Tornado History

Hillsborough Tornado History

This county-level tornado history page focuses on Hillsborough, Florida. The records below identify 143 tornadoes from 1951 through 2026, including a highest listed rating of F2 (Considerable damage). NOAA damage estimates in this group total at least $23.0M, with 1 deaths and 122 injuries recorded across the listed events.

Key Tornado Statistics

Total Tornadoes143
Total Deaths1
Total Injuries122
Property Damage$23.0M
Avg Length1.9 mi
Avg Width42 yd

Key Tornado Facts for Hillsborough, Florida

Top local patterns from the historical tornado records in this group.

Average 1.9 tornadoes per year (0.9/yr in last decade)
July is the peak tornado month with 26 recorded events
Deadliest tornado: F2 in Hillsborough, Florida with 1 deaths
1979 was the most active year with 10 tornadoes
The 1970s had the most tornado activity (44 events)
Longest tornado: 24.4 miles in Hillsborough, Florida
Widest tornado: 250.0 yards in Hillsborough, Florida
Most tornadoes in one day: 10 on May 8, 1979

Monthly Distribution

Shows tornado frequency across months of the year, highlighting seasonal patterns and peak tornado periods.

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Summary: In Hillsborough, Florida, July is the most active month with 26 tornadoes.

Annual Tornado Trend

Shows year-by-year tornado counts, making active years and quiet stretches easier to spot.

10740

Summary: 1979 was the most active year with 10 recorded tornadoes.

Tornado Intensity Distribution

Shows the breakdown of tornadoes by EF/F rating.

F0
EF0
F1
EF1
F2
Unknown
EFU

Summary: F0 tornadoes are the most common in this group, with 56 recorded events.

Property Damage Trends

Visualizes reported property damage over time. Bars use a log-like scale so very large damage years do not flatten the rest of the chart.

$5.0M$500K$50K$0

Summary: The highest reported property damage year in this group is 1974 with at least $5.0M in NOAA-listed property damage.

Historical Track Sketch

F2 October 31, 19731973F2 February 19, 19631963F2 March 31, 19721972F2 January 8, 19781978F2 February 2, 19831983F2 December 7, 19961996F2 January 9, 19531953F2 July 2, 19641964F2 December 10, 19691969F2 January 6, 19701970F2 March 31, 19721972F2 July 22, 19511951F2 July 28, 19631963F2 July 2, 19691969F1 February 19, 1974F1 February 19, 1974F1 May 23, 1976EF1 March 31, 2011EF1 March 31, 2011F1 May 18, 1999F1 November 9, 1968F1 November 9, 1968F1 May 8, 1979F1 May 8, 1979F1 August 19, 1980F1 February 2, 1981F1 July 30, 1981F1 June 8, 1983F1 October 31, 1985F1 August 30, 1988F1 April 25, 1991EF1 January 9, 2024F1 January 2, 1999F1 January 2, 1999F1 October 27, 1997EF1 December 16, 2020F1 February 18, 1960F1 January 6, 1970F1 July 10, 1971F1 October 17, 1971F1 February 7, 1972F1 January 22, 1973F1 September 3, 1975F1 August 8, 1975F1 June 4, 1976F1 June 13, 1981F1 July 8, 1982F1 October 3, 1992F1 July 8, 2003EF1 December 9, 2018F1 May 21, 1959F1 June 19, 1960F1 November 23, 1961F1 February 25, 1961F1 July 14, 1967F1 June 3, 1975F1 September 29, 1960F1 July 1, 1969F1 April 15, 1958F1 March 16, 1960F1 August 2, 1971F1 July 28, 1971F0 April 28, 1997F0 March 16, 1960F0 May 8, 1979F0 May 8, 1979F0 May 8, 1979F0 May 8, 1979F0 May 8, 1979F0 September 8, 1983F0 August 6, 1998F0 June 5, 2002F0 July 5, 1997F0 October 27, 1997F0 June 25, 2000EF0 June 29, 2018EF0 June 24, 2012F0 January 23, 1998EF0 May 13, 2009EF0 May 30, 2014© OpenStreetMap contributors
This map covers the wider location—not your exact property.Measure the closest recorded track to a street address in or near Hillsborough, Florida.
Measure distance free

Notable Tornado Records

The table highlights the strongest and most damaging records in this page's local dataset. Damage totals are NOAA-reported minimum estimates where available.

DateRatingAreaLengthWidthDeathsInjuriesMin. property damage
October 31, 1973F2Hillsborough, Florida11.2 mi100 yd08$2.5M
February 19, 1963F2Hillsborough, Florida0 mi33 yd00$250K
March 31, 1972F2Hillsborough, Florida0.2 mi30 yd04$250K
January 8, 1978F2Hillsborough, Florida10 mi100 yd02$250K
February 2, 1983F2Hillsborough, Florida4 mi40 yd02$250K
December 7, 1996F2Hillsborough, Florida2 mi83 yd10$100K
January 9, 1953F2Hillsborough, Florida9.2 mi100 yd012$25K
July 2, 1964F2Hillsborough, Florida0 mi33 yd06$25K
December 10, 1969F2Hillsborough, Florida0 mi33 yd00$25K
January 6, 1970F2Hillsborough, Florida0 mi33 yd03$25K
March 31, 1972F2Hillsborough, Florida1 mi30 yd00$25K
July 22, 1951F2Hillsborough, Florida0 mi33 yd00$2K
Did any of these records occur near a property you care about?Use an exact street address for a property-centered preview around Hillsborough, Florida.
Check a Hillsborough, Florida address

Related Location Pages

Source And Limits

Data sourced from NOAA Storm Prediction Center and the NCEI Storm Events Database. TornadoTrace summarizes reported weather events for screening and research; it is not a damage assessment, inspection, or insurance determination. Coordinates and records can be approximate, incomplete, revised, or missing. No warranty of completeness or accuracy.

Terms · Privacy