Leon County, Florida
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 12073 · population 292,157 · 668 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,395 records for Leon County, Florida from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 537 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (847 records). The deadliest single record is the October 10, 2018 hurricane, filed for the forecast zone Leon, which covers the county: 3 deaths and $176 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 36 declarations naming the county since 1973, 34 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Helene” on September 28, 2024.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 1,395on 537 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1412 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $594Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 37strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 36latest 2024
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Leon County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 847 since 1958. 42% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1958 fell in June and July. The rank column places the county among Florida's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 847 | 309 | 1958-2026 | 3 | 10 | $9.8M | 3 of 67 |
| Hail | 139 | 88 | 1959-2026 | 0 | 0 | $970K | 9 of 67 |
| Floods | 134 | 53 | 1997-2025 | 1 | 0 | $61M | 9 of 67 |
| Heavy rain | 72 | 15 | 2008-2012 | 0 | 0 | $46K | 18 of 67 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 52 | 34 | 1996-2024 | 3 | 0 | $329M | 10 of 67 |
| Drought | 47 | 34 | 2010-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 7 of 67 |
| Lightning | 37 | 29 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 1 | $4.7M | 14 of 67 |
| Tornadoes | 37 | 30 | 1952-2025 | 2 | 1 | $187M | 41 of 67 |
| Heat | 10 | 10 | 2010-2023 | 1 | 0 | – | 7 of 67 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 8 | 8 | 1996-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 46 of 67 |
| Extreme cold | 6 | 6 | 2001-2026 | 3 | 0 | $1.4M | 23 of 67 |
| Winter storms | 3 | 3 | 2014-2025 | 0 | 0 | $749K | 18 of 67 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 1 | 1 | 2005-2005 | 0 | 0 | $38K | 29 of 67 |
| High wind and dust storms | 1 | 1 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 0 | $38K | 54 of 67 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2004-2004 | 0 | 0 | – | 48 of 67 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Leon County had?
NOAA records 37 tornadoes in Leon County from 1952 to 2025, the strongest rated EF3, with 2 deaths and 1 injury recorded in the county. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 36 tornadoes whose track touched Leon County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 37: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 2 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-10 04:50, as SPC files it | Tallahassee | EF2 | 24.81 mi | 2 |
| 2019-03-03 19:18, as SPC files it | Lloyd | EF3 | 8.83 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Florida.
Every tornado record filed for Leon County (37)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-04-07 | Lake Iamonia, Leon County | EF1 7.46 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $100K |
| 2025-04-07 | Bloxham, Leon County | EF1 12.17 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2025-03-31 | Southwood, Leon County | EF0 1.9 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-05-10 | Bloxham, Leon County | EF1 29.26 mi x 1,100 yd | 0 | 0 | $235K |
| 2024-05-10 | Fort Braden, Leon County | EF2 24.81 mi x 1,400 yd | 2 | 0 | $87M |
| 2024-05-10 | Andrew, Leon County | EF2 9.17 mi x 900 yd | 0 | 0 | $87M |
| 2024-03-09 | Miccosukee, Leon County | EF1 2.75 mi x 355 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-01-09 | Bloxham, Leon County | EF0 0.96 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-01-25 | Spring Hill, Leon County | EF1 3.24 mi x 550 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-04-10 | Fort Braden, Leon County | EF0 2.39 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-01-27 | Andrew, Leon County | EF1 21.37 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $218K |
| 2021-01-27 | Fort Braden, Leon County | EF1 0.85 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2020-04-23 | Lake Jackson, Leon County | EF1 10.58 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 0 | $11K |
| 2019-04-19 | Bloxham, Leon County | EF0 3.13 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-03-03 | Baum, Leon County | EF3 5.07 mi x 700 yd | 0 | 0 | $577K |
| 2015-04-19 | Tallahassee Mall, Leon County | EF1 4.62 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2014-04-07 | Apalachee Regional Park, Leon County | EF0 0.51 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-12-09 | Lake Jackson, Leon County | EF0 0.64 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $69K |
| 2009-06-04 | Tom Brown Park, Leon County | EF0 0.08 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.8M |
| 2008-03-07 | Capitola, Leon County | EF1 4.6 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 1 | $1.0M |
| 2005-12-05 | Woodville, Leon County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-09-16 | Miccosukee, Leon County | F0 3.5 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $39K |
| 2003-08-12 | Bloxham, Leon County | F0 3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 1995-11-11 | Tallahassee, Leon County | F1 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $968K |
| 1995-08-09 | Bay Panama City, Leon County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $29K |
| 1989-06-09 | Leon County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-06-09 | Leon County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-06-09 | Leon County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1985-05-02 | Leon County | F0 0.5 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1983-05-16 | Leon County | F1 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1976-05-22 | Leon County | F0 3.6 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1972-03-28 | Leon County | F2 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1972-03-28 | Leon County | F2 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1965-06-10 | Leon County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1960-04-10 | Leon County | F2 0.1 mi x 77 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1953-12-06 | Leon County | F2 8.4 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1952-01-28 | Leon County | F2 1.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Leon County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 23, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($2,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindLutterloh, Leon County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindBloxham, Leon County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindNorth Florida Fairgrounds, Leon County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindJ R Alford Greenway, Leon County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindIndian Head Acres, Leon County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindIndian Head Acres, Leon County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindApalachee Regional Park, Leon County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindPisgah Church, Leon County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindJ R Alford Greenway, Leon County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-16 | Thunderstorm WindPisgah Church, Leon County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtLeon County · forecast zone Leon | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-07 | Thunderstorm WindTallahassee Community College, Leon County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-10-10 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Leon County · forecast zone Leon Hurricane Michael started as typical weak October Caribbean tropical system. However, after approximately a week of slow development, the system moved into warm Gulf of Mexico waters and rapidly intensified into a major hurricane as it moved north towards the Florida Panhandle. After a 2-day long intensification ... | 3 | 0 | $176M | |
| 2024-05-10 | TornadoFort Braden, Leon County The tornado touched down in Lake Talquin State Park at Williams Landing, promptly producing EF-1 damage snapping numerous softwood and hardwood trees. The tornado would then continue trekking east-southeast before making a hard right and traveling due east as it passed the intersection of Blountstown Highway and Ft. ... | EF2 24.81 mi x 1,400 yd | 2 | 0 | $87M |
| 2019-04-19 | Thunderstorm WindWoodville, Leon County A tree was blown down onto a home near Woodville Highway. An 8 year old girl was killed and a 12 year old boy was injured. | 50 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $58K |
| 2009-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindForest Meadows Park, Leon County Numerous trees and power lines were down across the northern portion of Leon County between North Meridian Road and U.S. Highway 319/Thomasville Road, including Killearn Lakes. The Leon County EOC reported about 8,000 customers without power, including Bradfordville and northeast Tallahassee. A large tree fell on a ... | 60 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $21K |
| 2024-03-03 | LightningJ R Alford Greenway, Leon County A 73 year old man was struck by lightning and killed while walking with his wife at the J.R. Alford Greenway in Tallahassee. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2022-12-24 | Cold/Wind ChillLeon County · forecast zone Leon The coldest temperatures in about 10 years descended into the tri-state region during the Dec 24-26 period. Low temperatures dipped well down into the teens with high temperatures remaining in the 30s, and even at or below freezing in southeast Alabama on Dec 24th. This extended period of below freezing temperatures ... | 1 | 0 | $50K | |
| 2012-04-03 | Thunderstorm WindTallahassee Community Airport, Leon County Several trees were blown down near the intersection of Jackson Cove Road and Old Bainbridge, including a large, 6 foot diameter tree. A man working outside in his yard was hit by a falling tree and later died on April 6th due to his injuries. Several power outages also occurred as a result of the downed trees. A tree ... | 60 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $64K |
| 2010-09-02 | HeatLeon County · forecast zone Leon A 6 month old child was left in a car for approximately 2 hours as afternoon temperatures reached the lower 90s in the Tallahassee area. The child eventually succumbed to injuries believed to be related to prolonged heat exposure. | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-10 | TornadoFort Braden, Leon County | EF2 24.81 mi x 1,400 yd | 2 | 0 | $87M |
| 2024-05-10 | TornadoAndrew, Leon County | EF2 9.17 mi x 900 yd | 0 | 0 | $87M |
| 2008-08-22 | Tropical StormLeon County · forecast zone Leon | 0 | 0 | $48M | |
| 2016-09-01 | Tropical StormLeon County · forecast zone Leon | 0 | 0 | $37M | |
| 2001-06-11 | Flash FloodCountywide, Leon County | 1 | 0 | $33M | |
| 2008-08-23 | Flash FloodApalachee Regional Park, Leon County | 0 | 0 | $14M | |
| 2024-09-26 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Leon County · forecast zone Leon | 0 | 0 | $13M | |
| 2005-07-09 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Leon County and Wakulla County · forecast zone Wakulla | 0 | 0 | $12M |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 16, 1983 (tornado, Leon County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Leon County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 18 | 14 | 15 | 35 | 76 | 407 | 281 |
| Hail | 1 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 19 | 52 | 29 | 19 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 6 | 29 | 41 | 58 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 71 | 0 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 35 | 6 | 6 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 34 | 13 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
42% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1958 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 79 · Feb 69 · Mar 118 · Apr 221 · May 119 · Jun 309 · Jul 169 · Aug 127 · Sep 92 · Oct 23 · Nov 13 · Dec 56 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Leon County
FEMA's register lists 36 declarations that include Leon County: 23 major disasters, 12 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for hurricane (19) and severe storm (6).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-28 | DR-4828 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024-09-24 | EM-3615 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| 2024-08-10 | DR-4806 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Debby |
| 2024-08-03 | EM-3605 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| 2024-06-17 | DR-4794 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes |
| 2023-08-31 | DR-4734 | Hurricane | Hurricane Idalia |
| 2023-08-28 | EM-3596 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Idalia |
| 2022-12-13 | DR-4680 | Hurricane | Hurricane Nicole |
| 2022-09-29 | DR-4673 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| 2022-09-24 | EM-3584 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Ian |
| 2021-08-16 | EM-3562 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Fred |
| 2020-03-25 | DR-4486 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3432 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-08-30 | EM-3419 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| 2018-10-11 | DR-4399 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2018-10-09 | EM-3405 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2017-09-10 | DR-4337 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2017-09-05 | EM-3385 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2016-09-28 | DR-4280 | Hurricane | Hurricane Hermine |
| 2009-04-21 | DR-1831 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2008-08-24 | DR-1785 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Fay |
| 2008-08-21 | EM-3288 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Fay |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3220 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-07-10 | DR-1595 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dennis |
| 2004-09-26 | DR-1561 | Hurricane | Hurricane Jeanne |
| 2004-09-16 | DR-1551 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ivan |
| 2004-09-04 | DR-1545 | Hurricane | Hurricane Frances |
| 2004-08-13 | DR-1539 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley |
| 2001-06-17 | DR-1381 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Allison |
| 2000-10-03 | DR-1344 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| 1999-04-27 | EM-3139 | Fire | Fl-Fires 04/15/99 |
| 1999-04-19 | FM-2257 | Fire | Fl-Fires 04/13/99 |
| 1998-06-18 | DR-1223 | Fire | Extreme Fire Hazard |
| 1993-03-13 | DR-982 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Flooding, High Winds & Tides, Freezing |
| 1985-12-03 | DR-756 | Hurricane | Hurricane Kate |
| 1973-05-26 | DR-387 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Leon County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 134 flood or flash flood records for Leon County from 1997 to 2025, on 53 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Leon County ranks 327th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Michael | 2018-10-10 | 1 | 3 |
| Tropical Storm Allison | 2001-06-11 | 1 | 1 |
| Tropical Storm Helene | 2024-09-26 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Debby | 2024-08-05 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Idalia | 2023-08-30 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Irma | 2017-09-10 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Hermine | 2016-09-01 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Fay | 2008-08-22 | 4 | 0 |
| Hurricane Katrina | 2005-08-28 | 2 | 0 |
| Hurricane Dennis | 2005-07-09 | 4 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $11.9 million on 1,015 claims filed in Leon County; the most in one year was 181 in 1994. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 7 · 1980: 11 · 1981: 9 · 1982: 2 · 1983: 9 · 1984: 28 · 1985: 68 · 1986: 8 · 1987: 5 · 1989: 2 · 1990: 2 · 1991: 32 · 1993: 12 · 1994: 181 · 1995: 14 · 1996: 5 · 1997: 4 · 1998: 50 · 2000: 49 · 2001: 159 · 2002: 20 · 2003: 5 · 2004: 5 · 2005: 11 · 2006: 4 · 2008: 115 · 2009: 34 · 2010: 28 · 2011: 6 · 2012: 3 · 2013: 13 · 2014: 25 · 2016: 3 · 2017: 4 · 2018: 20 · 2019: 2 · 2020: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2024: 51 · 2025: 3; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Leon County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Leon County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $143 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $24M | 1.4 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | $43M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively High | $19M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $2.4M | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $3.7M | 6.6 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $47M | 1.7 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $1.5M | once in about 695 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $618K | 81 a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Leon County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in FloridaEvery Florida tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in FloridaThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The Florida recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Leon CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Leon County's FEMA declarations (CSV)36 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis