Taylor County, Florida
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 12123 · population 21,690 · 1,043 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 358 records for Taylor County, Florida from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 234 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (147 records). The deadliest single record is the September 10, 2017 tropical storm, filed for the forecast zone Inland Taylor, which covers the county: 2 deaths and $1.8 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 40 declarations naming the county since 1993, 38 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
- 358on 234 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 316 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $2.1Bas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 24strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 40latest 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 Taylor County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 147 since 1972. 41% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1972 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 | 147 | 107 | 1972-2026 | 0 | 1 | $493K | 53 of 67 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 55 | 33 | 1996-2024 | 2 | 0 | $2.1B | 38 of 67 |
| Drought | 43 | 22 | 2011-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 25 of 67 |
| Floods | 25 | 21 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 0 | $7.5M | 56 of 67 |
| Tornadoes | 24 | 18 | 1956-2023 | 0 | 9 | $6.0M | 63 of 67 |
| Hail | 22 | 16 | 1971-2013 | 0 | 0 | $8K | 65 of 67 |
| Heat | 14 | 8 | 2010-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 17 of 67 |
| Heavy rain | 7 | 5 | 2012-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 51 of 67 |
| Extreme cold | 4 | 2 | 2022-2026 | 0 | 0 | $101K | 51 of 67 |
| Lightning | 4 | 4 | 1998-2016 | 0 | 5 | $1.9M | 55 of 67 |
| Winter storms | 4 | 2 | 2014-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 36 of 67 |
| High wind and dust storms | 3 | 3 | 1997-2023 | 1 | 1 | $31K | 39 of 67 |
| Wildfires | 3 | 3 | 1998-2000 | 0 | 0 | – | 41 of 67 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 1999-2000 | 0 | 0 | – | 61 of 67 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 1 | 1 | 2005-2005 | 0 | 0 | $38K | 33 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 Taylor County had?
NOAA records 24 tornadoes in Taylor County from 1956 to 2023, the strongest rated EF2, with 0 deaths and 9 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 24 tornadoes whose track touched Taylor County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 24, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Florida.
Every tornado record filed for Taylor County (24)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-06-16 | Scanlon, Taylor County | EF0 3.42 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-06-16 | Scanlon, Taylor County | EF0 7.23 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-06-16 | Cabbage Grove, Taylor County | EF0 0.97 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-06-16 | Perry-Foley Airport, Taylor County | EF1 1.26 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $48K |
| 2022-05-06 | Perry, Taylor County | EF0 0.27 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $76K |
| 2020-04-23 | Jack Lee Island, Taylor County | EF1 0.46 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $57K |
| 2016-09-01 | Salem, Taylor County | EF0 0.01 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-09-01 | Adams Beach, Taylor County | EF0 0.01 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-09-01 | Howell Place, Taylor County | EF0 0.01 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-12-20 | Perry, Taylor County | EF0 0.01 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-04-28 | Dekle Beach, Taylor County | EF0 0.32 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $103K |
| 2008-03-07 | Jack Lee Island, Taylor County | EF2 0.4 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 2 | $685K |
| 2004-09-16 | Steinhatchee, Taylor County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $78K |
| 2003-10-28 | Perry, Taylor County | F1 6.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $160K |
| 1994-10-02 | Lake Bird, Taylor County | F0 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $995 |
| 1994-10-02 | Shady Grove, Taylor County | F1 2 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 2 | $100K |
| 1976-05-16 | Taylor County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1975-03-18 | Taylor County | F1 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 1 | $3K step |
| 1974-05-12 | Taylor County | F1 4.9 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 3 | $25K step |
| 1972-10-27 | Taylor County | F2 3.4 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1969-05-19 | Taylor County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1964-06-06 | Taylor County | F1 4.7 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1957-09-30 | Taylor County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1956-09-24 | Taylor County | F2 5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K 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 Taylor County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the February 15, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($4,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
A wash house was thrown into a pond.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1314161)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtTaylor County · forecast zone Coastal Taylor | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtTaylor County · forecast zone Inland Taylor | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtTaylor County · forecast zone Inland Taylor | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtTaylor County · forecast zone Coastal Taylor | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtTaylor County · forecast zone Inland Taylor | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtTaylor County · forecast zone Coastal Taylor | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtTaylor County · forecast zone Inland Taylor | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtTaylor County · forecast zone Coastal Taylor | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-15 | Thunderstorm WindJack Lee Island, Taylor County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtTaylor County · forecast zone Inland Taylor | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtTaylor County · forecast zone Coastal Taylor | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillTaylor County · forecast zone Inland Taylor | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-09-10 | Tropical StormTaylor County · forecast zone Inland Taylor Hurricane Irma brought numerous impacts to the Florida Big Bend, southwest Georgia and southeast Alabama including widespread downed trees and power lines, roads blocked by trees, power outages, and trees on homes. Two people died during the event - one due to a car crash (Liberty County, FL) and another that had a ... | 2 | 0 | $1.8M | |
| 1997-07-05 | High WindTaylor County · forecast zone Taylor An outflow of strong winds from thunderstorms caused 5 to 7 boats to capsize around the Steinhatchee River entrance to the Gulf of Mexico. One man received chemical burns over 80% of his body from the gasoline that poured from his capsized boat. His wife died from cardiac arrest while in the water. | 1 | 1 | $18K | |
| 1998-08-14 | LightningPerry, Taylor County Lightning ignited a natural gas pipeline at the Florida Gas Transmission Company, about three miles northeast of Perry. A pair of explosions sent a 600-foot fireball skyward forcing the evacuation of about 100 residents. Five homes were incinerated and natural gas supplies were shut off to Perry and surrounding ... | 0 | 5 | $1.4M | |
| 1974-05-12 | TornadoTaylor County | F1 4.9 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 3 | $25K step |
| 2008-03-07 | TornadoJack Lee Island, Taylor County A waterspout came ashore as a tornado at Keaton Beach. Damage began along Keaton Beach Drive, just south of Beach Road, and continued east to Marina Drive where most of the significant damage occurred. Sporadic tree and power line damage was observed near Marina Drive. Fifteen homes between Marina Drive and Keaton ... | EF2 0.4 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 2 | $685K |
| 1994-10-02 | TornadoShady Grove, Taylor County A tornado blew down trees and heavily damaged a mobile home. A family took refuge under a mattress but one child was severely injured. | F1 2 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 2 | $100K |
| 1995-04-11 | Thunderstorm WindDekle Beach, Taylor County Thunderstorms blew down trees with one tree puncturing a roof and slightly injuring a woman. | 0 | 1 | $6K | |
| 1975-03-18 | TornadoTaylor County | F1 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 1 | $3K 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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-26 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Taylor County · forecast zone Inland Taylor | 0 | 0 | $1.0B | |
| 2024-09-26 | Storm Surge/TideTaylor County · forecast zone Coastal Taylor | 0 | 0 | $753M | |
| 2024-09-26 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Taylor County · forecast zone Coastal Taylor | 0 | 0 | $188M | |
| 2023-08-30 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Taylor County · forecast zone Inland Taylor | 0 | 0 | $73M | |
| 2024-08-05 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Taylor County · forecast zone Inland Taylor | 0 | 0 | $25M | |
| 2023-08-30 | Storm Surge/TideTaylor County · forecast zone Coastal Taylor | 0 | 0 | $19M | |
| 2023-08-30 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Taylor County · forecast zone Coastal Taylor | 0 | 0 | $7.3M | |
| 2005-07-09 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Taylor County · forecast zone Taylor | 0 | 0 | $6.0M |
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 $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: October 27, 1972 (tornado, Taylor County); September 24, 1956 (tornado, Taylor 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 Taylor 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 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 23 | 55 | 49 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 20 | 12 | 20 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 20 | 23 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 1 | 3 | 12 | 9 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
41% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1972 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 15 · Feb 24 · Mar 28 · Apr 32 · May 28 · Jun 63 · Jul 41 · Aug 60 · Sep 34 · Oct 14 · Nov 9 · Dec 10 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Taylor County
FEMA's register lists 40 declarations that include Taylor County: 25 major disasters, 14 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for hurricane (22) and severe storm (8).
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2022-11-08 | EM-3587 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Nicole |
| 2022-09-29 | DR-4673 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| 2022-09-24 | EM-3584 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Ian |
| 2021-08-16 | EM-3562 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Fred |
| 2021-07-04 | EM-3561 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Elsa |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2005-09-05 | 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 |
| 2003-07-29 | DR-1481 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2000-06-09 | FM-2307 | Fire | Fl, Perry Fire Complex |
| 1998-09-04 | DR-1241 | Hurricane | Hurricane Earl |
| 1998-06-18 | DR-1223 | Fire | Extreme Fire Hazard |
| 1998-01-06 | DR-1195 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, High Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 1996-10-15 | DR-1141 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Josephine |
| 1995-10-04 | DR-1069 | Hurricane | Hurricane Opal |
| 1993-03-13 | DR-982 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Flooding, High Winds & Tides, Freezing |
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 Taylor County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 25 flood or flash flood records for Taylor County from 1998 to 2024, on 21 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Taylor County ranks 419th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Irma | 2017-09-10 | 2 | 2 |
| Tropical Storm Helene | 2024-09-26 | 3 | 0 |
| Hurricane Debby | 2024-08-05 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Idalia | 2023-08-30 | 3 | 0 |
| Hurricane Hermine | 2016-09-01 | 3 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Fay | 2008-08-22 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Dennis | 2005-07-09 | 2 | 0 |
| Hurricane Frances | 2004-09-05 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Earl | 1998-09-02 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $37.4 million on 693 claims filed in Taylor County; the most in one year was 194 in 2024. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1985: 1 · 1988: 1 · 1993: 56 · 1994: 2 · 1995: 35 · 1996: 21 · 1998: 69 · 2003: 4 · 2004: 1 · 2005: 67 · 2006: 2 · 2008: 5 · 2011: 1 · 2012: 3 · 2014: 2 · 2015: 7 · 2016: 82 · 2017: 2 · 2018: 24 · 2019: 15 · 2020: 4 · 2021: 28 · 2022: 2 · 2023: 64 · 2024: 194; 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 Taylor County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Taylor County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $16.2 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 Moderate | $8.4M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $1.2M | 3.8 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $392K | 83 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $306K | once in about 421 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $834K | 1.7 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $284K | 6.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $3.9M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $260K | about once 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 Taylor 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 Taylor CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Taylor County's FEMA declarations (CSV)40 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis