NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Lee, FL
Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.
Data: NOAA NHC HURDAT2 and NOAA SPC tornado and hail reports, through 2025 · Updated
82 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Lee, Florida since 1851, 12 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Helene in 2024. Since 1950, 69 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 1 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 12
- Tropical storms
- 70
- Tornadoes
- 69
- EF3 or stronger
- 1
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
5 deaths in all
What the records show for Lee
The strongest storm to pass near Lee was Helene in 2024, a Category 3 hurricane with 121 mph winds when its centre passed 19 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1935, whose centre came within 2 miles. The record near Lee begins with an unnamed storm in 1852; the most recent system was Helene in 2024. The busiest decade was the 1870s, with 10 systems. Of the 82 systems, 17 have come since 2000. Of the 407 Florida cities on this site, 96% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than Lee. The strongest of the 69 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F3 on April 19, 1988; its path came within 5 miles, and it killed 4 people. Of the 69, 7 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 29 have come since 2000. March has had the most tornadoes, 13. The most recent tornado was on May 10, 2024. Of the 407 Florida cities, 89% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Lee. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 22 times since 1959, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Of the 407 Florida cities, 76% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Lee.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Lee
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | HeleneSep 27 | 19 mi | Category 3 (121 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2024 | DebbyAug 5 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2023 | IdaliaAug 30 | 3 mi | Category 2 (102 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2022 | NicoleNov 10 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2021 | MindySep 9 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2021 | ElsaJul 7 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2020 | EtaNov 12 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2017 | IrmaSep 11 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2016 | HermineSep 2 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2016 | ColinJun 7 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 7 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2008 | FayAug 22 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2006 | AlbertoJun 13 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2005 | TammyOct 6 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2004 | JeanneSep 27 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2004 | FrancesSep 6 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2000 | GordonSep 18 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1998 | EarlSep 3 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1996 | JosephineOct 8 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1995 | AllisonJun 5 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1985 | KateNov 22 | 64 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1976 | Unnamed 1976 stormMay 23 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1972 | AlphaMay 28 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1971 | Unnamed 1971 stormAug 16 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1966 | Unnamed 1966 stormJul 2 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1966 | AlmaJun 10 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1964 | HildaOct 5 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1964 | DoraSep 10 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 29 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1957 | Unnamed 1957 stormJun 9 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1950 | LoveOct 21 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1950 | KingOct 19 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 28 | 22 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormOct 15 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormOct 7 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 24 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1946 | Unnamed 1946 stormOct 8 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormOct 21 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormOct 7 | 71 mi | Category 1 (76 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1937 | Unnamed 1937 stormAug 31 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1936 | Unnamed 1936 stormAug 22 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1935 | Unnamed 1935 stormSep 5 | 2 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormSep 5 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 15 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 1 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 10 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormJul 29 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 29 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 16 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1914 | Unnamed 1914 stormSep 17 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJul 16 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1909 | Unnamed 1909 stormJun 30 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 29 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormJun 29 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 15 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 28 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1900 | Unnamed 1900 stormOct 12 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 29 | 47 mi | Category 3 (112 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 9 | 64 mi | Category 1 (90 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormJun 16 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormOct 11 | 71 mi | Category 2 (100 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 9 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 1 | 45 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 21 | 41 mi | Category 1 (89 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 12 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormSep 21 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 31 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormOct 11 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormSep 8 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 11 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 3 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormSep 20 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 28 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormSep 19 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormJun 2 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormOct 5 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormSep 6 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 26 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 18 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1868 | Unnamed 1868 stormOct 4 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1867 | Unnamed 1867 stormOct 6 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormOct 10 | 34 mi | Category 1 (89 mph) | Category 2 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Lee: 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 Lee
By decade
- 2020s9
- 2010s5
- 2000s15
- 1990s7
- 1980s10(1 EF3+)
- 1970s13
- 1960s9
- 1950s1
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 19, 1988 | F3 | 5 mi | 12 mi | 4 / 18 |
| Nov 5, 1988 | F2 | 1 mi | 8 mi | 1 / 3 |
| Feb 4, 2024 | EF2 | 24 mi | 7.27 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Mar 13, 2001 | F2 | 12 mi | 3.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 29, 1998 | F2 | 11 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 5 |
| Apr 19, 1988 | F2 | 12 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 21, 1972 | F2 | 12 mi | 12.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 25, 1969 | F2 | 2 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Jul 8, 1966 | F2 | 25 mi | 3.3 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Jun 15, 1965 | F2 | 16 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 10, 2024 | EF1 | 5 mi | 37.52 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 30, 2020 | EF1 | 18 mi | 5.52 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 69, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Lee
The Storm Prediction Center has 22 hail reports within 10 miles of Lee since 1959, made on 18 separate days. Of these, 10 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 6 days, most recently February 3, 2006. The most recent report is from April 11, 2025. May has the most reports, 9.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Lee
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Madison, FL, 8 miles west of Lee at 120 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 91°F and low of 72°F; January is the coolest, at 63°F and 40°F. June is the wettest at 7.6 inches of precipitation on average and November the driest at 2.3 inches; the year adds up to 52.9 inches over 72 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 57% of the year's precipitation (30.0 of 52.9 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 82 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (26); a normal September there has highs of 87°F and 4.0 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 94 days a year, almost all from May to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 23 nights a year. That 52.9 inches is more than at 47 of the 125 Florida stations used on this site (38%). Jennings, 14 miles northeast, has its own station (Jasper, FL): 52.8 inches a year, 0.1 less than here, and a July average high of 90°F against 91°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 63 | 40 | 4.9 | 6 |
| Feb | 67 | 44 | 3.8 | 6 |
| Mar | 73 | 48 | 5.1 | 6 |
| Apr | 79 | 55 | 2.9 | 4 |
| May | 86 | 62 | 2.7 | 4 |
| Jun | 90 | 70 | 7.6 | 9 |
| Jul | 91 | 72 | 6.2 | 10 |
| Aug | 91 | 72 | 6.6 | 9 |
| Sep | 87 | 68 | 4.0 | 6 |
| Oct | 81 | 58 | 3.3 | 4 |
| Nov | 72 | 49 | 2.3 | 3 |
| Dec | 66 | 43 | 3.5 | 5 |
| Year | 79 | 57 | 52.9 | 72 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Madison, FL (120 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals. Normals describe the station; the farther a place is from it, and the bigger the difference in height, the more its weather can differ.
Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near Lee
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 129 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Lee: 109 thunderstorm wind reports, 9 heavy rain events, 7 flash floods, 2 floods and 2 lightning strikes. They killed 1 person and injured 4, and the NWS estimated $366,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 69 mph, on August 13, 2008. June has had the most flash floods, 4 of 7. Of the 277 Florida cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 165 have had fewer than Lee.
April 5, 2009: flood 4 miles from the centre of Lee — 1 killed.
NWS: “An elderly man drowned outside his home near the Blue Springs boat landing on the Withlacoochee River.”
June 28, 2008: thunderstorm wind 3 miles from the centre of Lee — 2 injured, $10,000 damage.
NWS: “A severe thunderstorm blew down several trees. Two Lee teens were injured in an automobile accident when their Jeep collided with an oak tree that fell on Old Blue Springs Road.”
June 30, 2008: lightning strike 7 miles from the centre of Lee — 1 injured.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, events whose starting point is on record, 1996 to June 30, 2026. Damage is the NWS estimate in the dollars of the year, not insured losses, and NWS notes that some reports are unverified.
Flood insurance claims, disaster declarations and FEMA risk ratings
Flood insurance policyholders in Lee's ZIP code 32059 have filed 27 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1984, and were paid $319,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The year with the most claims was 2009, with 11. 22% of the claims carry the name of a storm or flood event; the rest have no event name. Of the 340 Florida cities on this site with 10 or more claims, 38 have fewer than Lee.
Madison County, which includes Lee, has been named in 34 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1973, 20 of them major disasters (by incident: 17 hurricanes, 7 severe storms, 5 tropical storms, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Milton, on October 11, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Madison County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for hurricanes and lightning; Relatively Low for tornadoes, strong wind and heat waves; Very Low for hail and inland flooding. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $10.7 million a year, the 57th highest of 67 Florida counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $6.0 million (56%), is from hurricanes.
Claims: FEMA, OpenFEMA Dataset FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims – v3, summed over ZIP codes; payments in the dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. Declarations: Disaster Declarations Summaries – v2, by county. Retrieved October 25, 2026. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
Risk ratings: FEMA, National Risk Index county table, December 2025 (v1.20), retrieved October 26, 2026; ratings compare counties nationwide, are meant for planning and are no substitute for a local risk assessment. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
What counts as a pass, the distances and the sources: how this storm history is built.
Cities near Lee
- Madison, FL9 mi
- Jennings, FL14 mi
- Live Oak, FL17 mi
- Jasper, FL20 mi
- Lake Park, GA22 mi
- Greenville, FL23 mi
- Mayo, FL23 mi
- Mc Alpin, FL26 mi
- Quitman, GA30 mi
- Valdosta, GA30 mi
- White Springs, FL31 mi
- Wellborn, FL31 mi
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