 45 years of the 76 in the record with a tornado in Bay County. Each year links to every tornado in Florida that year.

YearTornadoesDeathsInjuriesStrongest
2025210EF1
202452EF3
20232EF1
20222EF2
20216EF2
20202EF0
20191EF1
20182EF0
20141EF0
20121EF0
20111EF0
20081EF0
20062F0
20051F0
2004628F1
20031F1
199917F2
199821F1
199743F1
19961F0
19951F0
19941F0
19921F0
19911F0
19891F0
19883F1
198521F1
19841F0
19833F1
19823F1
19812F1
198037F1
19782F1
19761F0
19755133F2
197421F1
197316F1
19722F0
19671150F3
19621F1
19604F2
19581F2
195413F2
1953422F2
195225F2

Every tornado that crossed Bay County

93 tornadoes, newest first.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
October 27, 20256:35 AM CDTEF0Bay0.650$25,000
October 27, 20256:30 AM CDTEF1Bay1.227010$500,000
January 9, 20248:03 AM CSTEF2Bay0.9150$75,000
January 9, 20246:03 AM CSTEF1Calhoun9.8450$5,000
January 9, 20245:43 AM CSTEF2Bay12.96002$5.0 million
January 9, 20245:31 AM CSTEF0Bay0.250$1,000
January 9, 20245:31 AM CSTEF3Bay5.2550$15 million
April 27, 20233:04 PM CDTEF1Bay0.875$200,000
March 17, 20237:49 PM CDTEF0Bay5.225
March 18, 20226:16 PM CDTEF2Bay1.675$500,000
March 9, 20226:15 AM CSTEF1Bay0.425$100,000
April 10, 20219:00 AM CDTEF1Bay0.330$100,000
April 10, 20218:45 AM CDTEF0Bay0.525
April 10, 20218:42 AM CDTEF2Bay0.5100$500,000
March 18, 20216:25 AM CDTEF1Bay0.450$50,000
March 18, 20216:02 AM CDTEF0Bay3.9100$100,000
February 15, 20212:02 PM CSTEF0Bay1.350$5,000
April 23, 20204:09 PM CDTEF0Bay0.950
April 23, 20204:00 PM CDTEF0Bay13.475$50,000
January 19, 20196:22 PM CSTEF1Bay0.850$20,000
December 1, 20181:47 PM CSTEF0Bay2.450
April 15, 20186:09 AM CDTEF0Bay1.160$1,000
November 17, 20142:51 AM CSTEF0Bay0.050
March 30, 20123:52 PM CDTEF0Bay0.220
September 4, 201110:32 AM CDTEF0Bay1.125
October 8, 20088:23 AM CDTEF0Bay3.5125$500,000
October 27, 20062:31 PM CDTF0Bay0.830$5,000
October 22, 20065:26 AM CDTF0Bay0.350$75,000
December 24, 200510:45 PM CSTF0Bay2.7100$650,000
November 24, 200411:50 AM CSTF0Bay0.150$10,000
September 15, 20046:20 PM CDTF0Bay7.075$10,000
September 15, 20044:00 PM CDTF1Bay6.0200$2.0 million
September 15, 20043:43 PM CDTF1Bay5.020011$500,000
September 15, 20043:40 PM CDTF1Bay5.020017$5.0 million
June 2, 20041:30 PM CDTF0Bay0.250$10,000
February 16, 20034:00 AM CSTF1Bay0.2200$250,000
January 2, 19992:10 PM CSTF2Bay3.81007$4.0 million
September 29, 19989:15 AM CDTF1Bay3.0701$120,000
September 28, 199812:45 PM CDTF1Bay2.060$250,000
October 26, 199710:30 AM CSTF0Bay1.073$20,000
October 26, 19978:55 AM CSTF0Bay0.550
October 24, 199712:45 PM CDTF1Bay0.5732$40,000
October 24, 19977:00 AM CDTF1Bay1.01501$350,000
March 7, 19967:29 AM CSTF0Bay0.150
August 9, 19953:25 PM CDTF0Bay0.120$5,000 to $50,000
