NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Fort Walton Beach, FL
Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.
75 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Fort Walton Beach, Florida since 1851, 28 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Fred in 2021. Since 1950, 119 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 1 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 28
- Tropical storms
- 47
- Tornadoes
- 119
- EF3 or stronger
- 1
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
4 deaths in all
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Fort Walton Beach
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | FredAug 16 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2020 | SallySep 16 | 53 mi | Category 1 (83 mph) | Category 2 |
| 2019 | NestorOct 19 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2018 | MichaelOct 10 | 72 mi | Category 5 (159 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2018 | AlbertoMay 28 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2009 | ClaudetteAug 17 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2008 | FayAug 23 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2005 | DennisJul 10 | 28 mi | Category 3 (122 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2005 | ArleneJun 11 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2004 | IvanSep 16 | 73 mi | Category 2 (108 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2001 | BarryAug 6 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2000 | HeleneSep 22 | 1 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1998 | EarlSep 3 | 51 mi | Category 1 (85 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1997 | DannyJul 20 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1995 | OpalOct 4 | 24 mi | Category 2 (107 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1995 | ErinAug 3 | 30 mi | Category 1 (93 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1994 | JohnSep 8 | 65 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1994 | BerylAug 15 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1994 | AlbertoJul 3 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1985 | JuanOct 31 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1985 | ElenaSep 2 | 59 mi | Category 3 (123 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1975 | EloiseSep 23 | 22 mi | Category 3 (123 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1969 | Unnamed 1969 stormOct 1 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1965 | Unnamed 1965 stormJun 15 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1964 | HildaOct 5 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1959 | IreneOct 8 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1957 | DebbieSep 8 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1956 | FlossySep 24 | 8 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1953 | FlorenceSep 26 | 26 mi | Category 1 (91 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1953 | AliceJun 6 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1948 | Unnamed 1948 stormJul 9 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1939 | Unnamed 1939 stormAug 13 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1939 | Unnamed 1939 stormJun 16 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1937 | Unnamed 1937 stormSep 20 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1937 | Unnamed 1937 stormAug 31 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1936 | Unnamed 1936 stormJul 31 | overhead | Category 2 (101 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormOct 6 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 1 | 52 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormSep 20 | 25 mi | Category 3 (121 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1919 | Unnamed 1919 stormJul 4 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1917 | Unnamed 1917 stormSep 29 | 3 mi | Category 3 (115 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormOct 18 | 46 mi | Category 2 (106 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormSep 4 | 73 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1914 | Unnamed 1914 stormSep 18 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1911 | Unnamed 1911 stormAug 11 | 41 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 28 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormJun 28 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormJun 12 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1904 | Unnamed 1904 stormNov 3 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1903 | Unnamed 1903 stormSep 14 | 51 mi | Category 1 (82 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 10 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 17 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormAug 2 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormAug 3 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormJul 7 | 8 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 9 | 52 mi | Category 3 (121 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormAug 7 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 23 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1887 | Unnamed 1887 stormOct 19 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1887 | Unnamed 1887 stormJul 27 | 2 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormSep 28 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormSep 21 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 30 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 10 | 7 mi | Category 3 (122 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormAug 31 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormOct 16 | overhead | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 10 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 3 | 72 mi | Category 3 (115 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormSep 19 | 3 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1875 | Unnamed 1875 stormSep 27 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1868 | Unnamed 1868 stormOct 4 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormAug 12 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 16 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormAug 31 | 46 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormAug 23 | 58 mi | Category 3 (115 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Fort Walton Beach: a hurricane's worst winds sit within a few dozen miles of its centre, and inland cities are usually past that.
Tornadoes within 25 miles of Fort Walton Beach
By decade
- 2020s9
- 2010s10
- 2000s16
- 1990s26
- 1980s16
- 1970s27
- 1960s14(1 EF3+)
- 1950s1
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 25, 1964 | F3 | 3 mi | 12.8 mi | 0 / 4 |
| Oct 4, 1995 | F2 | 22 mi | 1.8 mi | 1 / 3 |
| May 26, 1973 | F2 | 22 mi | 105.4 mi | 1 / 4 |
| Dec 10, 1967 | F2 | 2 mi | 6.8 mi | 1 / 50 |
| Jan 5, 1962 | F2 | 23 mi | 2.5 mi | 1 / 30 |
| Jan 22, 2023 | EF2 | 18 mi | 0.78 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 1, 1996 | F2 | 15 mi | 0.4 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 1, 1989 | F2 | 6 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 7, 1974 | F2 | 5 mi | 5.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 12, 1971 | F2 | 3 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 8, 1971 | F2 | 22 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 21, 1969 | F2 | 14 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 119, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
How to read this page
A storm is listed when the centre of its track passed within 75 miles of Fort Walton Beach while it was at least a tropical storm, which is the reach of damaging wind and rain for a typical hurricane. Being on the list does not mean the city took a direct hit; the "closest" column says how near the centre came. Tornadoes are counted when any part of the path came within 25 miles.
Tornado records before the 1990s are thinner, because weak tornadoes in open country often went unreported before Doppler radar and mobile phones. A rise in the decade counts is mostly better reporting, not a change in the weather.
Tracks come from the National Hurricane Center's HURDAT2 database, tornadoes from the Storm Prediction Center's database. Both are the official federal records and both are revised as old storms are re-analysed.