Tornadoes · United States · Florida

Tornadoes in Lee County, Florida

135 tornadoes have crossed Lee County since 1950, 3 of them surveyed so far this year and still preliminary, 7th of the 67 counties in Florida with a tornado on record, an average of 1.8 a year. They have killed 1 person and injured 35. 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
135
Deaths
1
Injuries
35
F4 and above
0
Worst on record
F2, October 31, 1960

The deadliest in Lee County

  1. F2, Lee County, FloridaOctober 31, 19601 killed

The strongest

  1. EF2, Lee County, FloridaOctober 9, 2024EF2, 16.3 mi (26 km)
  2. EF2, Lee County, FloridaJanuary 16, 2022EF2, 7.0 mi (11 km)
  3. EF2, Lee County, FloridaJanuary 9, 2016EF2, 3.4 mi (5 km)
  4. F2, Lee County, FloridaJune 18, 1972F2, 2.0 mi (3 km)
  5. F2, Lee County, FloridaNovember 4, 1988F2, 1.5 mi (2 km)
  6. F2, Lee County, FloridaAugust 9, 1986F2, 1.5 mi (2 km)
  7. F2, Lee County, FloridaJuly 23, 1989F2, 1.0 mi (2 km)
  8. F2, Lee County, FloridaJune 18, 1972F2, 0.5 mi (1 km)
  9. F2, Lee County, FloridaFebruary 23, 1965F2, 0.5 mi (1 km)
  10. F2, Lee County, FloridaJune 18, 1972F2, 0.3 mi (0 km)

Every year with a tornado

The 53 years of the 76 in the record with a tornado in Lee County. Each year links to every tornado in Florida that year.

YearTornadoesDeathsInjuriesStrongest
20263EF0
20244EF2
20231EF0
20224EF2
202111EF1
20192EF1
201721EF0
201633EF2
20141EF0
20131EF0
20111EF0
20091EF0
200821EF1
200731EF1
20047F1
20031F0
20021F0
20012F0
200081F1
19991F0
19981F0
19975F0
199632F0
19951F0
19943F0
199381F1
19924F0
199147F1
199010F0
19895F2
19881F2
19872F1
1986313F2
19831F1
19823F1
19802F1
197921F1
19782F1
19772F0
19753F0
19744F0
19731F1
19723F2
19711F2
19682F1
19661F0
196522F2
196411F2
19621F2
196011F2
19592F1
19581F1
19531F0