June 25, 19947:35 AM CDTF0Bay0.110$50,000 to $500,000
June 3, 19923:45 PM CDTF0Bay0.110$500 to $5,000
January 30, 199111:30 AM CSTF0Bay0.430$50 to $500
June 8, 19897:46 AM CDTF0Bay0.210
November 5, 198812:05 AM CSTF1Bay1.030$50,000 to $500,000
October 3, 19885:30 AM CDTF0Bay1.030$5,000 to $50,000
September 10, 19888:00 AM CDTF0Bay1.030$500 to $5,000
March 17, 19859:30 PM CSTF1Bay0.5101$50,000 to $500,000
January 17, 19855:15 AM CSTF0Bay1.010$5,000 to $50,000
March 25, 19841:30 AM CSTF0Bay1.050$50,000 to $500,000
December 14, 19831:40 AM CSTF1Bay1.550$50,000 to $500,000
August 3, 19835:00 PM CDTF1Bay0.340$5,000 to $50,000
January 29, 198310:15 PM CSTF1Bay0.730$500,000 to $5 million
November 3, 19823:00 PM CSTF1Bay0.420$500 to $5,000
July 29, 19824:00 AM CDTF1Bay0.210$5,000 to $50,000
July 28, 19823:00 AM CDTF0Bay0.210$500 to $5,000
May 26, 198110:15 AM CDTF0Bay1.030$5,000 to $50,000
February 1, 198111:00 PM CSTF1Bay0.310$500 to $5,000
August 21, 198010:00 PM CDTF0Bay0.120$50 to $500
June 25, 19803:30 AM CDTF1Bay0.5501$50,000 to $500,000
May 17, 198011:51 AM CDTF1Bay7.7206$5,000 to $50,000
December 9, 197811:00 AM CSTF1Bay0.220$5,000 to $50,000
November 27, 19787:30 AM CSTF0Bay0.110
January 26, 19769:30 AM CSTF0Bay0.110$500 to $5,000
November 12, 19758:30 AM CSTF0Bay0.120$5,000 to $50,000
October 16, 197511:40 PM CDTF1Bay0.140$50,000 to $500,000
September 23, 19756:10 AM CDTF0Bay0.130
September 22, 197511:08 PM CDTF1Bay0.130$5,000 to $50,000
January 12, 197510:20 AM CSTF2Bay to GA168.5100133$500,000 to $5 million
May 11, 19742:15 PM CDTF1Bay0.1201$500 to $5,000
May 11, 19742:15 PM CDTF1Bay0.120$500 to $5,000
April 26, 197311:04 AM CSTF1Bay0.5336$500,000 to $5 million
June 29, 197211:09 AM CDTF0Bay0.320
March 28, 19728:05 AM CSTF0Bay0.520under $50
December 10, 19678:20 AM GMT-6F3Bay7.1250150$500,000 to $5 million
March 31, 19622:00 PM GMT-6F1Bay0.110$5,000 to $50,000
September 15, 19605:40 AM GMT-5F2Bay0.5200$50,000 to $500,000
September 15, 19605:00 AM GMT-5F1Bay0.110$500 to $5,000
April 3, 19604:30 AM GMT-6F2Bay0.110$50,000 to $500,000
February 18, 19603:42 AM GMT-6F2Bay7.6400$50,000 to $500,000
April 9, 19585:00 PM GMT-6F2Bay0.110$50 to $500
April 16, 19549:00 AM GMT-6F2Bay2.0103$5,000 to $50,000
December 21, 19533:30 AM GMT-6F2Bay0.110$50 to $500
November 22, 19538:20 AM GMT-6F2Bay0.11022$5,000 to $50,000
April 12, 19537:00 AM GMT-6F2Bay0.110$500 to $5,000
April 6, 195311:00 AM GMT-6F2Bay0.110$50 to $500
April 4, 19529:20 AM GMT-6F1Bay0.1201$500 to $5,000
February 20, 19529:10 AM GMT-6F2Bay1.5734$5,000 to $50,000

Nearby

Warnings in force in Bay CountyThe forecast for Bay CountyThe live radar over Bay CountyEvery county in 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.