42
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
4
Direct injuries
$16.8M
Property damage
Tornado in Martin County, Florida: 42 recorded events between 1956 and 2024. The strongest on record measured F3. That places the county #567 nationally and #35 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Tornado in Martin County, Florida: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for tornado in Martin County is the 1970s, when 10 of the county's 42 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 Martin County archive, tornado makes up 19.0% of all recorded severe weather across 10 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #567 for this hazard and #35 within Florida, putting it in the 80.4 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Oct is the peak month for tornado in Martin County with 12 recorded events, while Sep 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958-10-19 | EF3 | 20.2 mi | 440 yd | Crossed in |
| 2024-10-09 | EF3 | 32.9 mi | 457 yd | Crossed in |
| 1979-01-24 | EF3 | 9.6 mi | 20 yd | Touched down here |
| 2024-10-09 | EF2 | 5.7 mi | 400 yd | Touched down here |
| 2024-10-09 | EF2 | 65.5 mi | 300 yd | Crossed in |
| 1983-02-02 | EF2 | 2.0 mi | 50 yd | Touched down here |
| 1973-02-09 | EF2 | 2.0 mi | 30 yd | Touched down here |
| 1964-10-14 | EF2 | 0.1 mi | 10 yd | Touched down here |
| 1959-06-17 | EF2 | 8.7 mi | 150 yd | Crossed in |
| 2024-06-12 | EF1 | 1.7 mi | 500 yd | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 9, 2024 | SALERNO | EF1 | 0 | 1 | $2.0M |
| Feb 2, 1983 | F2 | 0 | 1 | $250K | |
| May 15, 1974 | F1 | 0 | 1 | $250K | |
| Feb 10, 1973 | F2 | 0 | 1 | $250K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 9, 2024 | GOMEZ | EF2 | $11.0M |
| Oct 9, 2024 | HOBE SOUND | EF0 | $100K |
| Oct 9, 2024 | INDIANTOWN CRL T ARP | EF2 | $1.5M |
| Oct 9, 2024 | SALERNO | EF1 | $2.0M |
| Oct 9, 2024 | INDIANTOWN CRL T ARP | EF0 | $100K |
| Jun 12, 2024 | HOBE SOUND | EF1 | $0 |
| Jan 15, 2024 | PALM CITY | EF0 | $0 |
| Mar 11, 2022 | RIO ST LUCIE | EF0 | $1K |
| Nov 5, 2019 | WAVELAND | EF0 | $0 |
| May 27, 2018 | SALERNO | EF0 | $200 |
Other hazards here
More from Martin County
- Hail 64
- Thunderstorm Wind 63
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
A thunderstorm quickly intensified southwest of Indiantown and produced a brief, but high-end EF0 tornado in rural area north of the town center. A NWS damage survey estimated maximum winds of 80-85 mph. The tornado caused mainly light damage to a two-story home (several windows blown in, vinyl siding removed, soffit damaged), caused the roof of a pole barn to collapse upon itself, and totally removed the roof of an adjacent commercial building (VFW lodge). Several large tree branches were downed and one tall pine tree was uprooted. DI1 DOD5 LB, DI2 DOD2 EXP, DOD28 DI3 EXP.
A NWS Storm Survey team confirmed a brief touchdown of an EF0 tornado within the Ridgeway Mobile Home Park in Hobe Sound. Winds were estimated at 65 to 70 mph. The tornado removed the roof from one mobile home and carried it approximately 50 yards downwind. Small portions of metal roofs were peeled back from three other mobile homes. Thirty eight additional mobile homes experienced minor damage to window awnings and carports. Two vehicles experienced damage due to movement by the wind into an adjacent structure. Three large palm trees were uprooted or toppled, and many smaller trees sustained damage. The tornado lifted just prior to reaching Highway A1A. DI3 DOD4 LB.
The tornado initially touched down in a wooded area in Martin County, to the south of the SW Martin Hwy and I-95 Interchange. Martin County Fire Rescue reported a tractor trailer was flipped by the tornado near mile marker 109. The circulation continued north along the interstate, downing numerous trees along its path with estimated peak wind speeds of 75 to 85 mph. The tornado continued into St. Lucie County very near the intersection of the County Line Canal and Interstate 95 (near Mile Marker 114).
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many tornado events are on record in Martin County, Florida?
42 tornado events are recorded in Martin County between 1956 and 2024, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest tornado recorded in Martin County?
The strongest tornado on record in Martin County measured F3.
Where does the tornado data for Martin 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 Martin County, Florida.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/florida/martin-county/tornado/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.