Every tornado that crossed Lee County

135 tornadoes, newest first. The 3 at the top are this year's, from the surveying office rather than SPC's published database, and their ratings are marked as preliminary.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
May 17, 20263:17 PM EDTEF0Lee0.125
May 17, 20263:25 PM EDTEF0Lee2.1150
May 17, 20263:35 PM EDTEF0Lee0.550
October 9, 202412:09 PM EDTEF2Lee16.3500$500,000
October 9, 202412:01 PM EDTEF1Lee0.9100$50,000
October 9, 202411:45 AM EDTEF0Lee0.233$50,000
June 30, 20242:16 PM EDTUnratedLee0.015
June 18, 202311:10 AM EDTEF0Lee0.010$5,000
April 29, 20225:00 PM EDTEF0Lee0.125$25,000
March 12, 202212:09 PM ESTEF0Lee0.050$1,000
January 16, 20229:04 AM ESTEF0Lee0.550
January 16, 20227:32 AM ESTEF2Lee7.0125$10 million
December 21, 20216:25 AM ESTEF1Lee1.3501$750,000
October 19, 20196:45 AM EDTEF1Lee1.1100$600,000
May 20, 20196:48 PM EDTEF0Lee0.130$25,000
April 6, 201710:30 AM EDTEF0Lee7.4201$110,000
April 6, 201710:18 AM EDTEF0Lee1.610$5,000
August 13, 20167:26 PM EDTEF0Lee0.115$20,000
January 15, 201611:10 AM ESTEF1Lee0.245$200,000
January 9, 20166:45 PM ESTEF2Lee3.41823$2.0 million
June 27, 20143:36 PM EDTEF0Lee1.220$1,000
June 6, 20132:05 PM EDTEF0Lee0.330
January 25, 20117:40 PM ESTEF0Lee0.350$100,000
August 16, 20094:42 PM EDTEF0Lee0.420$103,000
June 13, 20084:45 PM EDTEF0Lee0.370$110,000
June 8, 20084:55 PM EDTEF1Lee5.3301$100,000
September 16, 20076:33 PM EDTEF1Lee4.4501$4.0 million
September 16, 20076:25 PM EDTEF0Lee0.130$110,000
July 21, 200711:45 AM EDTEF0Lee0.230
September 19, 20045:29 PM EDTF0Lee0.230
September 19, 20044:28 PM EDTF0Lee0.350
August 13, 20043:55 PM EDTF1Lee1.8100
August 13, 20043:40 PM EDTF0Lee0.250
August 12, 20047:45 PM EDTF0Lee0.120
June 8, 20044:46 PM EDTF0Lee0.530
June 8, 20044:05 PM EDTF0Lee2.050$40,000
March 27, 20032:30 PM ESTF0Lee5.040
July 29, 20025:38 PM EDTF0Lee0.540
September 14, 20014:21 AM EDTF0Lee19.25$30,000
September 14, 20014:01 AM EDTF0Lee8.05$10,000
September 17, 20005:33 AM EDTF1Lee14.060$1.0 million
September 17, 20004:43 AM EDTF1Lee18.020$2.0 million
August 21, 20007:40 PM EDTF0Lee0.610$70,000
August 15, 200011:30 AM EDTF0Lee0.10
June 13, 20007:45 PM EDTF0Lee2.50
June 9, 20006:33 PM EDTF0Lee0.1101
March 27, 200010:30 AM ESTF0Lee0.310$10,000
January 24, 20003:29 AM ESTF1Lee2.570$500,000
July 22, 19994:30 PM EDTF0Lee0.10
February 15, 19987:35 PM ESTF0Lee0.130$20,000
August 11, 19978:00 PM EDTF0Lee0.110
August 10, 19974:35 PM EDTF0Lee0.510
June 26, 19973:50 PM EDTF0Lee0.110$1,000
June 22, 19972:37 PM EDTF0Lee2.710$210,000
June 11, 19972:20 PM EDTF0Lee0.210$20,000
September 8, 19966:24 PM EDTF0Lee0.310$70,000
July 15, 19964:19 PM EDTF0Lee3.0102$250,000
July 10, 19965:22 PM EDTF0Lee0.410
September 15, 19955:00 PM EDTF0Lee6.010$5,000 to $50,000
September 2, 19945:00 PM EDTF0Lee0.110$50 to $500
August 26, 19945:20 PM EDTF0Lee2.023
April 20, 19944:30 PM EDTF0Lee0.110$500 to $5,000
October 30, 199310:22 PM EDTF0Lee0.540
October 30, 199311:05 AM EDTF0Lee0.110$50,000 to $500,000
October 30, 199310:30 AM EDTF1Lee1.2701$500,000 to $5 million
October 16, 19933:16 PM EDTF0Lee5.060$5,000 to $50,000
August 9, 19932:33 PM EDTF0Lee0.110$500 to $5,000
August 9, 19932:25 PM EDTF0Lee0.110$500 to $5,000
June 12, 19935:30 PM EDTF0Lee0.480$50,000 to $500,000
January 16, 19937:10 AM ESTF0Lee0.440
July 14, 19924:14 PM EDTF0Lee0.110
