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North Miami Beach, FL Tornado History — 229 Tornadoes Since 1950

Florida · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has North Miami Beach, FL had?

North Miami Beach has had 229 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 4 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near North Miami Beach?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of North Miami Beach was an Unrated on February 18, 2024.

When is tornado season in North Miami Beach?

June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near North Miami Beach, with 38 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
229
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
4
1.7% of total
Peak Month
June
38 on record
Per Year Avg
3.0
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near North Miami Beach

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 51 total, averaging 2.5 per year over this window.

2026 0+1 prelim
2025 0
2024 5
2023 3
2022 5
2021 0
2020 1
2019 1
2018 5
2017 8
2016 6
2015 2
2014 1
2013 2
2012 1
2011 3
2010 1
2009 0
2008 4
2007 3

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

Preliminary tornado reports near North Miami Beach since December 29, 2025

These 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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 EF0° April 7, 2026
3 NNW Miami Lakes, Miami-Dade County, FL

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

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 12
1960s 25
1970s 14
1980s 46
1990s 53
2000s 35
2010s 30
2020s 14

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 163
EF1 48
EF2 12
EF3 4
Unrated 2

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 12
Feb 20
Mar 20
Apr 15
May 27
Jun 38
Jul 18
Aug 31
Sep 28
Oct 14
Nov 6
Dec 0

Casualties on Record Near North Miami Beach

2 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of North Miami Beach since 1950, across 2 events. 224 injuries have been reported across all events. 2003 was the deadliest year on record.

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

Notable Tornadoes Near North Miami Beach

Deadliest Tornado
F3 on March 1, 1980 — 1 fatality, 7.8 mi path, 500 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
F3 on March 1, 1980 — est. ~$27.5M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
F2 on March 27, 2003 — 600 yards wide.
Longest Path
F2 on March 17, 1983 — 52.5 mile track.
Most Recent
Unrated on February 18, 2024.

About Tornadoes in North Miami Beach

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.

North Miami Beach sits on Miami-Dade County's Atlantic coast, in a corner of South Florida where sea-breeze thunderstorms, tropical systems, and cool-season squall lines can all spin up tornadoes. Many local touchdowns are brief, but the area's history includes strong tornadoes that cut long paths through this heavily developed stretch of coastline.

On March 2, 1980, an F3 tornado tore across the area on a 7.8-mile path as much as 500 yards wide, killing one person, injuring 33, and causing $27.5 million in property damage. An F3 on June 18, 1959 tracked 12.7 miles and injured 77 people, and another F3, on April 10, 1956, injured 20 along a 7.8-mile path. On March 27, 2003, an F2 that grew to 600 yards wide killed one person and injured 14 on a six-mile track, while an F2 on February 3, 1998 stayed on the ground for 21 miles.

Tornadoes have kept coming in the EF-scale era. An EF2 on October 19, 2011 caused $4 million in property damage along a 1.11-mile path; clusters of weak tornadoes swept the area on February 16, 2016 and again on September 27, 2022; and tornadoes touched down once more on February 18, 2024 — a reminder that even short-lived spin-ups remain part of life on this crowded coast.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has North Miami Beach, FL had?
Since 1950, 229 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of North Miami Beach. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near North Miami Beach?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of North Miami Beach was a F3 on March 1, 1980, which caused 1 fatality.
When is tornado season in North Miami Beach?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near North Miami Beach, with 38 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 North Miami Beach?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of North Miami Beach was an Unrated on February 18, 2024.
How do I get tornado warnings for North Miami 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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