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Clearwater, FL Tornado History — 249 Tornadoes Since 1950

Florida · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Clearwater, FL had?

Clearwater has had 249 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 4 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Clearwater?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Clearwater was an EF0 on September 25, 2025.

When is tornado season in Clearwater?

June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Clearwater, with 39 on record. April through June account for 86 of the 249 tornadoes on record near Clearwater.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
249
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
4
1.6% of total
Peak Month
June
39 on record
Per Year Avg
3.3
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Clearwater

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 51 total, averaging 2.5 per year over this window.

2026 0+1 prelim
2025 2
2024 4
2023 5
2022 3
2021 2
2020 4
2019 2
2018 4
2017 0
2016 3
2015 0
2014 2
2013 6
2012 4
2011 6
2010 0
2009 4
2008 0
2007 0

Striped bars mark preliminary reports not yet confirmed by NWS survey — excluded from the confirmed counts.

Preliminary tornado reports near Clearwater since December 29, 2025

This is a preliminary report, not confirmed tornadoes. It has not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and is 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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.

Preliminary May 24, 2026
2 SW Town 'n' Country, Hillsborough County, FL
[Delayed Report] Broadcast media shared several photos and a couple videos of a waterspout that appears to move onshore in the Villages of Bayport Community. Damage to (TBW)

Within 25 miles of Clearwater. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.

What storm spotters reported near Clearwater

2 local storm reports have been filed within 25 miles of Clearwater and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on June 25, 2025 and the most recent on September 25, 2025. They are already counted in the Clearwater totals above; quoted below is the narrative each reporting office filed at the time.

September 25, 2025
2 S Feather Sound, Pinellas County, FL
[Landspout] Both broadcast media and Emergency Management shared images and reports of a landspout over the Pinellas County landfill. This landspout was observed under (TBW)
June 25, 2025
3 SW Highpoint, Pinellas County, FL
Multiple reports with video and pictures of debris and tornado damage near Ulmerton Rd. in Largo... FL. (TBW)

Source: National Weather Service and trained-spotter local storm reports, relayed by the NOAA Storm Prediction Center.

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 10
1960s 33
1970s 46
1980s 33
1990s 62
2000s 18
2010s 27
2020s 20

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.

EF0 144
EF1 78
EF2 18
EF3 2
EF4 2
Unrated 5

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 13
Feb 11
Mar 19
Apr 18
May 29
Jun 39
Jul 39
Aug 26
Sep 17
Oct 17
Nov 10
Dec 11

Casualties on Record Near Clearwater

19 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Clearwater since 1950, across 5 events. 863 injuries have been reported across all events. 1966 was the deadliest year on record near Clearwater.

The deadliest single event was an F4 on April 4, 1966, which caused 11 fatalities along a 135.8-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near Clearwater

Deadliest Tornado
F4 on April 4, 1966 — 11 fatalities, 135.8 mi path, 300 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
F3 on October 3, 1992 — est. ~$27.5M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
F3 on October 3, 1992 — 500 yards wide.
Longest Path
F4 on April 4, 1966 — 135.8 mile track.
Most Recent
EF0 on September 25, 2025.

What the record shows near Clearwater

The 1990s were the busiest decade near Clearwater, with 62 of the 249 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 20 so far. The Clearwater record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Clearwater, 222 reached EF0 or EF1 and 22 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Clearwater is rated EF4, of which 2 are logged. A further 5 near Clearwater are unrated — events NOAA logged before a damage survey assigned a scale.

Across the last 20 years Clearwater has averaged 2.5 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 51 in total. 2011 was the busiest of them with 6, and 6 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Clearwater, FL had?
Since 1950, 249 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Clearwater. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Clearwater?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Clearwater was an F4 on April 4, 1966, which caused 11 fatalities.
When is tornado season in Clearwater?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Clearwater, with 39 tornadoes on record. Tornadoes can occur any time of year, but spring months (April–June) generally see the highest activity across most of the central and southern United States.
Has Clearwater been hit by an EF4 or EF5 tornado?
Within 25 miles of Clearwater, there have been 0 EF5 and 2 EF4 tornadoes recorded since 1950. EF4 and EF5 tornadoes are the most destructive ratings on the Enhanced Fujita scale, with winds above 166 mph.
When was the most recent tornado near Clearwater?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Clearwater was an EF0 on September 25, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Clearwater?
Vortex delivers real-time tornado warnings, severe thunderstorm alerts, and SPC outlook updates for any US location via push notification and phone call. Alerts are sourced directly from the National Weather Service and updated within seconds of issuance.

Official Resources

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