July 10, 19921:00 PM EDTF0Lee0.110
March 30, 19929:10 PM ESTF0Lee0.210$50 to $500
March 19, 19924:45 PM ESTF0Lee0.210$5,000 to $50,000
September 20, 19917:30 PM EDTF0Lee0.110$500 to $5,000
September 7, 19916:30 PM EDTF1Lee2.0807$50,000 to $500,000
May 17, 19915:15 PM EDTF0Lee0.430
March 4, 19913:30 AM ESTF0Lee0.550$5,000 to $50,000
October 9, 19907:25 PM EDTF0Lee0.620$50,000 to $500,000
September 13, 19903:45 PM EDTF0Lee0.210
September 13, 19903:15 PM EDTF0Lee0.210
September 2, 19903:15 PM EDTF0Lee2.020under $50
June 28, 19905:15 PM EDTF0Lee0.210$5,000 to $50,000
June 2, 19905:11 PM EDTF0Lee0.210
June 2, 19904:40 PM EDTF0Lee0.210
May 10, 199012:00 PM EDTF0Lee0.210under $50
May 10, 199010:35 AM EDTF0Lee0.210
May 10, 199010:32 AM EDTF0Lee0.210$5,000 to $50,000
September 12, 19897:00 PM EDTF0Lee0.210$500 to $5,000
September 9, 19896:05 PM EDTF0Lee0.210
September 9, 19895:55 PM EDTF0Lee0.250$50,000 to $500,000
August 12, 19892:00 PM EDTF0Lee0.210$5,000 to $50,000
July 23, 19895:05 PM EDTF2Lee1.0300$500,000 to $5 million
November 4, 19881:15 AM ESTF2Lee1.5400$500,000 to $5 million
May 13, 19875:30 PM EDTF1Lee1.030$50,000 to $500,000
January 4, 198710:10 AM ESTF0Lee2.530$50,000 to $500,000
September 2, 19866:15 PM EDTF0Lee0.530$50,000 to $500,000
August 25, 19865:55 PM EDTF1Lee6.0501$500,000 to $5 million
August 9, 19864:30 PM EDTF2Lee1.520012$500,000 to $5 million
September 10, 19835:30 PM EDTF1Lee3.030$50,000 to $500,000
October 6, 19825:50 PM EDTF1Lee0.417$500,000 to $5 million
September 26, 19822:30 AM EDTF0Lee0.517$5,000 to $50,000
January 14, 19829:00 AM ESTF1Lee1.0100$50,000 to $500,000
May 26, 19805:30 AM EDTF1Lee1.050$50,000 to $500,000
May 9, 19804:15 PM EDTF1Lee3.030$5,000 to $50,000
August 24, 19793:30 PM EDTF0Lee0.1301$5,000 to $50,000
January 24, 19794:53 AM ESTF1Lee2.020$50,000 to $500,000
August 5, 19786:30 PM EDTF0Lee7.010
March 3, 197812:35 PM ESTF1Lee0.120$50,000 to $500,000
December 6, 197712:00 PM ESTF0Lee0.110$5,000 to $50,000
July 1, 19774:30 PM EDTF0Lee0.113$5,000 to $50,000
September 21, 19754:56 PM EDTF0Lee0.120
June 30, 19757:30 PM EDTF0Lee0.520
April 27, 19754:30 PM EDTF0Lee0.123
August 6, 19744:45 PM EDTF0Lee0.110$5,000 to $50,000
August 2, 19744:30 PM EDTF0Lee0.110$5,000 to $50,000
July 19, 19745:50 PM EDTF0Lee0.110$50 to $500
June 14, 19746:40 PM EDTF0Lee1.010$500 to $5,000
October 7, 19735:25 PM EDTF1Lee2.333$50,000 to $500,000
June 18, 19724:00 PM EDTF2Lee0.520$50,000 to $500,000
June 18, 19723:00 PM EDTF2Lee2.050$5,000 to $50,000
June 18, 19722:38 PM EDTF2Lee0.330$5,000 to $50,000
March 3, 19715:40 PM ESTF2Lee0.320$5,000 to $50,000
July 19, 19687:10 PM GMT-4F0Lee0.110
May 13, 19685:15 PM GMT-4F1Lee0.110$50 to $500
August 21, 19668:15 PM GMT-4F0Lee0.110
February 23, 196512:45 PM GMT-5F2Lee0.567$5,000 to $50,000
February 23, 196512:45 PM GMT-5F1Lee0.1102$5,000 to $50,000
June 23, 19644:10 PM GMT-4F2Lee0.1101$500 to $5,000
June 10, 19623:45 PM GMT-4F2Lee0.110$5,000 to $50,000
October 31, 196010:30 AM GMT-5F2Lee0.1101$500 to $5,000
October 17, 19596:10 PM GMT-4F0Lee0.110under $50
June 27, 19595:47 PM GMT-4F1Lee0.910$500 to $5,000
April 22, 19581:45 PM GMT-5F1Lee3.3133$500 to $5,000
October 9, 19539:00 AM GMT-5F0Lee0.127$500 to $5,000

Nearby

Warnings in force in Lee CountyThe forecast for Lee CountyThe live radar over Lee 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.