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Lealman, FL Tornado History — 298 Tornadoes Since 1950

Florida · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Lealman, FL had?

Lealman has had 298 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 5 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Lealman?

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

When is tornado season in Lealman?

July is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Lealman, with 58 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
298
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
5
1.7% of total
Peak Month
July
58 on record
Per Year Avg
3.9
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Lealman

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 52 total, averaging 2.6 per year over this window.

2026 0+2 prelim
2025 2
2024 3
2023 4
2022 2
2021 1
2020 4
2019 2
2018 4
2017 2
2016 2
2015 1
2014 2
2013 8
2012 3
2011 6
2010 0
2009 6
2008 0
2007 0

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

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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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

Preliminary May 26, 2026
2 NNE Parrish, Manatee County, FL
Preliminary May 24, 2026
2 SW Town 'n' Country, Hillsborough County, FL

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

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 13
1960s 40
1970s 55
1980s 39
1990s 81
2000s 24
2010s 30
2020s 16

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 176
EF1 91
EF2 23
EF3 3
EF4 2
Unrated 3

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 16
Feb 13
Mar 19
Apr 22
May 29
Jun 48
Jul 58
Aug 31
Sep 18
Oct 21
Nov 12
Dec 11

Casualties on Record Near Lealman

20 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Lealman since 1950, across 6 events. 882 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 Lealman

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.

About Tornadoes in Lealman

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.

Lealman sits at the center of Florida's Pinellas peninsula, in the dense urban corridor between St. Petersburg and Pinellas Park, with Tampa Bay to the east and the Gulf of Mexico only a few miles west. Its tornadoes follow two rhythms: brief, weak spin-ups during the summer wet season, when sea-breeze storms and tropical moisture dominate the peninsula, and stronger, faster-moving tornadoes spawned by fronts and squall lines in the cooler months.

Those cool-season systems have produced dangerous storms. An F4 tornado struck on April 4, 1966, tracking 135.8 miles on a path up to 300 yards wide — a track that carried it far beyond the immediate Tampa Bay area — killing 11 people and injuring 530. An earlier F4 on April 15, 1958 injured seven people along a brief but 300-yard-wide path. On October 3, 1992, an F3 carved a 2.6-mile track up to 500 yards wide, killing three people and injuring 75, and an F2 the same day claimed one more life.

Damaging tornadoes have continued into recent years. An EF2 on December 16, 2020 traveled 13.11 miles and caused $16 million in property damage, and another EF2 on October 12, 2023 tracked 4.97 miles through the area. An EF1 touched down on June 25, 2025, and an EF0 followed on September 25, 2025.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Lealman, FL had?
Since 1950, 298 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Lealman. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Lealman?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Lealman was a F4 on April 4, 1966, which caused 11 fatalities.
When is tornado season in Lealman?
July is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Lealman, with 58 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 Lealman been hit by an EF4 or EF5 tornado?
Within 25 miles of Lealman, 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 Lealman?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Lealman was an EF0 on September 25, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Lealman?
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.

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