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Tornado in Lake County, Florida
62 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.
Lake County, Florida, has 62 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 38 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 11 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 16 events against 14 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.6% of the 3,820 tornado events recorded in Florida; its 6.5 per 100 square miles compares with 7.1 statewide.
NCEI attributes 23 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 28 at (E)F0, 20 at (E)F1, 7 at (E)F2, 3 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 4 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Florida
| Measure | Lake County | Florida | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 62 | 3,820 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.5 | 7.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 1.6 | 1.8 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 23 | 207 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
3Feb
5Mar
6Apr
11May
9Jun
5Jul
7Aug
8Sep
3Oct
3Nov
1Dec
1
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 62 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 May 2025 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jan 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 4 Jul 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Sep 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | $22K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $12K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $12K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $6.2M | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Feb 2007 | Tornado | EF3 | $52M | — | 8 | 10 | County |
| 2 Feb 2007 | Tornado | EF3 | $46M | — | 13 | 9 | County |
| 25 Dec 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $70K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Feb 1998 | Tornado | F3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1997 | Tornado | F0 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1997 | Tornado | F0 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Oct 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Oct 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Oct 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 1993 | Tornado | F2 | $5.0M | — | 1 | 60 | County |
| 3 Mar 1991 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1988 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 1987 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | 1 | 7 | County |
| 14 Mar 1986 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 1985 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 1985 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Apr 1984 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1983 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 1983 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Apr 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 8 Jul 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Feb 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Aug 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1978 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 1978 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jan 1978 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 18 Aug 1977 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1976 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Feb 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1974 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1974 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1974 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1974 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Mar 1971 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 1969 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 1969 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Nov 1968 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 1963 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1962 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 3 Mar 1960 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 6 | County |
| 9 Jan 1953 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Lake County had?
62 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 Lake County?
12 May 2025 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Lake County?
The tornado of 2 Feb 2007, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $52M; 8 deaths recorded.
How does Lake County compare with Florida for tornado?
6.5 events per 100 square miles against 7.1 statewide; the county holds 62 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.