VORTEX
TORNADO HISTORY
← All Cities

Fort Myers, FL Tornado History — 158 Tornadoes Since 1950

Florida · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Fort Myers, FL had?

Fort Myers has had 158 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.

When was the most recent tornado near Fort Myers?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Fort Myers was an EF0 on October 9, 2024.

When is tornado season in Fort Myers?

June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Fort Myers, with 31 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

Tornadoes Since 1950
158
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
0
0.0% of total
Peak Month
June
31 on record
Per Year Avg
2.1
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Fort Myers

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 34 total, averaging 1.7 per year over this window.

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

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

Preliminary tornado reports near Fort Myers since December 29, 2025

These are 4 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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.

Preliminary July 10, 2026
Cape Coral, Lee County, FL
Preliminary July 2, 2026
3 ESE Fort Myers, Lee County, FL
Preliminary June 28, 2026
1 WSW North Fort Myers, Lee County, FL
Preliminary May 17, 2026
2 N Cape Coral, Lee County, FL

Within 25 miles of Fort Myers. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 4
1960s 10
1970s 19
1980s 24
1990s 46
2000s 27
2010s 15
2020s 13

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 110
EF1 30
EF2 16
Unrated 2

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 11
Feb 4
Mar 8
Apr 7
May 11
Jun 31
Jul 14
Aug 22
Sep 28
Oct 15
Nov 4
Dec 3

Casualties on Record Near Fort Myers

2 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Fort Myers since 1950, across 2 events. 42 injuries have been reported across all events. 1982 was the deadliest year on record.

The deadliest single event was a F2 on June 17, 1982, which caused 1 fatality along a 8.0-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near Fort Myers

Deadliest Tornado
F2 on June 17, 1982 — 1 fatality, 8.0 mi path, 17 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
EF2 on January 16, 2022 — $10.0M in reported property damage.
Widest Tornado
EF2 on October 9, 2024 — 500 yards wide.
Longest Path
F2 on November 11, 1968 — 65.4 mile track.
Most Recent
EF0 on October 9, 2024.

About Tornadoes in Fort Myers

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.

Fort Myers sits on the Caloosahatchee River along the Gulf coast of southwest Florida, in Lee County, and its tornado dates carry a distinctly coastal signature: events cluster in June, when sea-breeze thunderstorms fire over the peninsula, and again through the tropical months of August and September, with a separate cold-season thread running through December and January.

Damaging tornadoes have arrived in both patterns. An F2 on October 31, 1960 killed one person, and on June 18, 1982 another F2 tracked 8 miles through the area, killing one person, injuring 4, and causing $275,000 in property damage. An F2 on November 11, 1968 traveled 65.4 miles, injuring 3 along the way, and an F2 on August 9, 1986 injured 12 people.

Winter has produced serious tornadoes here as well. On January 9, 2016, an EF2 injured 3 and caused $2,000,000 in damage along a 3.35-mile path, and on January 16, 2022 an EF2 ran 7.01 miles, causing $10,000,000 in property damage. More tornadoes came on October 9, 2024, when several touched down around the area in a single day, among them an EF2 that traveled 16.29 miles with a path width of 500 yards and caused $500,000 in damage.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Fort Myers, FL had?
Since 1950, 158 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Fort Myers. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Fort Myers?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Fort Myers was a F2 on June 17, 1982, which caused 1 fatality.
When is tornado season in Fort Myers?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Fort Myers, 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 Fort Myers?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Fort Myers was an EF0 on October 9, 2024.
How do I get tornado warnings for Fort Myers?
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

More Cities in Florida