NWS confirms record 15 tornadoes in one day in South Florida
Florida saw a record-breaking 15 tornadoes on October 9, 2024, as Hurricane “Milton” swept through — the most ever recorded in the region in a single day. Among the 15 two were rated EF-3, causing significant damage across Palm Beach Gardens and Lakeport communities.
A section of the boundary wall ripped away by the EF-3 tornado at Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Image credit: WPTV
- NWS confirms 15 tornadoes in Florida spawned by Hurricane “Milton” on October 9, 2024. The highest since reliable records began in 1950.
- Two EF-3 tornadoes with peak wind speeds of 225 km/h (140 mph) were reported at Lakport and Palm Beach Gardens respectively causing significant damage to both areas.
- Three people were injured in Lakeport while taking shelter in their homes.
NWS Miami reported record tornado activity on October 9 due to the impacts of Hurricane “Milton.” A total of 15 tornadoes were confirmed that day, two of which were rated EF-3. The last F3 (EF-3 scale started in 2007) to occur in South Florida was in Broward County on March 1, 1980.
This marks the highest number of tornadoes ever recorded in the region in a single day since reliable records began in 1950. Four other days are tied for the second-highest number of daily tornado reports (7), including October 14, 1964, March 27, 2003, June 21, 2012, and September 9, 2022.
NWS office had issued a record 126 tornado warnings on October 9 of which 55 were issued by NWS Miami alone.
The first EF-3 tornado on October 9 struck the east side of Lakeport. It began around 14:24 local time (LT) near Moore Haven and ended at approximately 14:42 LT near Bridgeton Seminole in Glades County. The tornado reached peak wind speeds of 225 km/h (140 mph) near Sarasota Colony, causing widespread destruction. Three people were injured while sheltering in their homes.
The tornado left a 24 km (15 miles) trail of damage, destroying the second story of three homes in Sarasota Colony, Lakeport. It then crossed Florida State Road 78, moving into the Fisherman Lane neighborhood, where it damaged multiple homes, ripped off roofs, tossed trailers, and deposited debris into a retention pond two blocks away.
A manufactured home chassis was found wrapped around a tree at a height of 5 – 6 m (15 – 20 feet). The contents of the home were scattered at least 183 m (600 feet) from their original location.
As the tornado moved north-northwest, it passed east of Harney Pond Canal into the Brighton Seminole Indian Reservation. Here, it caused significant damage to roofs, uprooted trees, and severely impacted homesteads before tearing through a sports complex, where it dug out baseball fields and demolished spectator seats.
The second EF-3 tornado that day touched down near Palm Beach Gardens. Beginning at around 16:43 LT near Wellington, it traveled for 47 km (29 miles), ending near Philo Farms at approximately 17:21 LT. The tornado left a path of destruction across several communities.
In the Rustic Ranches section of Wellington, a double-wide mobile home on Deer Path Lane was destroyed. The tornado then moved through the far western portion of Wellington, crossing the Lakefield West, Meadowwood, and Binks Forest communities, where EF-1 and EF-2 damage was observed to homes and trees.
Continuing its path, the tornado crossed Southern Boulevard/US 98 and moved north-northeast across Loxahatchee Groves and The Acreage, causing EF-1 to isolated EF-2 damage to homes, trees, and outbuildings.
As the tornado approached Northlake Boulevard, it intensified and inflicted its most significant damage in the Avenir community of Palm Beach Gardens. At its peak, the tornado produced winds of up to 225 km/h (140 mph), severely damaging the roof of a Publix supermarket and causing EF-3 damage.
Large portions of the supermarket’s roof collapsed, and structural damage rated EF-2 and EF-3 included shattered impact-resistant windows and vehicles that were lifted and moved at least 91 m (300 feet) from their original locations.
The tornado then moved westward, passing close to North Palm Beach County General Aviation Airport, where a wind gust of 148 km/h (92 mph) from the SSW was recorded by the Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) at approximately 17:10 LT.
After crossing Bee Line Highway/SR 710, where tree damage was noted, the tornado entered Jupiter Farms, causing EF-1 to EF-2 damage to trees, outbuildings, and power poles.
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1 Public Information Statement – NWS – Issued at 20:51 UTC on October 15, 2024
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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