Sarasota County, Florida
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 12115 · population 433,908 · 556 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 518 records for Sarasota County, Florida from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 412 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (149 records). NOAA records 50 flood or flash floods there since 1996, with 1 death; its 14,415 flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA) rank 35th of 2,942 U.S. counties; the deadliest named storm on its flood record is Hurricane Ian (2022). The deadliest single record is the September 28, 2022 hurricane, filed for the forecast zone Coastal Sarasota, which covers the county: 8 deaths and $2.0 billion in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 48 declarations naming the county since 1968, 46 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Milton” on October 11, 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
- 518on 412 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 21139 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $2.3Bas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 84strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 48latest 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 Sarasota County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 149 since 1960. 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 | 149 | 119 | 1960-2025 | 1 | 8 | $4.3M | 31 of 67 |
| Tornadoes | 84 | 75 | 1951-2023 | 2 | 66 | $120M | 3 of 67 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 57 | 56 | 1996-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 of 67 |
| Floods | 50 | 41 | 1996-2024 | 1 | 0 | $34M | 11 of 67 |
| Hail | 48 | 44 | 1969-2017 | 0 | 0 | $92K | 27 of 67 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 40 | 29 | 1996-2024 | 10 | 0 | $2.1B | 9 of 67 |
| Extreme cold | 29 | 29 | 1997-2018 | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | 8 of 67 |
| Lightning | 27 | 26 | 1996-2020 | 3 | 9 | $1.8M | 13 of 67 |
| Heavy rain | 11 | 10 | 1996-2014 | 0 | 52 | $193K | 21 of 67 |
| Wildfires | 10 | 9 | 1999-2020 | 0 | 1 | $780K | 14 of 67 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 7 | 7 | 1998-2018 | 4 | 3 | – | 20 of 67 |
| High wind and dust storms | 6 | 5 | 2002-2021 | 0 | 0 | $145K | 10 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 Sarasota County had?
NOAA records 84 tornadoes in Sarasota County from 1951 to 2023, the strongest rated F3, with 2 deaths and 66 injuries recorded in the county. That is 3rd of 67 Florida counties and 7th of 3,080 U.S. counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. 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 86 tornadoes whose track touched Sarasota County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 84: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985-03-17 03:30, as SPC files it | Venice | F3 | 3 mi | 2 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Florida.
Every tornado record filed for Sarasota County (84)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-10-11 | Gator Creek Estates, Sarasota County | EF0 0.18 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2022-12-15 | North Port, Sarasota County | EF0 0.14 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-05-31 | Desoto Lakes, Sarasota County | EFU 0.5 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-03-16 | Sarasota Beach, Sarasota County | EF1 1.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $1.0M |
| 2020-06-26 | Vamo, Sarasota County | EF0 0.4 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-06-01 | Venice, Sarasota County | EF0 0.62 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-10-10 | Siesta Key, Sarasota County | EF0 0.02 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-01-17 | Pine Shrs, Sarasota County | EF2 1.15 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 2 | $15M |
| 2015-01-24 | Manasota, Sarasota County | EF0 2.38 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2013-06-06 | South Venice, Sarasota County | EF0 1.64 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $13K |
| 2009-06-23 | Hidden River, Sarasota County | EF1 0.63 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $481K |
| 2007-07-24 | North Port, Sarasota County | EF0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2007-05-17 | Fruitville, Sarasota County | EF0 0.3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-08-11 | Venice, Sarasota County | F0 0.3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-03-10 | Sarasota County | F0 3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $241K |
