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Tornado in Highlands County, Florida
49 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.
NCEI records 49 tornado events in Highlands County, Florida, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 28 years.
June is the busiest month, with 15 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 11 events against 14 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.3% of the 3,820 tornado events recorded in Florida; its 4.8 per 100 square miles compares with 7.1 statewide.
NCEI attributes 2 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 24 at (E)F0, 18 at (E)F1, 4 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 3 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Florida
| Measure | Highlands County | Florida | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 49 | 3,820 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.8 | 7.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 4.7 | 1.8 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 2 | 207 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
5Feb
3Mar
5Apr
3May
5Jun
15Jul
2Aug
3Sep
1Oct
6Nov
1Dec
0
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 49 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Oct 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Oct 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Oct 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Oct 2024 | Tornado | EF2 | $500K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 9 Oct 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | $15K | — | 1 | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2012 | Tornado | EF1 | $60K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jan 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Oct 2005 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 2000 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Mar 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $437K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jan 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Aug 1997 | Tornado | F0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1993 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Nov 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 3 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 1983 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Feb 1983 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | 1 | 6 | County |
| 17 Jun 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $250 | — | — | 9 | County |
| 17 Jun 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jan 1979 | Tornado | — | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1978 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | 2 | County |
| 4 May 1978 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Mar 1978 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1977 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1977 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 1976 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Mar 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1972 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1971 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Feb 1970 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jan 1970 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 1969 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1967 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1967 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Feb 1964 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Highlands County had?
49 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 Highlands County?
9 Oct 2024 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Highlands County?
The tornado of 4 May 1978, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Highlands County compare with Florida for tornado?
4.8 events per 100 square miles against 7.1 statewide; the county holds 49 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.