Osceola County
January
l0 l977 - 0650 - Osceola Co., Kissimmee - A Tornado struck a large apartment,
ripping the roofs off 20 apartments and damaging several automobiles.
28 1973 - Afternoon - Central Florida - Tornadoes touched down
in Polk, Orange, Osceola, and Brevard Counties. In Orlando hundreds were
left homeless and 16 people were injured by a tornado crossing the southwest
side of the city. Another tornado ripped off the beacon tower at the Titusville
Airport and damaged many signs. A tornado near Dade City injured a man
in a mobile home. Another Tornado struck the Ixora Park area of Northwest
Osceola Co. damaging 300 homes injuring seven people.
February
22-23 1998 - Central Florida - During the late night and early morning
hours of 22-23 February 1998 (Sunday - Monday), the most devastating tornado
outbreak ever to occur in the state of Florida, in terms of both loss of
life and property damage, occurred within the county warning area of the
Melbourne (MLB) National Weather Service Office (NWSO). Forty-two
people died as a result of the tornadoes and more than 260 others were
injured. Over 3,000 structures were damaged, and more than 700 were
completely destroyed. Damage was estimated in excess of $100 million.
A total of seven confirmed tornadoes occurred that night. Four of
the tornadoes were unusually long-lived and produced damage tracks of
between 8 and 38 miles, resulting in the majority of damage and all
fatalities. Uncommon among Florida tornadoes, the estimated wind
speed for three of these twisters reached 200 mph which is on the high
end of F3 intensity on the Fujita scale. Although this event was
of historical proportion the number of fatalities could have been significantly
higher if these killer tornadoes were not accurately forecast, detected,
and then warned for in a timely and professional manner.
March
15 - l8 l960 - north and central Florida - Citrus, Marion, Lake, Seminole,
Brevard, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Sumter, Hernando, Pasco and Hillsborough
Counties - Heavy Rain and Flood - Generally more than l0 inches of rain
fell on a large section of central Florida during this 4-day period and
the area of Pasco, Hernando, most of Sumter and the northern portion of
Hillsborough counties received close to l5 inches of rain. Many points
reported hail, high wind and tornadoes at some point during the period.
Resulting high water and river overflow wreaked havoc on roads, bridges
and agricultural crops. River overflow and/or accumulated waters in poorly
drained areas forced many residents from their homes in several effected
counties. Flood on the Hillsborough River considered worst since September
l933. Total storm damage, including that of hail, wind, tornadoes, flood
and other causes estimated near $20 million, half of which was sustained
by agriculture.
19 l98l - 0045 - Orange Co., Orlando - A tornado destroyed l2 houses,
damaged 35, and two mobile homes destroyed. l injury. 0200 - Osceola Co.,
St. Cloud - A tornado destroyed 4 mobile homes, damaged several others,
and destroyed l house. ll injuries.
24 l983 - Morning - Central-South Florida - Severe Weather Outbreak
- A strong squall line moved across peninsular Florida, producing tornadoes
in Winter Haven, Polk Co., Kenansville, Osceola Co., Cocoa Beach, Merritt
Island, and Melbourne in Brevard Co. Severe thunderstorm winds and hail
struck Citrus, Hardee, Hernando, Pasco, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Broward,
and Dade Counties. Two injuries were reported.
30 1996 - Afternoon - evening - Central Florida - Severe Weather Outbreak
- Tornadoes were documented in Hernando,
Sumter, Lake, Polk, and Brevard counties. In Brevard County, a waterspout
/tornado touched down in Merritt Island and
Cape Canaveral, tearing out windows and damaging roofs on six homes,
destroying a small building on a used car lot, and
damaging the roof of a night club and a dive shop. 25 other buildings
in the area received minor damage. Windows were blown
out of 30 vehicles. Damage estimates were near $500,000. Hail,
most the size of baseballs, severely damaged the roofs,
knocked out windows in nearly 600 homes, and severely damaged 3,000
vehicles in Lake Wales, Polk County. Softball size
hail (4.50-inch) also occurred in Lake Wales, which set a new record
as the largest documented hail for the state of Florida.
Hail accumulated to a depth of one foot in Bartow. Golf ball
size hail (1.75-inch) fell in Hillsborough, Lake, Orange, Seminole,
Brevard, Osceola and Martin counties. An 86 mph wind gust at Bartow
Municipal Airport caused window and roof damage to
the FAA tower, severely damaged roofs and doors of two businesses at
the airport, and overturned and demolished five
mobile homes on wheels at a mobile home plant on airport property.
