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Tornado in Lee County, Florida
130 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 130 tornado events in Lee County, Florida, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 53 years.
June is the busiest month, with 25 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 30 events against 61 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 3.4% of the 3,820 tornado events recorded in Florida; its 16.6 per 100 square miles compares with 7.1 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 86 at (E)F0, 25 at (E)F1, 14 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 5 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Florida
| Measure | Lee County | Florida | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 130 | 3,820 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 16.6 | 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
9Feb
3Mar
8Apr
5May
12Jun
25Jul
11Aug
19Sep
23Oct
12Nov
1Dec
2
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 130 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Jun 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Oct 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Oct 2024 | Tornado | EF2 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Oct 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jan 2022 | Tornado | EF2 | $10M | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jan 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | $750K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 19 Oct 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $600K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Apr 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | $110K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 6 Apr 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jan 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jan 2016 | Tornado | EF2 | $2.0M | — | — | 3 | County |
| 27 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jan 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | $103K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $110K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 16 Sep 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $4.0M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 16 Sep 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | $110K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Sep 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Sep 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2004 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $35K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Mar 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Sep 2001 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Sep 2001 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 2000 | Tornado | F1 | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 2000 | Tornado | F1 | $2.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 2000 | Tornado | F0 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 27 Mar 2000 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jan 2000 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Feb 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Aug 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 1997 | Tornado | F0 | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1997 | Tornado | F0 | $214K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1997 | Tornado | F0 | $16K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Sep 1996 | Tornado | F0 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 10 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Sep 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Sep 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Oct 1993 | Tornado | F1 | $5.0M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 30 Oct 1993 | Tornado | F0 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 1993 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 1993 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 1992 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 1992 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 1991 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Sep 1991 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 7 | County |
| 17 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Mar 1991 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Oct 1990 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Sep 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Sep 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Sep 1990 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1990 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1990 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Sep 1989 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 1989 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 1989 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 1989 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Nov 1988 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1987 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jan 1987 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Sep 1986 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Aug 1986 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 9 Aug 1986 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 12 | County |
| 10 Sep 1983 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Oct 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Sep 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jan 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1980 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 1980 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 1979 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 24 Jan 1979 | Tornado | — | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 1978 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Mar 1978 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Dec 1977 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 1977 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Sep 1975 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 1975 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1974 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 1974 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 1974 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1974 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Oct 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1972 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1972 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1972 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Mar 1971 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 1968 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1968 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 1966 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Feb 1965 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 23 Feb 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 1964 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 10 Jun 1962 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Oct 1960 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | 1 | — | County |
| 17 Oct 1959 | Tornado | — | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 1959 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1958 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Oct 1953 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Lee County had?
130 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 Lee County?
28 Jun 2026 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Lee County?
The tornado of 16 Jan 2022, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $10M.
How does Lee County compare with Florida for tornado?
16.6 events per 100 square miles against 7.1 statewide; the county holds 130 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.