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Tornado in Sarasota County, Florida
84 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 84 tornado events in Sarasota County, Florida, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 42 years.
June is the busiest month, with 11 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 13 events against 34 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.2% of the 3,820 tornado events recorded in Florida; its 15.1 per 100 square miles compares with 7.1 statewide.
NCEI attributes 2 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 48 at (E)F0, 24 at (E)F1, 9 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 2 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Florida
| Measure | Sarasota County | Florida | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 84 | 3,820 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 15.1 | 7.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.8 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 2 | 207 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
7Feb
3Mar
9Apr
6May
6Jun
11Jul
8Aug
10Sep
5Oct
6Nov
3Dec
10
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 84 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Oct 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2022 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Mar 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | $1.0M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 26 Jun 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Oct 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jan 2016 | Tornado | EF2 | $12M | — | — | 2 | County |
| 24 Jan 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $350K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Aug 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Mar 2003 | Tornado | F0 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Dec 2002 | Tornado | F0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 2000 | Tornado | F0 | $60K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $350K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Feb 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jan 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Oct 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1997 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 1997 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jan 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Aug 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Oct 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 1993 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1993 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1993 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1993 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Feb 1992 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Sep 1991 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1989 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Dec 1988 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1988 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 1987 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 6 | County |
| 3 May 1985 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Mar 1985 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | 2 | 45 | County |
| 7 Jul 1983 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Dec 1978 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 13 Oct 1978 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1978 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jan 1978 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 1976 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1976 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Dec 1974 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 1974 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1972 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Dec 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Dec 1971 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 3 Dec 1971 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Dec 1971 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 5 | County |
| 10 Sep 1971 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Aug 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Mar 1971 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Mar 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 1970 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 1970 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Mar 1970 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Feb 1970 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1969 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Nov 1968 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Nov 1968 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 9 Nov 1968 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Dec 1958 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 19 Oct 1958 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Sep 1955 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 1951 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Sarasota County had?
84 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 Sarasota County?
11 Oct 2023 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Sarasota County?
The tornado of 17 Mar 1985, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M; 2 deaths recorded.
How does Sarasota County compare with Florida for tornado?
15.1 events per 100 square miles against 7.1 statewide; the county holds 84 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.