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Delray Beach, FL Tornado History — 188 Tornadoes Since 1950

Florida · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Delray Beach, FL had?

Delray Beach has had 188 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 3 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Delray Beach?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Delray Beach was an EF0 on May 12, 2025.

When is tornado season in Delray Beach?

August is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Delray Beach, with 31 on record. April through June account for 55 of the 188 tornadoes on record near Delray Beach.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
188
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
3
1.6% of total
Peak Month
August
31 on record
Per Year Avg
2.5
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Delray Beach

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 49 total, averaging 2.5 per year over this window.

2026 0+1 prelim
2025 1
2024 3
2023 2
2022 4
2021 0
2020 2
2019 1
2018 2
2017 3
2016 5
2015 5
2014 1
2013 7
2012 2
2011 2
2010 2
2009 1
2008 3
2007 3

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

Preliminary tornado reports near Delray Beach 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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 September 18, 2026
Lighthouse Point, Broward County, FL
[Landspout] Broadcast media relayed video of a short duration landspout that lofted palm fronds and other small debris for a brief period before it dissipated. TPBI ra (MFL)

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

What storm spotters reported near Delray Beach

One local storm report has been filed within 25 miles of Delray Beach and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on May 12, 2025 and the most recent on May 12, 2025. It is already counted in the Delray Beach totals above; quoted below is the narrative the reporting office filed at the time.

EF0° May 12, 2025
4 ENE Lion Country Safa, Palm Beach County, FL
Updates LSR to Tornado event type after survey determined EF0 tornado occurred. Playground equipment knocked down... chairs blown over... small trees blown over/uproote (MFL)

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

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 11
1960s 17
1970s 22
1980s 32
1990s 37
2000s 27
2010s 30
2020s 12

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 124
EF1 49
EF2 11
EF3 3
Unrated 1

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 9
Feb 22
Mar 17
Apr 16
May 16
Jun 23
Jul 15
Aug 31
Sep 18
Oct 11
Nov 8
Dec 2

Casualties on Record Near Delray Beach

1 fatality has been recorded within 25 miles of Delray Beach since 1950, across 1 event. 147 injuries have been reported across all events. 1980 was the deadliest year on record near Delray Beach.

The deadliest single event was an F3 on March 1, 1980, which caused 1 fatality along a 7.8-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near Delray Beach

Deadliest Tornado
F3 on March 1, 1980 — 1 fatality, 7.8 mi path, 500 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
EF3 on October 9, 2024 — $81.5M in reported property damage.
Widest Tornado
F3 on March 1, 1980 — 500 yards wide.
Longest Path
F2 on March 17, 1983 — 52.5 mile track.
Most Recent
EF0 on May 12, 2025.

What the record shows near Delray Beach

The 1990s were the busiest decade near Delray Beach, with 37 of the 188 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 12 so far. The Delray Beach record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Delray Beach, 173 reached EF0 or EF1 and 14 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Delray Beach is rated EF3, of which 3 are logged. A further 1 near Delray Beach is unrated — events NOAA logged before a damage survey assigned a scale.

Across the last 20 years Delray Beach has averaged 2.5 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 49 in total. 2013 was the busiest of them with 7, and 2 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Delray Beach, FL had?
Since 1950, 188 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Delray Beach. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Delray Beach?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Delray Beach was an F3 on March 1, 1980, which caused 1 fatality.
When is tornado season in Delray Beach?
August is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Delray Beach, with 31 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.
When was the most recent tornado near Delray Beach?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Delray Beach was an EF0 on May 12, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Delray Beach?
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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