VORTEX
TORNADO HISTORY
← All Cities

Sunrise, FL Tornado History — 224 Tornadoes Since 1950

Florida · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Sunrise, FL had?

Sunrise has had 224 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 4 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Sunrise?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Sunrise was an EF0 on February 18, 2024.

When is tornado season in Sunrise?

June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Sunrise, with 33 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
224
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
4
1.8% of total
Peak Month
June
33 on record
Per Year Avg
2.9
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Sunrise

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 55 total, averaging 2.8 per year over this window.

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

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

Preliminary tornado reports near Sunrise 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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 Sunrise. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 11
1960s 23
1970s 16
1980s 43
1990s 51
2000s 32
2010s 35
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 147
EF1 57
EF2 15
EF3 4
Unrated 1

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 12
Feb 24
Mar 19
Apr 16
May 26
Jun 33
Jul 17
Aug 27
Sep 29
Oct 13
Nov 7
Dec 1

Casualties on Record Near Sunrise

1 fatality has been recorded within 25 miles of Sunrise since 1950, across 1 event. 225 injuries have been reported across all events. 1980 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 Sunrise

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
F3 on March 1, 1980 — 500 yards wide.
Longest Path
F2 on March 17, 1983 — 52.5 mile track.
Most Recent
EF0 on February 18, 2024.

About Tornadoes in Sunrise

This overview was written August 10, 2026. The tornado counts and notable-event figures elsewhere on this page reflect the latest data and may differ from this summary.

Sunrise can pass long stretches under quiet skies, then face an afternoon when tornado warnings blanket western Broward County — that contrast defines severe weather in this corner of southeastern Florida. Set where the Fort Lauderdale suburbs press against the Everglades, the city sits in humid, unstable air much of the year, and sea-breeze collisions, passing tropical systems, and winter cold fronts are each capable of spinning up damaging circulations with little notice.

The forceful entries in the NOAA Storm Prediction Center database concentrate in the F3 range. An F3 tornado struck on April 10, 1956, injuring 20 people along a nearly eight-mile path. Another F3 carved a roughly thirteen-mile track on June 18, 1959, injuring 77, and a compact F3 on February 23, 1965 injured 6. A grimmer day came on March 2, 1980, when an F3 some 500 yards wide killed one person, injured 33, and caused damage in the tens of millions of dollars.

Tropical moisture keeps the threat alive well past summer: an EF2 struck on October 19, 2011, and another EF2 tracked close to seven miles through the area on September 28, 2022, injuring 2 as hurricane rainbands swept the coast. For the running chronology and maps, consult the live event list elsewhere on this page.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Sunrise, FL had?
Since 1950, 224 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Sunrise. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Sunrise?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Sunrise was a F3 on March 1, 1980, which caused 1 fatality.
When is tornado season in Sunrise?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Sunrise, with 33 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 Sunrise?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Sunrise was an EF0 on February 18, 2024.
How do I get tornado warnings for Sunrise?
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

More Cities in Florida