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Winter Park, FL Tornado History — 140 Tornadoes Since 1950

Florida · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Winter Park, FL had?

Winter Park has had 140 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 5 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Winter Park?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Winter Park was an Unrated on August 4, 2025.

When is tornado season in Winter Park?

June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Winter Park, with 25 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
140
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
5
3.6% of total
Peak Month
June
25 on record
Per Year Avg
1.8
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Winter Park

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 29 total, averaging 1.4 per year over this window.

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

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 6
1960s 14
1970s 44
1980s 24
1990s 17
2000s 11
2010s 13
2020s 11

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 67
EF1 49
EF2 18
EF3 4
EF4 1
Unrated 1

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 9
Feb 15
Mar 13
Apr 14
May 14
Jun 25
Jul 17
Aug 13
Sep 6
Oct 3
Nov 6
Dec 5

Casualties on Record Near Winter Park

55 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Winter Park since 1950, across 7 events. 972 injuries have been reported across all events. 1998 was the deadliest year on record.

The deadliest single event was a F3 on February 23, 1998, which caused 25 fatalities along a 28.0-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near Winter Park

Deadliest Tornado
F3 on February 23, 1998 — 25 fatalities, 28.0 mi path, 250 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
F4 on April 4, 1966 — est. ~$27.5M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
F1 on August 13, 2004 — 3,000 yards wide.
Longest Path
F4 on April 4, 1966 — 135.8 mile track.
Most Recent
Unrated on August 4, 2025.

About Tornadoes in Winter Park

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.

Lakes define Winter Park — a chain of them threading through oak-shaded neighborhoods on the low interior spine of the Florida peninsula, just north of Orlando. That flat, water-flanked setting shapes its severe weather. With the Gulf of Mexico to the west and the Atlantic to the east, moist air converges over interior Central Florida in nearly every season: summer sea-breeze boundaries collide and spin up brief tornadoes, while in winter, particularly during El Niño patterns, a strengthened subtropical jet drives squall lines across the peninsula after dark — the setup behind the area's more dangerous storms.

The NOAA Storm Prediction Center's file for the Winter Park area reaches back across generations. An F4 tore through Central Florida on April 4, 1966, killing 11 people and injuring 530 along a 135.8-mile track. In the pre-dawn hours of February 23, 1998, F3 tornadoes swept the region in darkness; one of them killed 25 people and injured 150 along a 28-mile path.

Recent decades carry the same signature. An EF2 struck on March 10, 2025, leaving roughly 3.9 million dollars in damage across the area. From mid-century reports to surveys completed within the past year, the record here belongs to grandparents and grandchildren alike — and the event list elsewhere on this page traces that same long arc.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Winter Park, FL had?
Since 1950, 140 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Winter Park. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Winter Park?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Winter Park was a F3 on February 23, 1998, which caused 25 fatalities.
When is tornado season in Winter Park?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Winter Park, with 25 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 Winter Park been hit by an EF4 or EF5 tornado?
Within 25 miles of Winter Park, 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 Winter Park?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Winter Park was an Unrated on August 4, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Winter Park?
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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