Bartow, FL Tornado History — 207 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Bartow, FL had?
Bartow has had 207 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 1 violent (EF3+) tornado.
When was the most recent tornado near Bartow?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Bartow was an EF1 on October 9, 2024.
When is tornado season in Bartow?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Bartow, with 46 on record. Spring through early summer (April–June) generally sees the highest activity across most of the central and southern United States.
At a Glance
Recent Tornado Activity Near Bartow
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 28 total, averaging 1.4 per year over this window.
Tornadoes by Decade
Tornadoes by Enhanced Fujita Rating
F0–F5 ratings (pre-2007) are grouped with their EF equivalents. The Enhanced Fujita scale replaced the original Fujita scale in February 2007.
Tornadoes by Month
Casualties on Record Near Bartow
14 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Bartow since 1950, across 3 events. 649 injuries have been reported across all events. 1966 was the deadliest year on record.
The deadliest single event was a F4 on April 4, 1966, which caused 11 fatalities along a 135.8-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Bartow
About Tornadoes in Bartow
This overview was written July 29, 2026. The tornado counts and notable-event figures elsewhere on this page reflect the latest data and may differ from this summary.
Bartow sits near the center of the Florida peninsula in Polk County, where colliding Gulf and Atlantic sea breezes make brief warm-season tornadoes a familiar hazard — recent examples include an EF0 on July 23, 2024, and an EF1 on October 9, 2024.
Many of the area's damaging tornadoes, though, have struck in the winter and spring months. On April 4, 1966, a violent F4 swept across the peninsula on a 135.8-mile track as wide as 300 yards, killing 11 people, injuring 530, and causing $27.5 million in property damage; a second long-track tornado that same day, rated F2, followed a 123.3-mile path through the region. On May 8, 1979, a deadly F2 carved a 4-mile path roughly 200 yards wide, killing one person, injuring 40, and likewise causing $27.5 million in damage. On December 27, 1997, an F2 injured 18 people along a 5.8-mile track.
That threat has continued in recent decades. An EF2 on January 17, 2016, killed two people and injured four along a 9.2-mile path about 300 yards wide, and on October 19, 2019, an EF2 tracked 11.45 miles at widths up to 525 yards, causing $10 million in damage. An EF2 on June 25, 2012, which tracked 6.22 miles through the area, showed that the summer months can produce significant tornadoes here as well.