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Punta Gorda, FL Tornado History — 190 Tornadoes Since 1950

Florida · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Punta Gorda, FL had?

Punta Gorda has had 190 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 1 strong to violent (EF3+) tornado.

When was the most recent tornado near Punta Gorda?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Punta Gorda was an EF0 on July 21, 2025.

When is tornado season in Punta Gorda?

June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Punta Gorda, with 35 on record. April through June account for 57 of the 190 tornadoes on record near Punta Gorda.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
190
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
1
0.5% of total
Peak Month
June
35 on record
Per Year Avg
2.5
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Punta Gorda

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 35 total, averaging 1.8 per year over this window.

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

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

Preliminary tornado reports near Punta Gorda 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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 June 28, 2026
1 WSW North Fort Myers, Lee County, FL
Two mobile homes in North Fort Myers had roof damage. A video of lofted circulating debris supports a very brief touchdown... lifting about two-thirds of a roof off of (TBW)
Preliminary May 17, 2026
2 N Cape Coral, Lee County, FL
[Landspout] A possible landspout/tornado reported via social media video which showed debris circling in the air. (TBW)

Within 25 miles of Punta Gorda. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.

What storm spotters reported near Punta Gorda

2 local storm reports have been filed within 25 miles of Punta Gorda and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on June 21, 2025 and the most recent on July 21, 2025. They are already counted in the Punta Gorda totals above; quoted below is the narrative each reporting office filed at the time.

July 21, 2025
2 S Nocatee, DeSoto County, FL
[Landspout] Corrects previous landspout report from 2 S Nocatee. A landspout developed Monday afternoon as a sea breeze boundary interacted with additional thunderstor (TBW)
June 21, 2025
2 ESE South Venice, Sarasota County, FL
Delayed report: Video and pictures of a funnel cloud initially received via social media later confirmed as a tornado by broadcast media relayed video captured by a hom (TBW)

Source: National Weather Service and trained-spotter local storm reports, relayed by the NOAA Storm Prediction Center.

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 4
1960s 10
1970s 23
1980s 32
1990s 54
2000s 39
2010s 15
2020s 13

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 130
EF1 40
EF2 18
EF3 1
Unrated 1

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 15
Feb 8
Mar 11
Apr 10
May 12
Jun 35
Jul 23
Aug 25
Sep 26
Oct 10
Nov 5
Dec 10

Casualties on Record Near Punta Gorda

4 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Punta Gorda since 1950, across 2 events. 100 injuries have been reported across all events. 1985 was the deadliest year on record near Punta Gorda.

The deadliest single event was an F3 on March 17, 1985, which caused 2 fatalities along a 3.0-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near Punta Gorda

Deadliest Tornado
F3 on March 17, 1985 — 2 fatalities, 3.0 mi path, 400 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
F3 on March 17, 1985 — est. ~$27.5M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
EF2 on October 9, 2024 — 500 yards wide.
Longest Path
F0 on October 7, 1996 — 52.0 mile track.
Most Recent
EF0 on July 21, 2025.

What the record shows near Punta Gorda

The 1990s were the busiest decade near Punta Gorda, with 54 of the 190 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 13 so far. The Punta Gorda record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Punta Gorda, 170 reached EF0 or EF1 and 19 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Punta Gorda is rated EF3, of which 1 is logged. A further 1 near Punta Gorda is unrated — events NOAA logged before a damage survey assigned a scale.

Across the last 20 years Punta Gorda has averaged 1.8 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 35 in total. 2022 was the busiest of them with 6, and 6 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Punta Gorda, FL had?
Since 1950, 190 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Punta Gorda. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Punta Gorda?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Punta Gorda was an F3 on March 17, 1985, which caused 2 fatalities.
When is tornado season in Punta Gorda?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Punta Gorda, with 35 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 Punta Gorda?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Punta Gorda was an EF0 on July 21, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Punta Gorda?
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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