Sarasota, FL Tornado History — 164 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Sarasota, FL had?
Sarasota has had 164 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 4 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Sarasota?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Sarasota was an EF0 on October 11, 2023.
When is tornado season in Sarasota?
July is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Sarasota, with 26 on record. April through June account for 45 of the 164 tornadoes on record near Sarasota.
At a Glance
Recent Tornado Activity Near Sarasota
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 25 total, averaging 1.3 per year over this window.
Preliminary tornado reports near Sarasota since December 29, 2025
This 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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.
A resident of the area reported seeing the tornado lifting debris over an open field in a construction site. The circulation dissipated shortly after. (TBW)
Within 25 miles of Sarasota. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.
What storm spotters reported near Sarasota
One local storm report has been filed within 25 miles of Sarasota and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on June 21, 2025 and the most recent on June 21, 2025. It is already counted in the Sarasota totals above; quoted below is the narrative the reporting office filed at the time.
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
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 Sarasota
4 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Sarasota since 1950, across 2 events. 90 injuries have been reported across all events. 2016 was the deadliest year on record near Sarasota.
The deadliest single event was an F3 on March 17, 1985, which caused 2 fatalities along a 3.0-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Sarasota
What the record shows near Sarasota
The 1990s were the busiest decade near Sarasota, with 49 of the 164 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 10 so far. The Sarasota record runs from the 1950s to today.
Of the tornadoes rated near Sarasota, 144 reached EF0 or EF1 and 18 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Sarasota is rated EF4, of which 1 is logged. A further 2 near Sarasota are unrated — events NOAA logged before a damage survey assigned a scale.
Across the last 20 years Sarasota has averaged 1.3 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 25 in total. 2013 was the busiest of them with 5, and 9 of those years passed with none at all.