1998 Kissimmee tornado outbreak facts for kids
The 1998 Kissimmee tornado outbreak was a series of strong tornadoes that hit Florida during the night of February 22-23, 1998. This event is also known as the Central Florida tornado outbreak or The Night of The Tornadoes. These powerful storms mainly affected the central part of Florida, including the Orlando area. It was a very serious event, causing 42 deaths and injuring 260 people. This made it the worst tornado event in Florida since 1962. The first big tornado struck Winter Garden around 11:40 p.m. The most dangerous tornado hit the Kissimmee area around 12:40 a.m. and lasted until 1:28 a.m. EST.
The 1998 Florida Tornadoes
This table shows the main tornadoes that were part of the 1998 Kissimmee outbreak. It lists when they happened, where they hit, and how many people were affected.
| Time (EST) | Date | County | Fatalities | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10:55 p.m. | February 22 | Volusia | 1 | 3 |
| 11:37 p.m.-midnight | February 22 | Lake, Orange | 3 | 70 |
| 12:10-12:25 a.m. | February 23 | Seminole, Volusia | 13 | 36 |
| 12:40-1:28 a.m. | February 23 | Osceola, Orange | 25 | 150 |
| 12:45 a.m. | February 23 | Volusia | 0 | 0 |
| 1:38 a.m. | February 23 | Brevard | 0 | 0 |
| 2:30 a.m. | February 23 | Brevard | 0 | 0 |
