NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Gainesville, FL
Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.
78 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Gainesville, Florida since 1851, 14 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Debby in 2024. Since 1950, 82 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 0 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 14
- Tropical storms
- 64
- Tornadoes
- 82
- EF3 or stronger
- 0
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
1 deaths in all
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Gainesville
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | DebbyAug 5 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2023 | IdaliaAug 30 | 71 mi | Category 2 (109 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2022 | NicoleNov 10 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2021 | ElsaJul 7 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2020 | EtaNov 12 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2017 | IrmaSep 11 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2016 | JuliaSep 14 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2016 | ColinJun 7 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 7 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2012 | DebbyJun 26 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2012 | BerylMay 28 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2008 | FayAug 22 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2005 | TammyOct 6 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2004 | JeanneSep 27 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2000 | GordonSep 18 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1996 | JosephineOct 8 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1984 | IsidoreSep 28 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1982 | Unnamed 1982 stormJun 18 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1976 | Unnamed 1976 stormMay 23 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1968 | GladysOct 19 | 38 mi | Category 1 (87 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1968 | AbbyJun 6 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1966 | Unnamed 1966 stormJul 1 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1965 | Unnamed 1965 stormOct 18 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1964 | DoraSep 10 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1964 | CleoAug 28 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | DonnaSep 11 | 74 mi | Category 1 (83 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 29 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1953 | Unnamed 1953 stormSep 20 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1950 | LoveOct 21 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1950 | KingOct 18 | 10 mi | Category 1 (76 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1950 | EasySep 7 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 27 | 29 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 24 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1946 | Unnamed 1946 stormOct 8 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormSep 16 | 52 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormJun 24 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormOct 19 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormOct 21 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1937 | Unnamed 1937 stormAug 30 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1937 | Unnamed 1937 stormJul 30 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1936 | Unnamed 1936 stormAug 22 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1935 | Unnamed 1935 stormSep 4 | 62 mi | Category 2 (96 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormSep 5 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 15 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormSep 18 | 27 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 9 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormJul 28 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1920 | Unnamed 1920 stormSep 30 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormMay 15 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 2 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1910 | Unnamed 1910 stormOct 19 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1909 | Unnamed 1909 stormJun 30 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormOct 21 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1900 | Unnamed 1900 stormOct 12 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormOct 5 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 29 | 26 mi | Category 3 (114 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormSep 26 | 70 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormJun 16 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormJun 17 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormOct 11 | 4 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 9 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1887 | Unnamed 1887 stormOct 30 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 19 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 11 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormSep 21 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormOct 11 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormOct 8 | 28 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormSep 8 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormAug 30 | 66 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormOct 27 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormSep 10 | 37 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 26 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 28 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormSep 23 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormSep 6 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 25 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 18 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1867 | Unnamed 1867 stormOct 7 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 2 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Gainesville: 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 Gainesville
By decade
- 2020s6
- 2010s4
- 2000s15
- 1990s18
- 1980s16
- 1970s16
- 1960s6
- 1950s1
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 14, 1986 | F2 | 3 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 27, 1984 | F2 | 22 mi | 3 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Apr 23, 1983 | F2 | 23 mi | 15 mi | 0 / 6 |
| Feb 2, 1983 | F2 | 11 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 4 |
| May 4, 1978 | F2 | 2 mi | 12.8 mi | 0 / 4 |
| Apr 19, 1978 | F2 | 13 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 6 |
| Apr 4, 1973 | F2 | 18 mi | 39 mi | 0 / 4 |
| Feb 3, 1970 | F2 | 5 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 28, 1966 | F2 | 1 mi | 0.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 8, 1957 | F2 | 15 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 12, 1993 | F1 | 13 mi | 0.8 mi | 1 / 4 |
| Aug 4, 2024 | EF1 | 25 mi | 0.18 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 82, 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 Gainesville 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.