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Florida · County tornado history

Lake County, Florida tornadoes

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has recorded 62 tornadoes in Lake County, Florida from 1950 through 2024, about one every 1.2 years. That ranks it 25 of 67 counties in Florida with a recorded tornado. The most recent was an EF0 on June 7, 2020.

By Twisters.us · Updated · How we count

Tornadoes since 1950
62
Since 2000
17
Strongest
EF3, February 2, 2007
Most recent
EF0, June 7, 2020
Peak month
April (11)
Per 1,000 sq mi
54
FEMA tornado risk
Relatively High

F0/EF0 1 2 3 4 5 · Lines run from where each tornado touched down to where it lifted; dots are short paths. Neighboring counties are outlined.

When tornadoes hit Lake County

April has brought the most, 11 of 62. About 50% touched down between 12 pm and 6 pm (Central Standard Time, as the Storm Prediction Center records it).

By decade

More tornadoes in recent decades mostly reflects better detection and reporting (Doppler radar, storm spotters, damage surveys), especially for weak EF0 tornadoes, not necessarily more storms. The 2020s bar covers only 2020 to 2024.

How strong they were

Rating Estimated 3-second gust Tornadoes
F0 / EF0 Light damage: 65 to 85 mph (EF scale) 30
F1 / EF1 Moderate: 86 to 110 mph 22
F2 / EF2 Considerable: 111 to 135 mph 7
F3 / EF3 Severe: 136 to 165 mph 3
F4 / EF4 Devastating: 166 to 200 mph 0
F5 / EF5 Incredible: over 200 mph 0

Tornadoes before February 2007 were rated on the original Fujita (F) scale; since then the National Weather Service uses the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale. Wind speeds above are EF-scale estimates from damage, not measurements. See what the EF scale means.

The strongest tornadoes in Lake County

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
February 2, 2007 EF3 26 mi 450 yd 13 51
February 2, 2007 EF3 16.2 mi 450 yd 8 25
February 22, 1998 F3 18 mi 200 yd 3 70
March 12, 1993 F2 30 mi 200 yd 1 60
April 15, 1987 F2 3 mi 100 yd 1 7
March 3, 1960 F2 0.1 mi 10 yd 6
May 10, 1962 F2 0.3 mi 33 yd 1
April 9, 1982 F2 3 mi 20 yd 1
March 7, 1971 F2 0.3 mi 30 yd
August 31, 1985 F2 5 mi 50 yd

Deaths and injuries are for each tornado’s whole path, which can cross other counties.

The deadliest

The deadliest tornado to touch Lake County was an EF3 on February 2, 2007. It killed 13 people and injured 51 along its 26-mile path.

Most recent tornadoes

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
June 7, 2020 EF0 0.5 mi 20 yd
June 7, 2020 EF0 0 mi 25 yd
January 4, 2020 EF0 2.4 mi 175 yd 1
July 4, 2018 EF0 1 mi 75 yd
September 10, 2017 EF1 3.8 mi 500 yd
September 1, 2016 EF0 4.3 mi 250 yd
June 1, 2015 EF0 0.1 mi 10 yd
June 24, 2012 EF0 3.7 mi 100 yd

The official database ends with 2024. For storms since then, see the Storm Prediction Center’s reports and your local National Weather Service office.

FEMA’s tornado risk rating

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates the tornado risk in Lake County as relatively high, with a score of 97 out of 100 compared with every other U.S. county. It estimates about 0.96 tornadoes a year here and an expected annual loss of about $17,911,264 to buildings, people and farming. The index mixes how often tornadoes strike with what is exposed and how well a community can recover, so a busy rural county can rate lower than a less active city.

Neighboring counties

Staying safe

When a tornado warning is issued, act at once. Go to a basement, storm shelter or safe room. With none, use a small windowless room on the lowest floor, as far from outside walls as you can, and cover your head and neck. Mobile homes and cars are not safe places to ride out a tornado: leave early for a sturdy building or shelter. Read the full tornado safety guide and the National Weather Service advice linked below.

Sources

Sources last checked 1 November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How many tornadoes has Lake County had?

62 from 1950 through 2024 in NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center database, 17 of them since 2000.

When was the last tornado in Lake County?

The most recent in the official record was an EF0 on June 7, 2020. Later storms are not yet in the final database.

What was the strongest tornado in Lake County?

An EF3 on February 2, 2007, with a 16.2-mile path.

When is tornado season in Lake County?

April has had the most tornadoes here. Across the U.S. the peak runs from spring into early summer, and the South also sees tornadoes in late fall and winter.