351
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
17
Direct injuries
$12.1M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Polk County, Florida: 351 recorded events between 1956 and 2024. The strongest on record measured 90. That places the county #301 nationally and #11 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Polk County, Florida: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Polk County is the 1990s, when 141 of the county's 351 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, thunderstorm wind makes up 39.8% of all recorded severe weather across 11 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #301 for this hazard and #11 within Florida, putting it in the 90.5 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jun is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Polk County with 77 recorded events, while Oct 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.
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 28, 1997 | LAKELAND | 0 | 0 | 9 | $3K |
| Sep 5, 1988 | 55 | 0 | 3 | $0 | |
| Apr 3, 2002 | LAKELAND MUNI ARPT | 50 | 0 | 1 | $12K |
| Mar 4, 1993 | N Lakeland | 0 | 0 | 1 | $500 |
| Apr 11, 1992 | 0 | 0 | 1 | $0 | |
| Feb 25, 1992 | 0 | 0 | 1 | $0 | |
| Apr 25, 1991 | 0 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 6, 2024 | (LAL)LAKELAND MUNI A | 52 | $75K |
| May 22, 2023 | LAKE ALFRED | 43 | $0 |
| Apr 27, 2023 | LAKE OF THE HILLS | 43 | $10K |
| Aug 2, 2022 | WNTR HVN CYP GDNS AR | 43 | $3K |
| Jun 18, 2022 | LAKE ARBUCKLE | 54 | $0 |
| Jun 18, 2022 | DAVENPORT | 43 | $15K |
| Jun 21, 2021 | (LAL)LAKELAND MUNI A | 51 | $0 |
| Apr 11, 2021 | LAKELAND | 43 | $10K |
| Apr 11, 2021 | GALLOWAY | 50 | $8K |
| Apr 10, 2021 | (BOW)BARTOW MUNI ARP | 50 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Polk County
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Straight-line winds estimated at 50 MPH at a RV dealership damaged 26 RV trailers and totaled 16 RV trailers. The trailers and campers were not tied down or secured, and most of the damage was from one trailer tipping over onto another and trailers getting pushed into each other. There was no other damage at the dealership to trees, powerlines, or fencing, and the damage path was all in one direction.
A thunderstorm downburst wind gust measured at 86 mph struck the Bartow Municipal Airport. Two aircraft, and three large metal buildings, were destroyed. Four other aircraft were heavily damaged. Three additional aircraft incurred minor damage. A few of the aircraft were lifted and tossed nearly 500 yards. Two additonal structures incurred minor damage. Several medium sized trees, and some power lines, were downed.
Polk county emergency management reported, through the Tampa Tribune newspaper, that thunderstorm winds destroyed three structures, caused major damage to six structures, minor damage to 21 additional structures, and downed numerous trees, branches and power lines in Bartow.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Polk County, Florida?
351 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Polk County between 1956 and 2024, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Polk County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Polk County measured 90.
Where does the thunderstorm wind 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
“Thunderstorm Wind in Polk County, Florida.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/florida/polk-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.