Sumter County, Florida
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 12119 · population 129,698 · 557 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 327 records for Sumter County, Florida from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 285 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (88 records). The deadliest single record is the September 2, 1997 lightning: 1 death and 2 injuries. FEMA has issued 34 declarations naming the county since 1968, 32 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
- 327on 285 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 228 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $171Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 17strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 34latest 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 Sumter County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 88 since 1959. 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 | 88 | 74 | 1959-2024 | 0 | 1 | $1.2M | 45 of 67 |
| Extreme cold | 85 | 78 | 1996-2013 | 0 | 0 | $4.6M | 4 of 67 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 59 | 59 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 7 of 67 |
| Hail | 31 | 29 | 1955-2018 | 0 | 0 | $34K | 43 of 67 |
| Tornadoes | 17 | 16 | 1968-2020 | 0 | 21 | $114M | 54 of 67 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 15 | 15 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | $27M | 40 of 67 |
| Lightning | 14 | 13 | 1997-2023 | 2 | 5 | $1.2M | 29 of 67 |
| Floods | 7 | 7 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | $212K | 62 of 67 |
| Heavy rain | 6 | 6 | 2004-2021 | 0 | 1 | – | 33 of 67 |
| High wind and dust storms | 3 | 3 | 2004-2026 | 0 | 0 | $23M | 25 of 67 |
| Wildfires | 2 | 2 | 2001-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 37 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 Sumter County had?
NOAA records 17 tornadoes in Sumter County from 1968 to 2020, the strongest rated EF3, with 0 deaths and 21 injuries 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 18 tornadoes whose track touched Sumter County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 17: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-02-02 02:10, as SPC files it | Lady Lake | EF3 | 5.67 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Florida.
Every tornado record filed for Sumter County (17)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-06-06 | Oxford, Sumter County | EF0 0.51 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $46K |
| 2020-06-06 | Linden, Sumter County | EF0 0.25 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-03-30 | Sumterville, Sumter County | EF1 2.19 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-01-25 | Royal, Sumter County | EF0 0.9 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-07-16 | Webster, Sumter County | EF0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 2007-02-02 | Royal, Sumter County | EF3 5.67 mi x 335 yd | 0 | 15 | $88M |
| 1998-09-02 | Bushnell, Sumter County | F0 20 mi x 5 yd | 0 | 0 | $9K |
| 1998-02-22 | Coleman, Sumter County | F0 0.1 mi x 5 yd | 0 | 0 | $36K |
| 1997-04-23 | Wildwood, Sumter County | F0 2.3 mi x 5 yd | 0 | 0 | $368K |
| 1996-03-30 | Bushnell, Sumter County | F0 1 mi x 5 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 1995-06-10 | Bushnell, Sumter County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 1987-04-15 | Sumter County | F2 12 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1984-04-09 | Sumter County | F0 0.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1975-02-06 | Sumter County | F1 20.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 5 | $250K step |
| 1970-06-04 | Sumter County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1969-11-13 | Sumter County | F2 3.4 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1968-11-09 | Sumter County | F2 16.7 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M 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 Sumter County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the January 31, 2026 high wind ($10,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-31 | High WindSumter County · forecast zone Sumter | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2025-11-26 | WildfireSumter County · forecast zone Sumter | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-18 | Flash FloodWildwood, Sumter County | 0 | 0 | $35K | |
| 2024-10-09 | Tropical StormSumter County · forecast zone Sumter | 0 | 0 | $3.8M | |
| 2022-09-28 | Tropical StormSumter County · forecast zone Sumter | 0 | 0 | $252K | |
| 2022-09-10 | LightningOxford, Sumter County | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2021-02-13 | Heavy RainOxford, Sumter County | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2020-06-06 | TornadoOxford, Sumter County | EF0 0.51 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $46K |
| 2020-06-06 | TornadoLinden, Sumter County | EF0 0.25 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-09-10 | Tropical StormSumter County · forecast zone Sumter | 0 | 0 | $23M | |
| 2016-09-01 | Tropical StormSumter County · forecast zone Sumter | 0 | 0 | $492K | |
| 2014-06-15 | LightningBamboo, Sumter County | 0 | 0 | $499K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-09-02 | LightningWildwood, Sumter County Lightning from the cirrus anvil of a distant thunderstorm struck and killed a nine year old child and injured two other children ages eleven and fifteen. The children were standing along the sidelines of the Wildwood High School football practice field. The nine year old male child died ten days after the strike.The ... | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 2010-06-15 | LightningLake Panasoffkee, Sumter County Lightning struck a rotted 45-foot tall oak tree causing it to fall onto a manufactured home in Lake Panasoffkee. The two residents of the home were inside their living room when the tree fell onto them, killing a 59-year-old female and critically injuring a 58-year-old male. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2007-02-02 | TornadoRoyal, Sumter County The tornado first touched down near the southeast corner of The Villages south of Lake Miona and moved rapidly to the east northeast at 55 MPH into Lake County. A FEMA report to Sumter County emergency management officials detailed damage to 1,145 homes with 200 destroyed during the 6 minutes the tornado was on the ... | EF3 5.67 mi x 335 yd | 0 | 15 | $88M |
| 1975-02-06 | TornadoSumter County | F1 20.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 5 | $250K step |
| 2022-09-10 | LightningOxford, Sumter County Sumter County EM reported one person sustained minor injuries from a lightning strike. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2021-02-13 | Heavy RainOxford, Sumter County An open field COVID site got flooded after a heavy rain event. Twelve cars had to be pulled out of the mud and one person was injured. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2012-07-30 | Thunderstorm WindOxford, Sumter County A large tree fell on a house, with one person injured inside. A storm survey conducted by Sumter County Emergency Management revealed that the trees roots were rotted and the soil was soaked. | 45 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $19K |
| 2000-08-09 | LightningLake Panasoffkee, Sumter County Lightning struck and severely damaged a 3,600 gallon metal tank on a septic truck. The tank, with half inch thick metal, was squashed in the center by the force of the lightning bolt. Damage to the tank from the lightning bolt was similar to that of stepping on an aluminum beverage can. The driver, standing fifteen ... | 0 | 1 | $43K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-02-02 | TornadoRoyal, Sumter County | EF3 5.67 mi x 335 yd | 0 | 15 | $88M |
| 2017-09-10 | Tropical StormSumter County · forecast zone Sumter | 0 | 0 | $23M | |
| 2004-09-05 | High WindSumter County · forecast zone Sumter | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $13M |
| 2004-09-25 | Strong WindSumter County · forecast zone Sumter | 40 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $9.4M |
| 2024-10-09 | Tropical StormSumter County · forecast zone Sumter | 0 | 0 | $3.8M | |
| 2010-01-11 | Frost/FreezeSumter County · forecast zone Sumter | 0 | 0 | $2.6M | |
| 2010-12-14 | Frost/FreezeSumter County · forecast zone Sumter | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | |
| 2014-06-15 | LightningBamboo, Sumter County | 0 | 0 | $499K |
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: November 9, 1968 (tornado, Sumter 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 Sumter 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 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 24 | 17 | 32 | 8 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 5 | 68 | 12 | 0 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | – | – | – | – | 40 | 16 | 0 | 3 |
| Hail | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 13 | 9 | 0 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
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 Sumter County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 56 · Feb 48 · Mar 29 · Apr 18 · May 17 · Jun 37 · Jul 21 · Aug 18 · Sep 18 · Oct 6 · Nov 21 · Dec 38 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Sumter County
FEMA's register lists 34 declarations that include Sumter County: 20 major disasters, 13 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for hurricane (17) and tropical storm (5).
| 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 |
| 2008-08-21 | EM-3288 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Fay |
| 2007-02-03 | DR-1679 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Tornadoes |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3220 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-09-26 | DR-1561 | Hurricane | Hurricane Jeanne |
| 2004-09-04 | DR-1545 | Hurricane | Hurricane Frances |
| 2004-08-13 | DR-1539 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley |
| 2001-02-05 | DR-1359 | Freezing | Severe Freeze |
| 2000-05-19 | FM-2299 | Fire | Withlacoochee Fire Complex |
| 1998-06-18 | DR-1223 | Fire | Extreme Fire Hazard |
| 1998-01-06 | DR-1195 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, High Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 1993-03-13 | DR-982 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Flooding, High Winds & Tides, Freezing |
| 1990-01-15 | DR-851 | Freezing | Severe Freeze |
| 1977-01-31 | DR-526 | Freezing | Severe Winter Weather |
| 1968-11-07 | DR-252 | Hurricane | Hurricane Gladys |
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 Sumter County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 7 flood or flash flood records for Sumter County from 1997 to 2025, on 7 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Sumter County ranks 1195th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Milton | 2024-10-09 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Ian | 2022-09-28 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Irma | 2017-09-10 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Hermine | 2016-09-01 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.5 million on 123 claims filed in Sumter County; the most in one year was 36 in 2024. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 2 · 1979: 3 · 1987: 1 · 1995: 4 · 1996: 1 · 1997: 2 · 1998: 10 · 2001: 1 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 7 · 2004: 20 · 2005: 1 · 2006: 1 · 2008: 1 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 1 · 2012: 2 · 2015: 2 · 2017: 18 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 4 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2024: 36; 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 Sumter County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Sumter County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $46.1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Relatively High | $18M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $978K | 93 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively High | $5.4M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $1.4M | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $1.3M | once in about 212 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $17M | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $689K | 2.8 modeled event-days a year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $668K | 3.4 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 Sumter 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 Sumter CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Sumter County's FEMA declarations (CSV)34 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis