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Wesley Chapel, FL Tornado History — 246 Tornadoes Since 1950

Florida · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Wesley Chapel, FL had?

Wesley Chapel has had 246 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 1 violent (EF3+) tornado.

When was the most recent tornado near Wesley Chapel?

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

When is tornado season in Wesley Chapel?

June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Wesley Chapel, with 36 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
246
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
1
0.4% of total
Peak Month
June
36 on record
Per Year Avg
3.2
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Wesley Chapel

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 38 total, averaging 1.9 per year over this window.

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

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

Preliminary tornado reports near Wesley Chapel 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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 May 24, 2026
2 SW Town 'n' Country, Hillsborough County, FL
Preliminary May 12, 2026
1 SSW Hudson, Pasco County, FL

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

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 9
1960s 25
1970s 62
1980s 27
1990s 64
2000s 29
2010s 18
2020s 12

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 78
EF2 16
EF4 1
Unrated 4

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 16
Feb 11
Mar 26
Apr 16
May 31
Jun 36
Jul 36
Aug 20
Sep 17
Oct 16
Nov 10
Dec 11

Casualties on Record Near Wesley Chapel

11 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Wesley Chapel since 1950, across 1 event. 694 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 Wesley Chapel

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 Wesley Chapel

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.

Between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic, the Florida peninsula brews thunderstorms in nearly every season, and the west-central corridor around Tampa Bay catches its share of the tornadoes those storms spin up. Wesley Chapel, in Pasco County north of Tampa, sits squarely inside this environment, where colliding sea breezes, deep tropical moisture, and winter cold fronts each supply their own brand of rotating weather.

The area's defining event came on April 4, 1966, when an F4 tornado tore across the peninsula on a path roughly 135 miles long, killing 11 people and injuring 530. An F1 injured 55 people as it swept through on February 19, 1974. On October 19, 2019, an EF2 carved a track about 11 miles long and up to 525 yards across. Even Christmas Day has produced a tornado here: an F2 struck on December 25, 2006.

The seasonal rhythm sets this part of Florida apart from the Plains. Summer sea-breeze collisions and passing tropical systems tend to spin up brief, weaker tornadoes, while potent cool-season setups — strong jet-stream winds riding over warm Gulf air, often during El Niño winters — drive stronger events like the F2 tornadoes of December 1978 and February 1983. The live counts, timelines, and event listings elsewhere on this page draw on the NOAA Storm Prediction Center's database.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Wesley Chapel, FL had?
Since 1950, 246 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Wesley Chapel. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Wesley Chapel?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Wesley Chapel was a F4 on April 4, 1966, which caused 11 fatalities.
When is tornado season in Wesley Chapel?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Wesley Chapel, with 36 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 Wesley Chapel been hit by an EF4 or EF5 tornado?
Within 25 miles of Wesley Chapel, 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 Wesley Chapel?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Wesley Chapel was an EF0 on August 8, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Wesley Chapel?
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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