Brandon, FL Tornado History — 252 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Brandon, FL had?
Brandon has had 252 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 1 violent (EF3+) tornado.
When was the most recent tornado near Brandon?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Brandon was an EF0 on September 25, 2025.
When is tornado season in Brandon?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Brandon, 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 Brandon
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 41 total, averaging 2.0 per year over this window.
Preliminary tornado reports near Brandon since December 29, 2025
These are 2 preliminary reports, not confirmed tornadoes. They have not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and are not counted in the confirmed totals above.
Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete. Ratings are omitted until a survey assigns one.
Confirmed records above are complete through December 29, 2025. NOAA publishes the confirmed archive annually, so tornadoes after that date appear here first and move into the totals above once finalized.
Within 25 miles of Brandon. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.
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 Brandon
14 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Brandon since 1950, across 3 events. 631 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 Brandon
About Tornadoes in Brandon
This overview was written July 24, 2026. The tornado counts and notable-event figures elsewhere on this page reflect the latest data and may differ from this summary.
Brandon lies just east of Tampa in west-central Florida, in the flat, subtropical lowlands of the Gulf coast peninsula. Florida sees a high frequency of tornadoes for its size, but they are overwhelmingly weak and brief compared with those of the Great Plains.
The peninsula's tornado risk has two faces. In summer, colliding sea breezes drive frequent afternoon thunderstorms that can produce short-lived tornadoes with little warning. In the cool season, passing cold fronts and the stronger wind shear they carry can generate more organized and dangerous tornadoes, while tropical systems moving inland can spin them up in their rainbands. The result is a year-round threat rather than a single seasonal peak.
The Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale rates tornado strength from EF0 to EF5 based on a damage survey rather than a measured wind speed. Most Florida tornadoes are weak, though the cool season can bring stronger ones. For the specific record near Brandon — total counts, the decade and rating breakdowns, and the deadliest, costliest, and most recent events — consult the figures drawn from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center elsewhere on this page.