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Tornado in Alachua County, Florida
45 tornadoes events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Tornado.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
Alachua County, Florida, has 45 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 34 different years.
June is the busiest month, with 6 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 6 events against 16 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.2% of the 3,820 tornado events recorded in Florida; its 5.1 per 100 square miles compares with 7.1 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 23 at (E)F0, 13 at (E)F1, 8 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 1 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Florida
| Measure | Alachua County | Florida | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 45 | 3,820 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.1 | 7.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 1.6 | 1.8 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 207 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
2Feb
4Mar
4Apr
5May
5Jun
6Jul
4Aug
3Sep
5Oct
4Nov
0Dec
3
Magnitude distribution
Enhanced Fujita scale wind estimates
- EF0/F0
- 65–85 mph (EF0)
- EF1/F1
- 86–110 mph (EF1)
- EF2/F2
- 111–135 mph (EF2)
- EF3/F3
- 136–165 mph (EF3)
- EF4/F4
- 166–200 mph (EF4)
- EF5/F5
- over 200 mph (EF5)
- Unrated
- no rating recorded
Tornado rating as recorded (Fujita scale before February 2007, Enhanced Fujita after).
Recorded events
All 45 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Sep 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Dec 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | $8K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Feb 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Dec 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 2002 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Feb 1996 | Tornado | F0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Oct 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jan 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Oct 1993 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Oct 1993 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 1993 | Tornado | F1 | $5.0M | — | 1 | 4 | County |
| 13 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 28 Sep 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 1990 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 1986 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1983 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Feb 1983 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 4 | County |
| 22 Mar 1981 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Oct 1980 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 1980 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1980 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1978 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 4 | County |
| 1 May 1978 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1978 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 6 | County |
| 21 Jun 1977 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 1976 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jan 1975 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Feb 1970 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Dec 1969 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Sep 1966 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Sep 1966 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 1964 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1957 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Alachua County had?
45 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of tornadoes became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded tornado event in Alachua County?
18 Sep 2021 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Alachua County?
The tornado of 13 Mar 1993, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $5.0M; 1 death recorded.
How does Alachua County compare with Florida for tornado?
5.1 events per 100 square miles against 7.1 statewide; the county holds 45 of the state's 3,820 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Tornado hub and the county page.