Gainesville Metro Area Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes
The chance of earthquake damage in Gainesville Area is about the same as Florida average and is much lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in Gainesville Area is lower than Florida average and is about the same as the national average.
Earthquake Index, #529
| Gainesville Area | 0.03 |
| Florida | 0.01 |
| U.S. | 1.81 |
The earthquake index value is calculated based on historical earthquake events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the earthquake level in a region. A higher earthquake index value means a higher chance of an earthquake.
Volcano Index, #129
| Gainesville Area | 0.0000 |
| Florida | 0.0000 |
| U.S. | 0.0023 |
The volcano index value is calculated based on the currently known volcanoes using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the possibility of a region being affected by a possible volcano eruption. A higher volcano index value means a higher chance of being affected.
Tornado Index, #514
| Gainesville Area | 131.35 |
| Florida | 185.89 |
| U.S. | 136.45 |
The tornado index value is calculated based on historical tornado events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the tornado level in a region. A higher tornado index value means a higher chance of tornado events.
Other Weather Extremes Events
A total of 6,828 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of Gainesville Area were recorded from 1950 to 2010. The following is a break down of these events:
| Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count |
| Avalanche: | 0 | Blizzard: | 0 | Cold: | 93 | Dense Fog: | 69 | Drought: | 4 |
| Dust Storm: | 0 | Flood: | 308 | Hail: | 1,663 | Heat: | 3 | Heavy Snow: | 2 |
| High Surf: | 0 | Hurricane: | 14 | Ice Storm: | 0 | Landslide: | 0 | Strong Wind: | 29 |
| Thunderstorm Winds: | 3,492 | Tropical Storm: | 27 | Wildfire: | 102 | Winter Storm: | 0 | Winter Weather: | 1 |
| Other: | 1,021 | ||||||||
Volcanos Nearby
No volcano is found in or near Gainesville Area.
Historical Earthquake Events
No historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in or near Gainesville Area.
No historical earthquake events found in or near Gainesville Area.
Historical Tornado Events
A total of 38 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Gainesville Area.
| Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Start Lat/Log | End Lat/Log | Length | Width | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage | Crop Damage | Affected County |
| 7.7 | 1978-05-04 | 2 | 29°34'N / 82°27'W | 29°41'N / 82°17'W | 12.80 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 4 | 2.5M | 0 | Alachua |
| 7.8 | 1966-09-28 | 2 | 29°40'N / 82°21'W | 0.50 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Alachua | |
| 8.8 | 1957-06-08 | 2 | 29°38'N / 82°37'W | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Alachua | |||
| 10.0 | 1986-03-14 | 2 | 29°39'N / 82°19'W | 2.00 Miles | 10 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Alachua | |
| 10.9 | 1970-02-03 | 2 | 29°42'N / 82°18'W | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Alachua | |||
| 12.8 | 1978-04-19 | 2 | 29°51'N / 82°24'W | 1.00 Mile | 50 Yards | 0 | 6 | 250K | 0 | Alachua | |
| 17.0 | 1983-02-02 | 2 | 29°31'N / 82°16'W | 0.30 Mile | 20 Yards | 0 | 4 | 250K | 0 | Alachua | |
| 19.3 | 1983-04-23 | 2 | 29°52'N / 82°45'W | 29°56'N / 82°36'W | 4.00 Miles | 80 Yards | 0 | 2 | 2.5M | 0 | Columbia |
| 22.1 | 1983-04-23 | 2 | 29°43'N / 82°54'W | 29°52'N / 82°45'W | 11.00 Miles | 80 Yards | 0 | 4 | 2.5M | 0 | Gilchrist |
| 24.6 | 1956-09-24 | 2 | 29°54'N / 82°48'W | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Suwannee | |||
| 24.8 | 1973-04-04 | 2 | 29°33'N / 82°06'W | 29°36'N / 82°04'W | 4.50 Miles | 67 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Alachua |
| 25.0 | 1970-07-03 | 2 | 29°46'N / 82°53'W | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Gilchrist | |||
| 29.5 | 1971-02-07 | 2 | 29°57'N / 82°06'W | 2.00 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Bradford | |
| 29.7 | 1984-02-27 | 2 | 29°47'N / 82°01'W | 29°50'N / 82°00'W | 3.00 Miles | 30 Yards | 0 | 2 | 250K | 0 | Clay |
| 30.6 | 2006-12-25 | 2 | 30°06'N / 82°25'W | 30°08'N / 82°24'W | 3.00 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 1 | 0K | 0K | Columbia |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: Columbia County Emergency Management reports damage to 12 homes and one home destroyed. A business was also destroyed. Extensive damage was reported in the community of Woodborough along Scenic Lake drive as well as along Moore road northwest of Lake City. One minor injury was reported with minor lacerations. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A vigorous short wave trough and squall line moved across north Florida on Christmas Day resulting in severe weather across the northern and central portions of the state and a tornado near Lake City, Columbia County, Florida. | |||||||||||
| 32.7 | 1971-02-07 | 2 | 29°57'N / 82°02'W | 2.00 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Clay | |
| 33.2 | 1970-08-25 | 2 | 29°56'N / 82°57'W | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Lafayette | |||
