Lehigh Acres, FL Tornado History — 131 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Lehigh Acres, FL had?
Lehigh Acres has had 131 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.
When was the most recent tornado near Lehigh Acres?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Lehigh Acres was an EF0 on October 9, 2024.
When is tornado season in Lehigh Acres?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Lehigh Acres, with 28 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 Lehigh Acres
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 30 total, averaging 1.5 per year over this window.
Preliminary tornado reports near Lehigh Acres 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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.
Within 25 miles of Lehigh Acres. 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 Lehigh Acres
3 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Lehigh Acres since 1950, across 2 events. 58 injuries have been reported across all events. 1968 was the deadliest year on record.
The deadliest single event was a F2 on November 9, 1968, which caused 2 fatalities along a 45.6-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Lehigh Acres
About Tornadoes in Lehigh Acres
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.
Tornadoes are a recurring part of life in Lehigh Acres, the inland Lee County community east of Fort Myers in southwest Florida. Many of the area's tornadoes spin up during the June-through-September wet season, when sea-breeze collisions and tropical moisture fuel rotating thunderstorms, but destructive twisters have also struck in the cooler months.
On November 9, 1968, an F2 tornado tracked 45.6 miles across the region, killing two people and injuring 17; two days later, on November 11, another F2 carved a 65.4-mile path and injured three more. A deadly F2 on June 18, 1982 ran eight miles, claiming one life and injuring four. On August 9, 1986, an F2 injured 12 people and caused $2,750,000 in property damage along a path that grew to 200 yards wide.
The modern era has brought damaging winter tornadoes as well. An EF2 on January 9, 2016 injured three people and did $2,000,000 in damage along a 3.35-mile track, and an EF2 on January 16, 2022 tore a 7.01-mile path up to 125 yards wide, causing $10,000,000 in property damage. More recently, on October 9, 2024, an EF2 traveled 16.29 miles at widths up to 500 yards, producing $500,000 in damage — a reminder that this fast-growing corner of Lee County remains squarely in Florida's tornado country.