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Valrico, FL Tornado History — 241 Tornadoes Since 1950

Florida · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Valrico, FL had?

Valrico has had 241 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 1 violent (EF3+) tornado.

When was the most recent tornado near Valrico?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Valrico was an EF0 on August 8, 2025.

When is tornado season in Valrico?

June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Valrico, with 46 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
241
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
1
0.4% of total
Peak Month
June
46 on record
Per Year Avg
3.2
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Valrico

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

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

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

Preliminary tornado reports near Valrico 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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 May 24, 2026
2 SW Town 'n' Country, Hillsborough County, FL

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

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 10
1960s 26
1970s 61
1980s 28
1990s 59
2000s 28
2010s 24
2020s 5

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 143
EF1 73
EF2 23
EF4 1
Unrated 1

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 18
Feb 8
Mar 24
Apr 17
May 30
Jun 46
Jul 41
Aug 14
Sep 9
Oct 18
Nov 7
Dec 9

Casualties on Record Near Valrico

14 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Valrico since 1950, across 3 events. 629 injuries have been reported across all events. 1966 was the deadliest year on record.

The deadliest single event was a F4 on April 4, 1966, which caused 11 fatalities along a 135.8-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near Valrico

Deadliest Tornado
F4 on April 4, 1966 — 11 fatalities, 135.8 mi path, 300 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
F4 on April 4, 1966 — est. ~$27.5M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
EF2 on October 18, 2019 — 525 yards wide.
Longest Path
F4 on April 4, 1966 — 135.8 mile track.
Most Recent
EF0 on August 8, 2025.

About Tornadoes in Valrico

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.

Long before Valrico grew into a Tampa-area suburb, an F4 tornado swept across the Florida peninsula on April 4, 1966, killing 11 people and injuring 530 along a 135.8-mile track. That outbreak arrived with a vigorous spring jet stream, but it also fits a seasonal rhythm this corner of Florida still follows. In late spring and summer, sea-breeze collisions and Gulf thunderstorms spin up brief, weak tornadoes that seldom stay on the ground for long. In the cool months, a strengthened subtropical jet — especially during El Niño winters — drives organized squall lines across the peninsula, and those systems have delivered the area's stronger, longer-tracked twisters, often after dark. The NOAA Storm Prediction Center's archive for the Valrico area reflects each beat of that cycle.

Cool-season entries stand out in the ledger. An F2 tornado killed one person nearby on December 7, 1996. An EF2 crossed the area in the pre-dawn hours of January 17, 2016, killing 2 people and injuring 4 along a 9.2-mile path. Rainbands from a passing tropical system spawned an EF2 on October 19, 2019 that ran 11.45 miles, and another EF2 followed on December 16, 2020, tracking 13.11 miles and causing about $16 million in damage. The summer beat persists as well: a compact F2 struck in July 1951. A brief EF0 touched down on August 8, 2025. The event list elsewhere on this page carries the full chronology.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Valrico, FL had?
Since 1950, 241 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Valrico. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Valrico?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Valrico was a F4 on April 4, 1966, which caused 11 fatalities.
When is tornado season in Valrico?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Valrico, with 46 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.
Has Valrico been hit by an EF4 or EF5 tornado?
Within 25 miles of Valrico, there has been 0 EF5 and 1 EF4 tornado recorded since 1950. EF4 and EF5 tornadoes are the most destructive ratings on the Enhanced Fujita scale, with winds above 166 mph.
When was the most recent tornado near Valrico?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Valrico was an EF0 on August 8, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Valrico?
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.

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