Winds blew down trees in Chuluota, Seminole County, in
Mulberry, Polk County, and damaged a van and injured one person in
Ocoee, Orange County. Total property damage was
estimated at $28 million dollars, with the storm producing the record
size hail causing the majority of the damage at nearly $25
million dollars.
April
4 l966 - 0800 - l000 - One of the deadliest tornado outbreaks in Central
Florida History. Tornadoes, some of the strongest on record in Florida,
moved in from the Gulf of Mexico and tracked from the Tampa Bay area to
Brevard County, killing 11 and injuring over 500. Tornadoes first struck
in Pinellas county near St. Petersburg and Clearwater, damaging 36 homes,
then moved across Tampa Bay through Hillsborough Co. damaging a junior
high school and destroying 150 homes - killing three. Tornadoes next moved
through Polk County where the most severe damage was at Gibsonia and Galloway
where nearly a hundred homes were destroyed and 7 people were killed. Other
tornadoes were reported in Lake Juliana, Lakeland, and north of Haines
City where many trailers were destroyed. A woman was killed in a trailer
near Davenport. Tornadoes were next reported in Osceola Co. at Kissimmee
and St. Cloud. Another tornado moved from Holopaw to Rockledge to south
Merritt Island and Cocoa Beach. In Cocoa Beach 150 trailers were ripped
apart, causing over 100 injuries. Over 20 frame homes and a shopping center
were destroyed.
May
3-4 l978 - northern and central Florida - Lines of severe thunderstorms
associated with a cold front and strong low pressure system swept through
northern and central Florida causing a variety of severe weather, resulting
in 3 deaths and over l00 injuries. Tornadoes, lightning, high winds, hail,
heavy rain and local flooding, high tides and beach erosion, funnel clouds
and waterspouts were reported. Tides along the Gulf coast were 2 to 4 feet
above normal. A squall line ahead of a fast-moving cold front spawned at
least 11 tornadoes and many severe thunderstorms from Jacksonville to Lake
Okeechobee as it moved down the peninsula. 4th at l047 - Pinellas Co. -
A tornado hit the High Point Elementary School, killing 3 students, and
injuring 94. Many students were in the cafeteria at the time, otherwise
there would have been more fatalities. A pickup truck was hurled 40 feet
in the air and came down on a vehicle, 5 trailers were destroyed, l0 damaged.
Other tornadoes caused injuries in Alachua Co. near Gainseville, Osceola
Co. near Kenansvville, and Highlands Co. near Sebring, Many reports of
funnel clouds, waterspouts and strong thunderstorm wind gusts were reported
across the peninsula.
July
5 l965 - evening - Osceola Co., St. Cloud - Lightning killed a man digging
in a drainage ditch.
6 l97l - l400 - Osceola Co., St. Cloud - Lightning killed a nineteen
year old who was baling hay.
l2 l978 - afternoon - Okaloosa Co., James Lee Park - Lightning
killed a l7 year old lifeguard while he was putting his gear away. The
boy was burned in the groin where the lightning had entered. Another lifeguard,
only 4 feet away, was not injured. - Osceola Co., Kissimmee - Lightning
killed a 37-year old woman at a Trav-L-Park. Lightning also blew out a
power transformer and split 2 trees in the area.
ll l979 - l400 - Osceola Co., Lake Kissimmee - Lightning killed a fisherman
standing on a sandbar pushing his boat into the lake.
l6 l972 - daytime - Osceola Co., St. Cloud - Lightning killed
a woman while she was walking toward her car.
August
ll l979 - l400 - Osceola Co., Lake Kissimmee - Lightning killed a fisherman
standing on a sandbar pushing his boat into the lake.
l6 l972 - daytime - Osceola Co., St. Cloud - Lightning killed
a woman while she was walking toward her car.
October
15-16 1956 - east coast - Coastal Storm - A low pressure center moved
north from Cuba just off the east coast bringing high winds and tides,
and heavy rain to the entire east coast. The heaviest rain fell in Osceola
Co. where some 48 hour amounts approached 20 inches. Flooding was most
severe, including some bridges and roads washed out, in Kissimmee/St. Cloud,
Taft, and Fellsmere. Two persons died in heavy surf.
November
5 l988 - morning - north and central Florida - Severe Thunderstorms
and Tornadoes - 0115 - Madison Co. A tornado destroyed 6 homes and damaged
l0 others near Lee, killing one woman. Other tornadoes hit Santa Rosa Beach
in Walton Co. and Fort Meade in Polk County. Severe thunderstorm winds
damaged roofs, trees, and powerlines in Levy, Citrus, Putnam, Volusia,
Osceola, and Polk Counties.