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Complete tornado information for Polk County, Florida - from real-time warnings to historical data and comprehensive statistics dating back to 1950.
Last updated: Never
Real-time tornado warning information for Polk, Florida with up-to-the-minute updates from the National Weather Service.
Active and expired tornado warnings in Polk, Florida for 2025
Detailed tornado warnings for Polk, Florida
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Comprehensive database of tornado events in Polk, Florida recorded since 1950 through the end of 2024(166 total records)
Total Tornados
166
Total Deaths
9
Total Injuries
544
Property Damage
$79.8M
Avg Length
1.7 mi
Avg Width
45 yd
Detailed charts and visualizations revealing tornado patterns by intensity, seasonality, and impact. These analytics show historical trends and unique characteristics of tornado activity in this region.
Shows tornado frequency across different months of the year, highlighting seasonal patterns. This information helps identify peak tornado seasons and periods of heightened risk.
Tracks tornado occurrences and fatalities over time, revealing long-term patterns and significant events. Toggle the injuries data to see additional impact metrics.
Visualizes the financial impact of tornadoes across years using a square root scale. This approach ensures both major damage events and smaller impacts are visible on the same chart.
Shows the breakdown of tornadoes by intensity rating (EF/F scale). This distribution helps understand the prevalence of different tornado strengths and their relative frequency.
Summary: In POLK County, Florida, Rating 0 tornadoes are the most common, comprising 64.4% of all recorded events. Weak tornadoes (Rating 0-1) account for 89% of all events, while strong tornadoes (Rating 2-3) make up 9%. Violent tornadoes (Rating 4-5) are relatively rare at only 1.2% of all events, but cause disproportionate damage and casualties.
Interactive map showing the paths and touchdowns of all recorded tornado events. Explore the spatial patterns and identify frequently affected areas.
Click on a tornado path to view detailed information. Paths are colored by intensity:
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Comprehensive chronological list of all tornado events with detailed information on each occurrence. View specifics about intensity, damage, casualties, and timing for individual tornado events.
Tornado intensity is measured on two scales (learn more about tornado intensity scales):
| Rating | F Scale (1971-2007) | EF Scale (2007-Present) | Wind Speed Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | F0: 40-72 mph | EF0: 65-85 mph | EF0 has higher minimum speed (+25 mph) |
| 1 | F1: 73-112 mph | EF1: 86-110 mph | EF1 has higher minimum (+13 mph), lower maximum (-2 mph) |
| 2 | F2: 113-157 mph | EF2: 111-135 mph | EF2 has lower maximum speed (-22 mph) |
| 3 | F3: 158-206 mph | EF3: 136-165 mph | EF3 has significantly lower speeds (-22 to -41 mph) |
| 4 | F4: 207-260 mph | EF4: 166-200 mph | EF4 has drastically lower speeds (-41 to -60 mph) |
| 5 | F5: 261-318 mph | EF5: >200 mph | EF5 has significantly lower threshold (-61 mph) |
Why the Wind Speed Differences? Research showed the original F-Scale overestimated wind speeds needed to cause specific damage.
Key Improvements in the EF Scale:
For historical consistency, this website groups equivalent ratings together (e.g., both F3 and EF3 tornadoes are considered in the same intensity category despite their significant wind speed differences).