| 2002-12-31 | Sarasota County | F0 2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2001-06-20 | Laurel, Sarasota County | F0 0.1 mi x 5 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-09-17 | North Port, Sarasota County | F0 12 mi x 5 yd | 0 | 0 | $103K |
| 2000-08-24 | Sarasota County | F0 0.1 mi x 5 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-08-16 | Sarasota County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $9K |
| 1999-01-02 | Venice, Sarasota County | F0 3.9 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $620K |
| 1999-01-02 | Sarasota County | F0 2.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $443K |
| 1998-03-01 | Sarasota County | F1 0.4 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $905K |
| 1998-02-17 | Venice, Sarasota County | F1 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $362K |
| 1998-01-23 | North Port, Sarasota County | F0 0.1 mi x 5 yd | 0 | 0 | $9K |
| 1997-10-31 | Sarasota County | F0 0.1 mi x 5 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-04-23 | Sarasota County | F0 0.1 mi x 5 yd | 0 | 0 | $46K |
| 1997-03-14 | Sarasota County | F0 0.1 mi x 5 yd | 0 | 0 | $18K |
| 1997-01-09 | Sarasota County | F0 0.1 mi x 5 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-08-23 | Venice, Sarasota County | F0 0.2 mi x 5 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1994-10-13 | Sarasota County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $100K |
| 1994-07-16 | Tpa, Sarasota County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $100K |
| 1993-08-10 | Sarasota County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1993-04-05 | North Port, Sarasota County | F0 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $102K |
| 1993-04-05 | Venice, Sarasota County | F0 0.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $102K |
| 1993-04-05 | Manasota Beach, Sarasota County | F0 0.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 1992-09-01 | Sarasota County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-06-25 | Sarasota County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1992-06-17 | Sarasota County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1992-02-05 | Sarasota County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1991-09-22 | Sarasota County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1990-07-17 | Sarasota County | F1 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1990-07-01 | Sarasota County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-05-29 | Sarasota County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1988-12-11 | Sarasota County | F0 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1988-04-30 | Sarasota County | F1 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1987-08-21 | Sarasota County | F1 2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 6 | $250K step |
| 1985-05-03 | Sarasota County | F0 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1985-03-17 | Sarasota County | F3 3 mi x 400 yd | 2 | 45 | $25M step |
| 1983-07-07 | Sarasota County | F1 3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1981-08-26 | Sarasota County | F1 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1978-12-24 | Sarasota County | F1 0.4 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1978-10-13 | Sarasota County | F0 2.3 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1978-05-28 | Sarasota County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1978-01-19 | Sarasota County | F1 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1976-06-27 | Sarasota County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1976-05-28 | Sarasota County | F0 0.3 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1975-08-26 | Sarasota County | F1 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1974-12-16 | Sarasota County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1974-06-26 | Sarasota County | F0 0.5 mi x 10 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 Sarasota County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 21, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-06-21 | Thunderstorm WindSouth Venice, Sarasota County | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2024-08-04 | Tropical StormSarasota County · forecast zone Coastal Sarasota | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-06-11 | FloodCoral Cove, Sarasota County | 0 | 0 | $9.4M | |
