Union County, Florida
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 12125 · population 16,088 · 244 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 164 records for Union County, Florida from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 129 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (91 records). The most damaging was the March 1, 1998 flood ($2.4 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 34 declarations naming the county since 1992, 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
- 164on 129 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 00 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $10Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 8strongest EF1
- 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 Union County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 91 since 1970. 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 | 91 | 70 | 1970-2026 | 0 | 0 | $297K | 15 of 67 |
| Hail | 18 | 17 | 1990-2014 | 0 | 0 | – | 30 of 67 |
| Drought | 9 | 9 | 2006-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 16 of 67 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 9 | 8 | 2004-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 35 of 67 |
| Heavy rain | 8 | 6 | 2016-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 16 of 67 |
| Tornadoes | 8 | 8 | 1983-2024 | 0 | 0 | $7.4M | 50 of 67 |
| Floods | 7 | 7 | 1998-2010 | 0 | 0 | $2.4M | 41 of 67 |
| Wildfires | 6 | 6 | 1998-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 7 of 67 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 4 | 4 | 2000-2005 | 0 | 0 | – | 42 of 67 |
| High wind and dust storms | 2 | 2 | 2009-2020 | 0 | 0 | $93K | 13 of 67 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2003-2003 | 0 | 0 | – | 53 of 67 |
| Winter storms | 1 | 1 | 2018-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 22 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 Union County had?
NOAA records 8 tornadoes in Union County from 1983 to 2024, the strongest rated EF1, with 0 deaths and 0 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 8 tornadoes whose track touched Union County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 8, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Florida.
Every tornado record filed for Union County (8)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-08-04 | Providence, Union County | EF1 0.18 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-06-07 | Duke, Union County | EF0 0.01 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-08-04 | Worthington Spgs, Union County | F1 5.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-08-12 | Worthington Spgs, Union County | F1 1 mi x 1 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-06-11 | Providence, Union County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 1993-01-08 | Gainesville, Union County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $6 |
| 1990-07-12 | Union County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1983-04-23 | Union County | F1 10 mi x 50 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 Union County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 23, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtUnion County · forecast zone Union | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-23 | Thunderstorm WindLake Butler, Union County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtUnion County · forecast zone Union | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtUnion County · forecast zone Union | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindJohnstown, Union County | 39 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindLake Butler, Union County | 36 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtUnion County · forecast zone Union | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtUnion County · forecast zone Union | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-27 | DroughtUnion County · forecast zone Union | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-01 | DroughtUnion County · forecast zone Union | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-25 | DroughtUnion County · forecast zone Union | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-05 | Thunderstorm WindEllerbee, Union County | 40 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $200 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-03-01 | FloodUnion County · forecast zone Union | 0 | 0 | $2.4M | |
| 2001-06-11 | TornadoProvidence, Union County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindLake Butler, Union County | 36 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2026-05-23 | Thunderstorm WindLake Butler, Union County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-06-05 | Thunderstorm WindEllerbee, Union County | 40 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $200 |
| 1993-01-08 | TornadoGainesville, Union County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $6 |
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: April 23, 1983 (tornado, Union 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 Union 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 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 25 | 26 | 24 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 2 | 0 |
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 Union County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 8 · Feb 14 · Mar 20 · Apr 19 · May 18 · Jun 22 · Jul 26 · Aug 16 · Sep 11 · Oct 3 · Nov 3 · Dec 4 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Union County
FEMA's register lists 34 declarations that include Union County: 18 major disasters, 13 emergencies and 3 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (16) and severe storm (6).
| 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 |
| 2022-09-29 | DR-4673 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| 2022-09-24 | EM-3584 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Ian |
| 2021-07-04 | EM-3561 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Elsa |
| 2020-03-25 | DR-4486 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3432 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-08-30 | EM-3419 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| 2018-10-09 | 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 |
| 2007-05-07 | FM-2689 | Fire | Suwannee Fire Complex |
| 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 |
| 2000-06-05 | FM-2306 | Fire | Fl, Suwannee Fire Complex |
| 1999-04-27 | EM-3139 | Fire | Fl-Fires 04/15/99 |
| 1999-04-20 | FM-2258 | Fire | Fl-Fires 04/13/99 |
| 1998-06-18 | DR-1223 | Fire | Extreme Fire Hazard |
| 1998-01-06 | DR-1195 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, High Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 1992-10-08 | DR-966 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & 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 Union County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 7 flood or flash flood records for Union County from 1998 to 2010, on 7 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Union County ranks 1887th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $500,000 on 31 claims filed in Union County; the most in one year was 9 in 1998. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1992: 5 · 1998: 9 · 2004: 3 · 2005: 2 · 2012: 5 · 2017: 5 · 2021: 1 · 2024: 1; 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 Union County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Union County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $5.0 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 Low | $2.2M | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $231K | once in about 276 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $216K | 82 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $434K | once in about 8 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $191K | 3.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $52K | once in about 1,105 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Very Low | $3K | 17 modeled event-days a year |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | $108K | 1.8 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 Union 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 Union CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Union County's FEMA declarations (CSV)34 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis