Tornadoes · United States · Florida

Tornadoes in Polk County, Florida

171 tornadoes have crossed Polk County since 1950, 2nd of the 67 counties in Florida with a tornado on record, an average of 2.3 a year. They have killed 12 people and injured 620. 2 were rated F4 or EF4 and 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
171
Deaths
12
Injuries
620
F4 and above
2
Worst on record
F4, April 4, 1966

The deadliest in Polk County

  1. F4, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Polk and Osceola counties, FloridaApril 4, 196611 killed, 530 injured
  2. F2, Polk County, FloridaMay 8, 19791 killed, 40 injured

The strongest

  1. F4, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Polk and Osceola counties, FloridaApril 4, 1966F4, 135.8 mi (219 km)
  2. F4, Polk County, FloridaApril 15, 1958F4, 0.1 mi (0 km)
  3. F2, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Polk and Osceola counties, FloridaApril 4, 1966F2, 123.3 mi (198 km)
  4. EF2, Polk County, FloridaOctober 18, 2019EF2, 11.4 mi (18 km)
  5. F2, Polk County, FloridaMarch 9, 1998F2, 10.4 mi (17 km)
  6. EF2, Polk County, FloridaJune 24, 2012EF2, 6.2 mi (10 km)
  7. F2, Polk County, FloridaDecember 27, 1997F2, 5.8 mi (9 km)
  8. F2, Polk County, FloridaMay 8, 1979F2, 4.0 mi (6 km)
  9. F2, Polk County, FloridaFebruary 8, 1986F2, 2.0 mi (3 km)
  10. EF2, Polk County, FloridaSeptember 10, 2017EF2, 0.6 mi (1 km)

Every year with a tornado

The 57 years of the 76 in the record with a tornado in Polk County. Each year links to every tornado in Florida that year.

YearTornadoesDeathsInjuriesStrongest
20244EF0
20211EF0
20201EF1
20191EF2
201821EF0
20171EF2
20161EF0
20122EF2
20113EF1
20102EF1
20092EF0
20081EF0
20072EF0
20063F0
20054F1
20045F0
20031F0
20023F0
20002F0
19993F1
199874F2
1997918F2
19964F0
19952F1
199481F1
19932F0
19923F1
199192F1
19905F0
19894F0
19882F1
198731F0
198674F2
19841F0
198322F1
19829F1
19813F1
19792140F2
19771F0
19762F1
19753F1
197442F1
19733F2
197223F1
19715F2
19692F2
196843F1
19671F1
1966211530F4
19642F2
196322F2
19602F1
195837F4
19572F0
19561F0
19541F0
19513F2

Every tornado that crossed Polk County

171 tornadoes, newest first.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
September 26, 202410:20 AM EDTEF0Polk1.125
August 4, 20242:58 PM EDTEF0Polk1.525
August 4, 20241:25 PM EDTEF0Hardee1.225
July 23, 20245:30 PM EDTEF0Polk0.125$5,000
April 11, 202112:18 PM EDTEF0Polk1.450$15,000
December 16, 20204:53 PM ESTEF1Hillsborough12.9250$280,000
October 18, 201910:59 PM EDTEF2Polk11.4525$10 million
December 20, 20189:14 AM ESTEF0Polk0.1301$45,000
December 20, 20188:45 AM ESTEF0Polk0.875$5,000
September 10, 201711:19 AM EDTEF2Polk0.650$20,000
June 1, 20166:45 PM EDTEF0Polk0.730$5,000
June 24, 20128:04 PM EDTEF2Polk6.2150$390,000
June 24, 20126:55 PM EDTEF0Polk0.925$4,000
March 31, 201112:06 PM EDTEF0Polk9.460$5,000
March 31, 201112:04 PM EDTEF1Polk0.830$500,000
March 31, 20119:12 AM EDTEF0Polk5.550
March 11, 20104:53 PM ESTEF1Polk1.470$200,000
March 11, 20104:50 PM ESTEF0Polk0.420$2,000
August 12, 20095:20 PM EDTEF0Polk0.130$35,000
May 12, 20095:00 PM EDTEF0Polk0.015$15,000
August 22, 20086:25 PM EDTEF0Polk0.730$30,000
April 15, 200712:00 PM EDTEF0Polk2.0300$250,000
February 2, 20078:00 AM ESTEF0Polk0.550$2,000
September 15, 20067:24 PM EDTF0Polk0.750
June 24, 20063:13 PM EDTF0Polk0.340
June 12, 20068:09 AM EDTF0Polk0.540
October 23, 20057:37 PM EDTF0Polk1.050$10,000
August 12, 20055:56 PM EDTF0Polk0.540
June 30, 20053:30 PM EDTF0Polk0.540
April 23, 20057:30 PM EDTF1Polk7.0150$250,000
September 6, 200410:32 AM EDTF0Polk0.330
September 4, 200410:08 PM EDTF0Polk3.650
August 13, 20041:55 PM EDTF0Polk1.030
August 13, 20041:00 PM EDTF0Polk1.030
February 24, 20041:45 PM ESTF0Polk0.330$10,000
May 24, 20036:50 PM EDTF0Polk0.230
August 14, 20024:50 PM EDTF0Polk0.540
July 25, 20025:45 PM EDTF0Polk1.040$20,000
May 17, 20027:45 PM EDTF0Polk0.533$20,000
July 30, 20002:45 PM EDTF0Polk0.20$30,000
June 27, 20005:35 PM EDTF0Polk0.10$20,000
June 27, 19993:15 PM EDTF0Polk0.30$1,000
May 21, 19995:42 PM EDTF1Polk1.550$1.0 million
May 19, 19994:47 PM EDTF0Polk1.550$70,000
September 25, 199811:30 AM EDTF0Polk0.530$40,000
September 25, 199811:00 AM EDTF0Polk0.530$10,000
March 9, 19981:28 AM ESTF2Polk10.42504$2.0 million
March 1, 19981:00 AM ESTF0Polk0.130
February 17, 19985:40 AM ESTF1Polk1.630$180,000
February 17, 19985:25 AM ESTF1Polk0.230$10,000
February 16, 19982:32 PM ESTF0Polk1.530$150,000
December 27, 19974:08 AM ESTF2Polk5.815018$6.0 million
December 27, 19973:56 AM ESTF0Polk1.030$200,000
November 13, 19971:55 PM ESTF0Polk0.210$70,000
October 31, 19972:30 PM ESTF1Polk0.530$50,000
October 31, 19972:15 PM ESTF1Polk4.023$400,000
June 11, 19976:40 PM EDTF0Polk0.110$20,000
June 5, 19978:11 PM EDTF0Polk0.110$3,000
May 28, 19973:06 PM EDTF0Polk0.110$10,000
May 22, 19976:37 PM EDTF0Polk0.810$30,000
October 7, 19963:04 PM EDTF0Hillsborough6.010$2,000
October 7, 199611:30 AM EDTF0DeSoto52.010$3,000
April 30, 19968:48 AM EDTF0Polk11.015$10,000
March 30, 19963:35 PM ESTF0Polk2.510
November 8, 19953:05 AM ESTF0Polk1.273$500,000 to $5 million
June 4, 19959:40 PM EDTF1Polk16.050$500,000 to $5 million
September 19, 19945:00 PM EDTF0Polk0.110$500 to $5,000
May 18, 19945:08 PM EDTF0Polk0.110$50 to $500
May 18, 19945:00 PM EDTF0Polk0.110$500 to $5,000
May 18, 19944:30 PM EDTF0Polk0.110$50 to $500
May 16, 19942:50 PM EDTF0Polk0.110
April 7, 199411:15 AM EDTF0Polk0.110
January 3, 19941:45 PM ESTF1Polk0.5131$50,000 to $500,000
January 3, 19941:45 PM ESTF0Polk1.013$500 to $5,000
March 13, 19931:00 AM ESTF0Polk0.110$50 to $500
January 4, 19934:25 PM ESTF0Polk0.110$500 to $5,000
December 10, 19927:55 AM ESTF0Polk0.110
June 28, 19927:23 PM EDTF0Polk0.110
June 21, 19921:10 PM EDTF1Polk0.540$5,000 to $50,000
July 17, 19917:25 PM EDTF0Polk0.110
June 24, 19915:35 PM EDTF0Polk0.110
June 1, 19912:14 PM EDTF0Polk0.110
April 25, 19915:30 PM EDTF0Polk0.550$500 to $5,000
April 25, 19914:40 PM EDTF0Polk0.540$50 to $500
April 25, 19914:20 PM EDTF0Polk0.540$500 to $5,000
March 18, 19919:45 AM ESTF0Polk0.530$50 to $500
March 18, 19919:14 AM ESTF1Polk2.01002$500,000 to $5 million
January 19, 199110:50 PM ESTF0Polk0.840$500 to $5,000
August 13, 19905:02 PM EDTF0Polk0.210
July 11, 19905:39 PM EDTF0Polk0.110$500 to $5,000
July 7, 19906:15 PM EDTF0Polk0.210
June 22, 19901:45 PM EDTF0Polk0.210
June 10, 19906:37 PM EDTF0Polk0.210
June 20, 19894:25 PM EDTF0Polk0.210$5,000 to $50,000
June 10, 19895:00 PM EDTF0Polk0.210$50 to $500
June 10, 19894:50 PM EDTF0Polk0.210$5,000 to $50,000
April 13, 19894:25 PM EDTF0Polk0.210$500 to $5,000
November 5, 198810:35 AM ESTF1Polk1.030$5,000 to $50,000
June 22, 19886:00 PM EDTF1Polk1.030$5,000 to $50,000
August 19, 19873:00 PM EDTF0Polk0.530$50 to $500
June 29, 19876:40 PM EDTF0Polk2.0301$500 to $5,000
June 22, 19878:10 PM EDTF0Polk0.230
July 5, 19862:15 PM EDTF0Polk1.030$500 to $5,000
June 19, 19863:10 PM EDTF0Polk0.530$5,000 to $50,000
June 3, 19863:34 PM EDTF0Polk0.520
May 9, 19866:00 PM EDTF0Polk0.530$50 to $500
May 9, 19863:45 PM EDTF0Polk0.530$50 to $500
February 11, 198610:45 AM ESTF1Polk0.5104$5,000 to $50,000
February 8, 198612:45 PM ESTF2Polk2.010$50,000 to $500,000
July 1, 19844:50 PM EDTF0Polk0.530$5,000 to $50,000
September 6, 19839:00 PM EDTF0Polk1.0100$5,000 to $50,000
March 24, 19835:15 AM ESTF1Polk0.8802$50,000 to $500,000
July 31, 19829:30 PM EDTF1Polk0.310$5,000 to $50,000
July 26, 19826:00 PM EDTF1Polk0.110$5,000 to $50,000
July 20, 19823:50 PM EDTF0Polk0.210$500 to $5,000
July 19, 19825:00 PM EDTF1Polk1.010$500 to $5,000
June 18, 19824:09 AM EDTF1Polk0.510$50,000 to $500,000
June 18, 19824:00 AM EDTF0Polk0.410$5,000 to $50,000
June 17, 19828:00 PM EDTF1Polk0.310$50,000 to $500,000
June 15, 19825:00 PM EDTF0Polk1.010$500 to $5,000
April 15, 19826:45 PM ESTF0Polk0.520$500 to $5,000
September 16, 19812:45 PM EDTF0Polk1.020$5,000 to $50,000
June 13, 19818:30 PM EDTF1Polk0.530$5,000 to $50,000
May 17, 19817:45 PM EDTF1Polk1.030$5,000 to $50,000
September 24, 19796:00 PM EDTF0Polk0.120$500 to $5,000
May 8, 19791:15 PM EDTF2Polk4.0200140$5 million to $50 million
June 5, 19775:30 PM EDTF0Polk0.113$500 to $5,000
June 8, 19769:00 PM EDTF1Polk0.130$50,000 to $500,000
May 16, 19764:00 PM EDTF0Polk0.310$5,000 to $50,000
May 16, 19753:30 PM EDTF1Polk7.350$5,000 to $50,000
May 9, 19752:55 PM EDTF1Polk2.550$5,000 to $50,000
April 14, 19755:26 PM EDTF0Polk0.123
June 18, 19746:30 PM EDTF1Polk0.210$50,000 to $500,000
May 15, 19743:40 PM EDTF0Polk0.110$5,000 to $50,000
May 6, 19749:50 AM EDTF1Polk2.020$500 to $5,000
April 16, 19746:00 PM EDTF0Polk0.5102$5,000 to $50,000
March 17, 19734:00 AM ESTF1Polk0.550$5,000 to $50,000
March 17, 19734:00 AM ESTF2Polk0.320$5,000 to $50,000
January 22, 19739:45 AM ESTF1Polk1.520$5,000 to $50,000
July 13, 19723:10 PM EDTF1Polk0.250$500 to $5,000
June 18, 19723:10 PM EDTF1Polk0.3503$5,000 to $50,000
November 29, 197112:55 PM ESTF2Polk0.550$5,000 to $50,000
July 26, 19718:40 PM EDTF1Polk1.0500$50 to $500
July 23, 19711:15 PM EDTF0Polk0.310
July 22, 19712:30 PM EDTF0Polk1.020
March 3, 19714:00 PM ESTF1Polk0.550$500 to $5,000
July 14, 19696:00 PM GMT-4F1Polk0.110$5,000 to $50,000
June 6, 19692:15 PM GMT-4F2Polk0.110
November 11, 196811:15 AM GMT-5F1Pinellas57.210$50,000 to $500,000
November 9, 19681:35 PM GMT-5F1Hillsborough69.3103$50,000 to $500,000
June 5, 19689:10 AM GMT-4F1Polk0.110$50 to $500
January 24, 19681:30 AM GMT-5F0Polk0.110$500 to $5,000
December 11, 19679:00 AM GMT-5F1Polk0.110$50 to $500
April 4, 19668:15 AM GMT-5F2Pinellas123.3150$50,000 to $500,000
April 4, 19668:00 AM GMT-5F4Pinellas135.830011530$5 million to $50 million
June 6, 19644:00 PM GMT-4F2Polk0.110$5,000 to $50,000
January 12, 19643:30 AM GMT-5F1Polk4.720$500 to $5,000
May 29, 19635:45 PM GMT-4F2Polk0.1302$50,000 to $500,000
February 19, 19638:25 AM GMT-5F2Polk0.210$50,000 to $500,000
March 15, 19601:40 PM GMT-5F1Polk1.0100$50,000 to $500,000
February 13, 19604:00 PM GMT-5F1Polk0.127$500 to $5,000
July 21, 19587:00 PM GMT-4F0Polk0.110$500 to $5,000
April 15, 195812:00 PM GMT-5F4Polk0.13007$5,000 to $50,000
January 21, 195812:30 PM GMT-5F1Polk0.217under $50
May 16, 19575:45 PM GMT-4F0Polk0.1150$500 to $5,000
March 4, 195712:20 PM GMT-5F0Polk0.520under $50
July 2, 19567:00 PM GMT-4F0Polk0.110
April 30, 19544:00 PM GMT-4F0Polk0.110$500 to $5,000
December 18, 19517:30 PM GMT-5F2Polk0.110$50 to $500
December 18, 19516:45 PM GMT-5F2Polk0.1150$5,000 to $50,000
December 4, 195112:25 PM GMT-5F1Polk0.127$500 to $5,000

Nearby

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