| 36.6 | 2008-03-07 | 2 | 30°11'N / 82°39'W | 30°12'N / 82°37'W | 1.00 Mile | 800 Yards | 1 | 5 | 4.0M | 0K | Columbia |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: National Weather Service Storm Survey of the tornado track indicated most damage was EF1 scale with a small area of EF2 damage near NE Denver Street opposite a large field. Numerous Trees and power lines were snapped or blown over by the storm. Truck and trailers were also blown over in an industrial park. Nineteen homes were destroyed, twenty-one suffered major damage, and twenty had minor damage. Two businesses were destroyed with six suffering major damage. One female fatality occurred when a tree went through her mobile home. A male indirect fatality occurred when trying to connect a power generator. The mesocyclone which spanned this tornado was tracked across Taylor, Lafayette, and Suwannee Counties prior to this touchdown and it later spanned tornadoes in Baker, Charlton and Nassau Counties. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A squall line with severe weather and several tornadoes moved across north Florida and southeast Georgia. | |||||||||||
| 37.2 | 1960-02-25 | 3 | 30°12'N / 82°38'W | 0.80 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Columbia | |
| 37.6 | 1982-06-11 | 2 | 29°10'N / 82°39'W | 29°07'N / 82°32'W | 6.00 Miles | 60 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Levy |
| 37.8 | 1975-02-06 | 2 | 30°02'N / 83°02'W | 30°05'N / 82°50'W | 12.60 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Suwannee |
| 38.1 | 1964-01-12 | 2 | 29°11'N / 82°12'W | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Marion | |||
| 38.8 | 1983-04-09 | 2 | 29°10'N / 82°14'W | 29°14'N / 82°03'W | 10.00 Miles | 60 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Marion |
| 40.4 | 1973-04-04 | 2 | 29°36'N / 82°04'W | 29°40'N / 81°33'W | 31.40 Miles | 67 Yards | 0 | 4 | 250K | 0 | Putnam |
| 40.5 | 1982-06-11 | 2 | 29°07'N / 82°32'W | 29°04'N / 82°25'W | 7.00 Miles | 60 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Marion |
| 43.1 | 1954-06-10 | 2 | 30°09'N / 82°57'W | 2.00 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Suwannee | |
| 44.7 | 1975-02-06 | 2 | 30°00'N / 83°12'W | 30°02'N / 83°02'W | 10.30 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 4 | 2.5M | 0 | Lafayette |
| 45.1 | 2001-03-29 | 2 | 28°59'N / 82°22'W | 29°08'N / 82°07'W | 22.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 1.5M | 0 | Marion |
| Brief Description: More than 85 homes were damaged in three neighborhoods, knocking power out to 10,000 thousand of residents. | |||||||||||
| 45.2 | 1975-12-31 | 3 | 29°05'N / 82°10'W | 2.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 1 | 26 | 2.5M | 0 | Marion | |
| 45.2 | 1984-02-27 | 3 | 30°03'N / 83°10'W | 30°02'N / 83°03'W | 7.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 1 | 250K | 0 | Lafayette |
| 47.3 | 1967-05-22 | 2 | 29°37'N / 81°50'W | 29°40'N / 81°33'W | 17.40 Miles | 20 Yards | 0 | 2 | 25K | 0 | Putnam |
| 47.8 | 1974-05-12 | 2 | 30°17'N / 82°07'W | 30°17'N / 82°04'W | 3.30 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 1 | 250K | 0 | Baker |
| 47.9 | 1974-03-21 | 2 | 30°20'N / 82°46'W | 30°20'N / 82°43'W | 3.60 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Columbia |
| 48.0 | 1998-09-03 | 2 | 28°58'N / 82°30'W | 29°00'N / 82°27'W | 4.50 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 2 | 500K | 0 | Citrus |
| Brief Description: A tornado (F2), associated with an outer band of Hurricane Earl, touched down along N. Fairport Avenue, east of the intersection of County Road 495 and West Dunklin Road, six miles northeast of Crystal River. The tornado moved northeast, sporadically touched down along a narrow path, and destroyed a two story family structure, seven mobile homes and caused minor damage to an additional eight single family and sixteen mobile homes. Several large trees, sheds and power lines were downed by the tornado before it lifted and dissipated near County Road 488 and N. Circle M Avenue. Of note, a homeowner on W. Wheatfield Lane in Citrus Springs was alerted to the impending tornado by his four dogs who stubbornly refused to venture outdoors nearly ten minutes prior to the touchdown. The homeowner on W. Wheatfield Lane described the sound of the tornado similar to that of a roaring train as it passed over and damaged his home and downed nearby trees. Two injuries occurred to the occupants of the two story home that was destroyed by the tornado before it lifted and dissipated. | |||||||||||
| 48.0 | 1973-03-08 | 2 | 29°04'N / 82°06'W | 1.50 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 6 | 250K | 0 | Marion | |
| 49.9 | 2001-03-29 | 2 | 29°52'N / 81°45'W | 30°02'N / 81°40'W | 12.00 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 0 | 1.1M | 0 | Clay |
| Brief Description: Tornado was mainly F0-F1. Large trees were uprooted and power lines were blown down. Two homes were destroyed, 4 with major damage, and 50 with minor damage. A total of 56 homes in the Highlands Avenue area were damaged. | |||||||||||
| 49.9 | 1972-01-22 | 2 | 29°50'N / 81°40'W | 0.30 Mile | 50 Yards | 0 | 4 | 3K | 0 | Clay | |
| 49.9 | 1978-04-19 | 2 | 29°04'N / 82°03'W | 29°06'N / 81°58'W | 5.60 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 14 | 2.5M | 0 | Marion |
* The information on this page is based on the global volcano database, the U.S. earthquake database of 1638-1985, and the U.S. Tornado and Weather Extremes database of 1950-2010.