165
Recorded events
9
Direct deaths
537
Direct injuries
$79.8M
Property damage
Tornado in Polk County, Florida: 165 recorded events between 1951 and 2024. The strongest on record measured F4. That places the county #6 nationally and #2 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Tornado in Polk County, Florida: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for tornado in Polk County is the 1990s, when 49 of the county's 165 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 Polk County archive, tornado makes up 18.7% of all recorded severe weather across 11 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #6 for this hazard and #2 within Florida, putting it in the 99.8 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jun is the peak month for tornado in Polk County with 39 recorded events, while Nov 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966-04-04 | EF4 | 135.8 mi | 300 yd | Crossed in |
| 1979-05-08 | EF2 | 4.0 mi | 200 yd | Touched down here |
| 2019-10-18 | EF2 | 11.5 mi | 525 yd | Touched down here |
| 2017-09-10 | EF2 | 0.6 mi | 50 yd | Touched down here |
| 2012-06-24 | EF2 | 6.2 mi | 150 yd | Touched down here |
| 1998-03-09 | EF2 | 10.4 mi | 250 yd | Touched down here |
| 1997-12-27 | EF2 | 5.8 mi | 150 yd | Touched down here |
| 1986-02-08 | EF2 | 2.0 mi | 10 yd | Touched down here |
| 1973-03-17 | EF2 | 0.3 mi | 20 yd | Touched down here |
| 1971-11-29 | EF2 | 0.5 mi | 50 yd | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 4, 1966 | F4 | 8 | 450 | $25.0M | |
| May 8, 1979 | F2 | 1 | 40 | $25.0M | |
| Dec 27, 1997 | HAINES CITY | F2 | 0 | 18 | $6.0M |
| Apr 15, 1958 | F4 | 0 | 7 | $25K | |
| Mar 9, 1998 | LAKE WALES | F2 | 0 | 4 | $2.0M |
| Feb 11, 1986 | F1 | 0 | 4 | $25K | |
| Jun 18, 1972 | F1 | 0 | 3 | $25K | |
| Mar 18, 1991 | F1 | 0 | 2 | $2.5M |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 4, 2024 | SOUTH MULBERRY | EF0 | $0 |
| Aug 4, 2024 | BOWLING GREEN | EF0 | $0 |
| Jul 23, 2024 | WEST LAKE WALES | EF0 | $5K |
| Apr 11, 2021 | JAN PHYL VLG | EF0 | $15K |
| Dec 16, 2020 | GALLOWAY | EF1 | $250K |
| Oct 19, 2019 | (LAL)LAKELAND MUNI A | EF2 | $10.0M |
| Dec 20, 2018 | CROOKED LAKE PARK | EF0 | $45K |
| Dec 20, 2018 | FORT MEADE | EF0 | $5K |
| Sep 10, 2017 | LAKELAND MCCOLLUM AR | EF2 | $20K |
| Jun 1, 2016 | HIGHLAND PARK | EF0 | $5K |
Other hazards here
More from Polk County
- Thunderstorm Wind 351
- Hail 256
- Lightning 42
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
A long, continuous path of damage was found in western Polk County from a tornado, causing extensive EF-2 damage. An NWS survey and subsequent Civil Air Patrol aerial survey found numerous homes and businesses with damage to roofs, fascia, awnings, and screen enclosures, as well as fences and trees knocked down. One home was completely destroyed. Kathleen Middle School sustained significant roof damage, with rain water and sprinkler systems causing additional water damage. A camper was lifted into a residence near the middle school. The tornado crossed Interstate 4, overturning a tractor trailer. No injuries were reported.
A short-lived tornado touched down one mile west of Bartow Municipal Airport and damaged a vehicle. The tornado skipped east across rural countryside before it severely damaged a few hangars, overturned ten small private planes and downed several storage sheds and power lines. The hangers sustained approximately $500 thousand worth of damage while the planes incurred another $500 thousand.
Seven people were injured during the Sun N Fun Festival activities. There were 50 planes that were damaged or destroyed, with several planes overturned. Five campsites were destroyed with several other camp site tents collapsed or blown down. Light towers and other ground equipment also received damage.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many tornado events are on record in Polk County, Florida?
165 tornado events are recorded in Polk County between 1951 and 2024, causing 9 direct deaths.
What is the strongest tornado recorded in Polk County?
The strongest tornado on record in Polk County measured F4.
Where does the tornado data for Polk 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 Polk County, Florida.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/florida/polk-county/tornado/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.