Palmetto Bay, FL Tornado History — 144 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Palmetto Bay, FL had?
Palmetto Bay has had 144 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 1 violent (EF3+) tornado.
When was the most recent tornado near Palmetto Bay?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Palmetto Bay was an EF1 on October 9, 2024.
When is tornado season in Palmetto Bay?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Palmetto Bay, 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 Palmetto Bay
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 23 total, averaging 1.1 per year over this window.
Preliminary tornado reports near Palmetto Bay 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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.
Within 25 miles of Palmetto Bay. 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 Palmetto Bay
1 fatality has been recorded within 25 miles of Palmetto Bay since 1950, across 1 event. 154 injuries have been reported across all events. 2003 was the deadliest year on record.
The deadliest single event was a F2 on March 27, 2003, which caused 1 fatality along a 6.0-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Palmetto Bay
About Tornadoes in Palmetto Bay
This overview was written April 23, 2026. The tornado counts and notable-event figures elsewhere on this page reflect the latest data and may differ from this summary.
Palmetto Bay, Florida has experienced 144 documented tornadoes within a 25-mile radius since 1950, according to NOAA Storm Prediction Center records. The vast majority of these events have been weak, with 107 rated EF0 and 30 rated EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, which measures tornado intensity based on damage. Only five tornadoes reached EF2 strength, one achieved EF3 intensity, and one remains unrated in the historical record.
Tornado activity in the area increased notably during the 1980s and 1990s, with 26 and 40 events respectively during those decades. The 1960s saw 19 tornadoes, while the 1950s and 1970s each recorded fewer than ten events. More recent decades have shown lower counts, with nine tornadoes in the 2010s and seven so far in the 2020s. June stands out as the peak month for tornado occurrence, accounting for 28 events over the 74-year period, reflecting the influence of summer convective patterns and tropical systems common to South Florida.
The deadliest tornado on record occurred on March 27, 2003, when an F2-rated tornado resulted in one fatality while traveling a 6.0-mile path with a maximum width of 600 yards. The costliest event took place on May 27, 1982, when an F1 tornado caused $2,750,000 in property damage despite traveling only 0.3 miles with a narrow 20-yard width. The longest-track tornado occurred on September 12, 1968, when an F0 tornado traveled 42.8 miles with a maximum width of just 10 yards, while the widest tornado—spanning 833 yards—touched down on October 4, 1968, and traveled 11.5 miles.
The most recent tornado in the area was an EF1 event on October 9, 2024, which traveled 2.9 miles with a maximum width of 75 yards and caused no reported fatalities or property damage. While South Florida experiences tornadoes less frequently than the Great Plains, the region's tornado activity is often associated with tropical systems, sea-breeze convergence zones, and frontal boundaries moving through the peninsula during the warm season months.