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Lutz, FL Tornado History — 265 Tornadoes Since 1950

Florida · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Lutz, FL had?

Lutz has had 265 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 2 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Lutz?

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

When is tornado season in Lutz?

July is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Lutz, with 43 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
265
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
2
0.8% of total
Peak Month
July
43 on record
Per Year Avg
3.5
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Lutz

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 50 total, averaging 2.5 per year over this window.

2026 0+2 prelim
2025 3
2024 3
2023 3
2022 3
2021 1
2020 5
2019 0
2018 6
2017 0
2016 3
2015 0
2014 1
2013 4
2012 3
2011 6
2010 0
2009 7
2008 0
2007 2

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

Preliminary tornado reports near Lutz 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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 24, 2026
2 SW Town 'n' Country, Hillsborough County, FL
Preliminary May 12, 2026
1 SSW Hudson, Pasco County, FL

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

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 5
1960s 31
1970s 67
1980s 28
1990s 62
2000s 31
2010s 23
2020s 18

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 153
EF1 84
EF2 22
EF3 1
EF4 1
Unrated 4

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 14
Feb 13
Mar 23
Apr 17
May 35
Jun 39
Jul 43
Aug 21
Sep 18
Oct 19
Nov 11
Dec 12

Casualties on Record Near Lutz

17 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Lutz since 1950, across 5 events. 809 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 Lutz

Deadliest Tornado
F4 on April 4, 1966 — 11 fatalities, 135.8 mi path, 300 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
F4 on April 4, 1966 — est. ~$27.5M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
F0 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 Lutz

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.

Lutz sits in northern Hillsborough County, Florida, in the lake-dotted suburbs between Tampa and the Pasco County line, and its tornado history follows two distinct rhythms: brief, weak touchdowns during the summer thunderstorm season, and stronger, longer-tracked tornadoes when squall lines cross the peninsula in the cooler months.

On April 4, 1966, an F4 tornado swept across the region on a 135.8-mile track, killing 11 people and injuring 530. On May 4, 1978, an F3 carved a 1.5-mile path, killing 3 and injuring 94. Cool-season storms have struck repeatedly since: an F2 on December 25, 2006 — Christmas Day — injured 2 people, and on December 16, 2020, an EF2 tracked 13.11 miles through the area, joined that same day by an EF1.

Autumn carries its own hazards: an EF2 on October 12, 2023 ran 4.97 miles, with EF0s touching down nearby the same day. The summer pattern persists in the modern era too, with short-lived tornadoes like those of June 24, 2012, July 20, 2024, and June 25, 2025, the kind typically spun up by afternoon sea-breeze storms over west-central Florida. An EF0 followed on September 25, 2025 — a reminder that around Lutz, tornado weather is a year-round consideration rather than a single-season threat.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Lutz, FL had?
Since 1950, 265 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Lutz. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Lutz?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Lutz was a F4 on April 4, 1966, which caused 11 fatalities.
When is tornado season in Lutz?
July is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Lutz, with 43 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 Lutz been hit by an EF4 or EF5 tornado?
Within 25 miles of Lutz, there has been 0 EF5 and 1 EF4 tornado 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 Lutz?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Lutz was an EF0 on September 25, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Lutz?
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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