| 2024-06-11 | FloodSarasota County | 0 | 0 | $706K | |
| 2024-01-09 | Thunderstorm WindBelspur, Sarasota County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $24K |
| 2023-10-11 | TornadoGator Creek Estates, Sarasota County | EF0 0.18 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2022-12-15 | TornadoNorth Port, Sarasota County | EF0 0.14 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-09-28 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Sarasota County · forecast zone Coastal Sarasota | 8 | 0 | $2.0B | |
| 2022-05-31 | TornadoDesoto Lakes, Sarasota County | EFU 0.5 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-03-16 | TornadoSarasota Beach, Sarasota County | EF1 1.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $1.0M |
| 2020-07-16 | LightningSiesta Key, Sarasota County | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2020-06-26 | TornadoVamo, Sarasota County | EF0 0.4 mi x 75 yd | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-09-28 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Sarasota County · forecast zone Coastal Sarasota The highest wind reported in Sarasota County from Hurricane Ian was a gust to 109 mph at Tarpon Point at 12:56 PM EST on September 28. Rainfall generally ranged from 8 to 12 inches over the northern third of the county, to 15 to 20 inches across central and southern locations, where a maximum total of 21.45 inches was ... | 8 | 0 | $2.0B | |
| 1985-03-17 | TornadoSarasota County | F3 3 mi x 400 yd | 2 | 45 | $25M step |
| 2008-05-19 | Rip CurrentSarasota County · forecast zone Sarasota Two tourists from northern New York state were caught in a rip current and drowned off of the Longboat Key Public Beach. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2018-06-24 | LightningPine Shrs, Sarasota County A man and woman at the beach began to head for shelter as it started to rain. The man was struck by lightning, knocking back the woman back. The man was transported to a hospital, but was unable to be revived. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2024-08-04 | Tropical StormSarasota County · forecast zone Coastal Sarasota Surface observations indicate peak wind gusts generally between 50 to 60 mph, with a maximum gust of 54 mph near North Sarasota at 6:20 PM EST, and Venice at 8 PM EST, each on August 4. Rainfall ranged from 10 to 20 inches, with a maximum total of 17.78 inches near Sarasota. As a result of the rainfall, the Myakka ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2018-06-17 | Rip CurrentSarasota County · forecast zone Coastal Sarasota A man and a woman were swimming at Lido Key Beach after sunset when they were pulled out into deeper waters by a rip current. The woman swam against the current for an hour before reaching the shore. Rescue crews found the man's body, but were unable to revive him. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2017-08-26 | FloodLongboat Key, Sarasota County Heavy rain started to fall over Sarasota County on the 26th and continued through the 28th, with as much as 16 inches of rainfall. The highest rain totals were reported along the coast, with 14.74 inches falling in 3 days at the Sarasota/Bradenton Airport in Manatee County. This led to numerous reports of streets ... | 1 | 0 | $60K | |
| 2016-08-26 | LightningNewton Hgts, Sarasota County A 50 year old homeless woman was struck and killed by lightning. She was seeking shelter under a gazebo in the park. | 1 | 0 | – |
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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-09-28 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Sarasota County · forecast zone Coastal Sarasota | 8 | 0 | $2.0B | |
| 2004-08-13 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Sarasota County · forecast zone Sarasota | 1 | 0 | $51M | |
| 2016-01-17 | TornadoPine Shrs, Sarasota County | EF2 1.15 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 2 | $15M |
| 2003-06-21 | FloodSarasota County · forecast zone Sarasota | 0 | 0 | $15M | |
| 2017-09-10 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Sarasota County · forecast zone Inland Sarasota | 0 | 0 | $12M | |
| 2004-09-25 | Tropical StormSarasota County · forecast zone Sarasota | 0 | 0 | $10.0M | |
| 2024-06-11 | FloodCoral Cove, Sarasota County | 0 | 0 | $9.4M | |
| 1996-10-07 | Tropical StormSarasota County · forecast zone Sarasota | 0 | 0 | $5.0M |
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 $25M, in the dollars of the day) holds: March 17, 1985 (tornado, Sarasota County, 2 killed).
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 Sarasota 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 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 23 | 69 | 19 | 21 | 5 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 4 | 25 | 8 | 24 | 9 | 4 | 6 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | – | – | – | – | 40 | 16 | 1 | 0 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 25 | 11 | 5 | 9 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 25 | 12 | 6 | 0 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 6 | 11 | 8 | 15 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
Records by month in Sarasota County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 47 · Feb 38 · Mar 45 · Apr 28 · May 40 · Jun 66 · Jul 57 · Aug 74 · Sep 42 · Oct 25 · Nov 20 · Dec 36 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Sarasota County
FEMA's register lists 48 declarations that include Sarasota County: 29 major disasters, 16 emergencies and 3 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (21) and severe storm (7).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-10-11 | DR-4834 | Hurricane | Hurricane Milton |
| 2024-10-07 | EM-3622 | Hurricane | Hurricane Milton |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2022-11-08 | EM-3587 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Nicole |
| 2022-09-29 | DR-4673 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| 2022-09-24 | EM-3584 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Ian |
| 2021-07-04 | EM-3561 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Elsa |
| 2020-11-11 | EM-3551 | Hurricane | Hurricane Eta |
| 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 |
| 2017-09-10 | DR-4337 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2017-09-05 | EM-3385 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2016-09-28 | DR-4280 | Hurricane | Hurricane Hermine |
| 2012-07-03 | DR-4068 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| 2008-08-24 | DR-1785 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Fay |
| 2008-08-21 | EM-3288 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Fay |
| 2005-10-24 | DR-1609 | Hurricane | Hurricane Wilma |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3220 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 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 |
| 2003-07-29 | DR-1481 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2001-09-28 | DR-1393 | Coastal Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding Associated With Tropical Storm Gabrielle |
| 2001-04-18 | FM-2358 | Fire | Fl - Myakka Complex Fire |
| 2001-02-05 | DR-1359 | Freezing | Severe Freeze |
| 2000-05-16 | FM-2298 | Fire | Flowers-Myakka Fire Complex |
| 1999-10-15 | EM-3150 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Irene - Florida |
| 1999-04-27 | EM-3139 | Fire | Fl-Fires 04/15/99 |
| 1999-04-23 | FM-2260 | Fire | Fl-Fires 04/13/99 |
| 1998-09-25 | EM-3131 | Hurricane | Hurricane Grorges |
| 1998-06-18 | DR-1223 | Fire | Extreme Fire Hazard |
| 1998-01-06 | DR-1195 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, High Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
The 40 most recent of 48 are listed; the CSV has every one.
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 Sarasota County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 50 flood or flash flood records for Sarasota County from 1996 to 2024, on 41 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Sarasota County ranks 35th of 2,942 U.S. counties. The 100 counties with the most claims
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Ian | 2022-09-28 | 1 | 8 |
| Tropical Storm Debby | 2024-08-04 | 1 | 1 |
| Tropical Storm Bonnie | 2004-08-13 | 1 | 1 |
| Hurricane Irma | 2017-09-10 | 2 | 0 |
| Hurricane Hermine | 2016-09-01 | 3 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Debby | 2012-06-24 | 2 | 0 |
| Hurricane Wilma | 2005-10-24 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Jeanne | 2004-09-25 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Gabrielle | 2001-09-14 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Josephine | 1996-10-07 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $857 million on 14,415 claims filed in Sarasota County; the most in one year was 7,847 in 2024. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 13 · 1979: 26 · 1980: 12 · 1981: 109 · 1982: 510 · 1983: 51 · 1984: 5 · 1985: 445 · 1986: 6 · 1987: 62 · 1988: 199 · 1989: 10 · 1990: 8 · 1991: 12 · 1992: 935 · 1993: 238 · 1994: 15 · 1995: 443 · 1996: 208 · 1997: 242 · 1998: 110 · 1999: 55 · 2000: 52 · 2001: 374 · 2002: 18 · 2003: 239 · 2004: 49 · 2005: 51 · 2006: 9 · 2007: 7 · 2008: 11 · 2009: 8 · 2010: 11 · 2011: 6 · 2012: 83 · 2013: 36 · 2014: 11 · 2015: 11 · 2016: 44 · 2017: 202 · 2018: 24 · 2019: 16 · 2020: 97 · 2021: 6 · 2022: 1,316 · 2023: 146 · 2024: 7,847 · 2025: 18 · 2026: 9.
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 Sarasota County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Sarasota County Relatively High overall, with an expected annual loss of $273 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Very High | $5.1M | 96 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Very High | $180M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | $67M | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively High | $7.3M | 3.7 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively High | $6.9M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $1.4M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $1.9M | once in about 146 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.3M | 3 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Sarasota 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 Sarasota CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Sarasota County's FEMA declarations (CSV)48 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis