NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Plant City, 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
67 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Plant City, Florida since 1851, 23 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Milton in 2024. Since 1950, 246 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 1 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 23
- Tropical storms
- 44
- Tornadoes
- 246
- EF3 or stronger
- 1
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
12 deaths in all
What the records show for Plant City
The strongest storm to pass near Plant City was an unnamed storm in 1935, a Category 3 hurricane with 124 mph winds when its centre passed 65 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was Irma in 2017, whose centre crossed the city. The record near Plant City begins with an unnamed storm in 1852; the most recent system was Milton in 2024, a Category 2 hurricane 22 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1940s, with 7 systems, 6 of them at hurricane strength. Of the 67 systems, 9 have come since 2000. Of the 407 Florida cities on this site, 56% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than Plant City. The strongest of the 246 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F4 on April 4, 1966; its path came within 4 miles, and it killed 11 people. Of the 246, 18 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 52 have come since 2000. June has had the most tornadoes, 48. The most recent tornado was on August 8, 2025. Plant City has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 93% of the 407 Florida cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 58 times since 1960, with stones up to 3 inches (tea cup size). Plant City has more hail reports within 10 miles than 67% of the 407 Florida cities.
Compare Plant City's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Plant City
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | MiltonOct 10 | 22 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2022 | NicoleNov 10 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2022 | IanSep 29 | 59 mi | Category 2 (99 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2017 | IrmaSep 11 | overhead | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2017 | EmilyJul 31 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2004 | JeanneSep 26 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2004 | FrancesSep 5 | overhead | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2004 | CharleyAug 13 | 29 mi | Category 2 (97 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2001 | GabrielleSep 14 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1995 | JerryAug 24 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1995 | ErinAug 2 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1990 | MarcoOct 11 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1988 | KeithNov 23 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1984 | IsidoreSep 28 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1982 | Unnamed 1982 stormJun 18 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1981 | DennisAug 18 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1968 | GladysOct 19 | 57 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1968 | BrendaJun 19 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1968 | AbbyJun 4 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1966 | Unnamed 1966 stormJul 1 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1960 | FlorenceSep 24 | 75 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1960 | DonnaSep 11 | 23 mi | Category 1 (83 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1959 | Unnamed 1959 stormJun 18 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1950 | KingOct 18 | 48 mi | Category 1 (84 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1950 | EasySep 6 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 27 | 6 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 23 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1946 | Unnamed 1946 stormOct 8 | 26 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormSep 16 | 23 mi | Category 1 (84 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormJun 24 | 52 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormOct 19 | 6 mi | Category 1 (91 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormOct 6 | 73 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1939 | Unnamed 1939 stormAug 12 | overhead | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1937 | Unnamed 1937 stormJul 30 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1935 | Unnamed 1935 stormSep 4 | 65 mi | Category 3 (124 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormSep 4 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormJul 31 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1930 | Unnamed 1930 stormSep 9 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormSep 17 | 5 mi | Category 1 (94 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 13 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 9 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1921 | Unnamed 1921 stormOct 25 | 29 mi | Category 2 (100 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1920 | Unnamed 1920 stormSep 30 | 75 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormMay 15 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1910 | Unnamed 1910 stormOct 18 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1909 | Unnamed 1909 stormJun 29 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1903 | Unnamed 1903 stormSep 12 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormOct 5 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormAug 2 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1897 | Unnamed 1897 stormSep 21 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormSep 26 | 31 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1892 | Unnamed 1892 stormOct 24 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 8 | overhead | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1887 | Unnamed 1887 stormOct 30 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 18 | 55 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormOct 8 | 69 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormAug 30 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormSep 10 | 49 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormOct 7 | 73 mi | Category 2 (105 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormSep 23 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1872 | Unnamed 1872 stormOct 23 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 25 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 17 | 33 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormOct 28 | 3 mi | Category 1 (90 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormOct 18 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1858 | Unnamed 1858 stormSep 14 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormSep 12 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 1 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Plant City: 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 Plant City
By decade
- 2020s4
- 2010s18
- 2000s30
- 1990s61
- 1980s33
- 1970s62
- 1960s28(1 EF3+)
- 1950s10
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 4, 1966 | F4 | 4 mi | 135.8 mi | 11 / 530 |
| Dec 7, 1996 | F2 | 17 mi | 2 mi | 1 / 0 |
| Oct 18, 2019 | EF2 | 6 mi | 11.45 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 10, 2017 | EF2 | 18 mi | 0.59 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 25, 2006 | F2 | 23 mi | 0.83 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Feb 8, 1986 | F2 | 21 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 2, 1983 | F2 | 2 mi | 4 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Dec 1, 1978 | F2 | 11 mi | 0.6 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 1, 1978 | F2 | 23 mi | 0.8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 8, 1978 | F2 | 3 mi | 10 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Oct 31, 1973 | F2 | 23 mi | 27.9 mi | 0 / 17 |
| Mar 17, 1973 | F2 | 14 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 1 |
The strongest 12 of 246, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Plant City
The Storm Prediction Center has 58 hail reports within 10 miles of Plant City since 1960, made on 53 separate days. Of these, 35 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 3 inches (tea cup size), fell on April 24, 2023. The most recent report is from March 5, 2024. June has the most reports, 20.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Plant City
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Plant City, FL, in Plant City at 110 feet. July and August are the warmest, with an average high of 94°F and low of 73°F; January is the coolest, at 75°F and 50°F. June is the wettest at 9.7 inches of precipitation on average and November the driest at 1.8 inches; the year adds up to 56.2 inches over 79 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 69% of the year's precipitation (38.7 of 56.2 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 67 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (24); a normal September there has highs of 92°F and 7.0 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 111 days a year, almost all from April to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 3 nights a year. That 56.2 inches is more than at 79 of the 125 Florida stations used on this site (63%). Lakeland, 10 miles east, has its own station (Lakeland 2, FL): 56.8 inches a year, 0.6 more than here, and a July average high of 92°F against 94°F.
Water temperature at the NOAA tide station East Bay, FL, 19 miles west, averaged 89°F in July and 64°F in January over 2021–2025. It averaged 80°F or warmer from May to October. Sea level at the East Bay tide gauge, 19 miles from Plant City, has risen 2.17 ± 0.16 inches per decade from 1976 to 2025, NOAA's linear trend; at that pace it is 21.7 inches in a hundred years. That is faster than at 125 of the 144 U.S. gauges with a NOAA trend.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Water °F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75 | 50 | 3.0 | 4 | 64 |
| Feb | 78 | 53 | 2.3 | 4 | 67 |
| Mar | 81 | 56 | 2.8 | 4 | 74 |
| Apr | 86 | 61 | 2.9 | 4 | 78 |
| May | 91 | 67 | 4.0 | 5 | 84 |
| Jun | 93 | 72 | 9.7 | 12 | 87 |
| Jul | 94 | 73 | 8.7 | 13 | 89 |
| Aug | 94 | 74 | 8.9 | 13 | 89 |
| Sep | 92 | 72 | 7.0 | 9 | 86 |
| Oct | 87 | 66 | 2.6 | 5 | 80 |
| Nov | 81 | 58 | 1.8 | 3 | 74 |
| Dec | 77 | 53 | 2.5 | 4 | 68 |
| Year | 86 | 63 | 56.2 | 79 | 78 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Plant City, FL (110 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals; water temperature: average of hourly readings 2021–2025 at the NOAA tide station East Bay, FL, from NOAA Tides & Currents. 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 Plant City
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 70 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Plant City: 57 thunderstorm wind reports, 7 heavy rain events, 3 lightning strikes, 2 floods and 1 flash flood. They killed 3 people and injured 27, and the NWS estimated $1.5 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 86 mph, on June 25, 1997.
July 4, 2009: lightning strike 6 miles from the centre of Plant City — 1 killed, 26 injured.
June 21, 1998: thunderstorm wind 4 miles from the centre of Plant City — 1 killed, $1,000 damage.
NWS: “Thunderstorm winds snapped a large 500-pound, 15 inch oak branch which fell atop and killed a 71 year old female while she walked along a sidewalk near the 6300 block of State Road 39 in Plant City.”
May 14, 2014: lightning strike 7 miles from the centre of Plant City — 1 killed.
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 Plant City's 4 ZIP codes have filed 453 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1979, and were paid $20.1 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Hurricane Milton in 2024: 236 claims (52% of all) and $18.1 million, then Hurricane Elena in 1985 with 47 and Flooding in 1979 with 29. 86% 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, 200 have fewer than Plant City.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Milton2024 | 236 | $18.1 million |
| Hurricane Elena1985 | 47 | $179,000 |
| Flooding1979 | 29 | $85,000 |
| Hurricane Irma2017 | 23 | $437,000 |
| Blizzard of 19931993 | 21 | $629,000 |
| Hurricane Jeanne2004 | 12 | $37,000 |
Hillsborough County, which includes Plant City, has been named in 47 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1968, 27 of them major disasters (by incident: 21 hurricanes, 7 severe storms, 5 fires, 5 tropical storms). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Milton, on October 11, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Hillsborough County a Relatively High rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Very High for hurricanes, tornadoes and lightning; Relatively High for hail, inland flooding, coastal flooding and heat waves; Relatively Moderate for strong wind. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $494.6 million a year, the 4th highest of 67 Florida counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $178.3 million (36%), 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.