92
Recorded events
4
Direct deaths
129
Direct injuries
$47.2M
Property damage
Tornado in Bay County, Florida: 92 recorded events between 1952 and 2025. The strongest on record measured F3. That places the county #72 nationally and #14 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Tornado in Bay County, Florida: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for tornado in Bay County is the 2020s, when 19 of the county's 92 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the Bay County archive, tornado makes up 13.8% of all recorded severe weather across 12 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #72 for this hazard and #14 within Florida, putting it in the 97.5 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Apr is the peak month for tornado in Bay County with 14 recorded events, while Jul is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
| Date | Scale | Path length | Max width | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967-12-10 | EF3 | 7.1 mi | 250 yd | Touched down here |
| 2024-01-09 | EF3 | 5.2 mi | 550 yd | Crossed in |
| 1975-01-12 | EF2 | 168.5 mi | 100 yd | Touched down here |
| 2024-01-09 | EF2 | 0.9 mi | 150 yd | Touched down here |
| 2024-01-09 | EF2 | 12.9 mi | 600 yd | Touched down here |
| 2022-03-18 | EF2 | 1.6 mi | 75 yd | Touched down here |
| 2021-04-10 | EF2 | 0.5 mi | 100 yd | Crossed in |
| 1999-01-02 | EF2 | 3.8 mi | 100 yd | Touched down here |
| 1960-09-15 | EF2 | 0.5 mi | 200 yd | Touched down here |
| 1960-02-18 | EF2 | 7.6 mi | 400 yd | Crossed in |
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 10, 1967 | F3 | 1 | 50 | $2.5M | |
| Sep 15, 2004 | PANAMA CITY | F1 | 1 | 7 | $5.0M |
| Jan 12, 1975 | F2 | 1 | 3 | $250K | |
| Sep 15, 2004 | ALLANTON | F1 | 1 | 1 | $500K |
| Nov 22, 1953 | F2 | 0 | 22 | $25K | |
| Oct 27, 2025 | MEXICO BEACH | EF1 | 0 | 10 | $500K |
| Jan 2, 1999 | PANAMA CITY BEACH | F2 | 0 | 7 | $4.0M |
| May 17, 1980 | F1 | 0 | 6 | $25K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 27, 2025 | DAVIS BEACH | EF0 | $25K |
| Oct 27, 2025 | MEXICO BEACH | EF1 | $500K |
| Jan 9, 2024 | PARKER | EF2 | $75K |
| Jan 9, 2024 | BETTS | EF0 | $0 |
| Jan 9, 2024 | LYNN HAVEN | EF2 | $5.0M |
| Jan 9, 2024 | BILTMORE BEACH | EF3 | $15.4M |
| Jan 9, 2024 | BILTMORE BEACH | EF0 | $1K |
| Apr 27, 2023 | LYNN HAVEN | EF1 | $200K |
| Mar 18, 2023 | WESTBAY | EF0 | $0 |
| Mar 18, 2022 | MAGNOLIA BEACH | EF2 | $500K |
Other hazards here
More from Bay County
- Thunderstorm Wind 267
- Flash Flood 149
- Hail 67
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
A strong F1 tornado touched down near the St Andrews recreation area. It damaged dozens of restaurants, stores and shops as it moved north along Thomas Drive. Seven persons were injured at a seafood restaurant near Grand Lagoon. An elderly man was killed when the tornado destroyed a real estate office. The tornado moved across St Andrews Bay near the Hathaway Bridge and then 100 yards south of the WJHG-TV station before dissipating. Reported by the Bay County EMA and WJHG-TV meteorologist.
A wood-frame house was lifted 60 feet off its foundation and thrown into a field. Of the seven family members inside, one was killed and another injured. Several other homes were damaged. Reported by a HAM radio operator.
A tornado moved onshore Panama City Beach in the Lower Grand Lagoon area along Spyglass Drive. Significant damage occurred to several homes, including the complete destruction of one beachfront home. The damage at this location was determined to|support an EF-3 rating with max winds estimated at 140 mph. Significant damage to homes and businesses continued as the tornado moved northeast across and along Thomas Drive where two apartment building were heavily damaged. EF-3 damage was again noted at a large boat storage facility which suffered significant structural failure. The tornado continued northeastward across Grand Lagoon and through the Bay Point Golf Club, causing additional damage to homes, before crossing Saint Andrew Bay. The damage in Panama City, after crossing the bay was more sporadic and less intense, supportive of EF-1 intensity. The tornado appears to have dissipated shortly after crossing West 23rd Street. Thanks to Bay County Emergency Management for assistance with the damage survey.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many tornado events are on record in Bay County, Florida?
92 tornado events are recorded in Bay County between 1952 and 2025, causing 4 direct deaths.
What is the strongest tornado recorded in Bay County?
The strongest tornado on record in Bay County measured F3.
Where does the tornado data for Bay County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Tornado in Bay County, Florida.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/florida/bay-county/tornado/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.