Texas tornadoes
Every recorded tornado since 1950 · 254 counties with a record
Texas has recorded 9,617 tornadoes from 1950 through 2025, about 126 a year since 2000, with 396 rated F3/EF3 or stronger (NOAA Storm Prediction Center). The deadliest was the May 11, 1953 Waco tornado (114 deaths in Texas). Texas ranks 1st of 52 states and territories by count and 16th of 51 per square mile.
Tornadoes in Texas, 1950 to 2025
Tornadoes per year (SPC; a tornado that crossed a state line counts in each state it touched).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $1 million
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- $1 billion or more, or 100 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1996: tornado reports rose with NEXRAD Doppler radar, mid-1990s (SPC)
- Tornadoes
- 9,6171950 to 2025
- A year since 2000
- 126average
- Deaths
- 5939,615 injuries
- F3/EF3 or stronger
- 3964% of tornadoes
- Busiest year
- 2015242 tornadoes
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025 (state segments). SPC severe weather database.
Are tornadoes common in Texas?
Texas averages about 126 tornadoes a year since 2000, 1st of 52 states and territories by count. The busiest year on record was 2015 (242). Per 10,000 square miles of land, Texas records 368 tornadoes since 1950, 16th of 51 states and territories by that measure.
Source: NOAA SPC, tornadoes 1950-2025, per 10,000 square miles of land area (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer; places under 1,000 square miles not ranked). Damage colours: Storm Events damage, 2025 dollars.
Which counties in Texas have the most tornadoes?
Per square mile, Galveston County leads Texas: 104 days with a tornado record since 1950, 274.1 per 1,000 square miles of land. By raw count, Harris County has the most tornado records (254 since 1950); large counties collect more records simply by covering more ground, so the ranking counts days with a record per unit of area (a storm filed for several forecast zones adds several records but one day).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, days with a record in the county since 1950 per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer); in brackets, the count of records.
When is tornado season in Texas?
48% of its tornadoes since 1950 fell in April and May. The busiest month is May (2,947 tornadoes).
The values, month by month
Jan 226 · Feb 214 · Mar 769 · Apr 1,688 · May 2,947 · Jun 1,408 · Jul 360 · Aug 419 · Sep 484 · Oct 489 · Nov 358 · Dec 255 (records).
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, state segments by the month they began, 1950-2025.
What were the deadliest tornadoes in Texas?
| Date | Counties | Rating | Path in state | Killed | Injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953-05-11 | Waco · McLennan | F5 | 20.9 mi | 114 | 597 |
| 1979-04-10 | Wichita Falls · Archer, Wichita, ClayWhole track: OK, TX; 42 deaths | F4 | 34.1 mi | 42 | 1,740 |
| 1987-05-22 | Balmorhea · Reeves | F4 | 3 mi | 30 | 121 |
| 1997-05-27 | Jarrell · Williamson | F5 | 5.1 mi | 27 | 12 |
| 1970-05-11 | Lubbock · Lubbock | F5 | 8.4 mi | 26 | 500 |
| 1957-05-15 | Silverton · Briscoe | F4 | 17 mi | 21 | 80 |
| 1953-03-13 | O'Brien to Knox · Haskell, Knox | F4 | 13.9 mi | 17 | 25 |
| 1970-04-18 | Howardwick · Swisher, Briscoe, Armstrong, Donley | F4 | 65 mi | 16 | 42 |
| 1953-05-11 | Tom Green | F4 | 9.9 mi | 13 | 159 |
| 1979-04-10 | Davidson · Foard, WilbargerWhole track: OK, TX; 11 deaths | F4 | 29.1 mi | 11 | 67 |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (state segments: deaths and path inside Texas), 1950-2025; counties are the first four the SPC lists for the segment. SPC severe weather database.
Where have the strongest tornadoes tracked in Texas?
- F2/EF2
- F3/EF3
- F4/EF4
- F5/EF5
- no end point filed
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, start and end points of each track; county lines: Census Bureau cartographic boundaries (2017), via us-atlas. SPC severe weather database. Census cartographic boundary files.
The strongest tornadoes in Texas
| Date | Counties | Rating | Path in state | Width | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953-05-11 | Waco · McLennan | F5 | 20.9 mi | 583 yd | 114 |
| 1997-05-27 | Jarrell · Williamson | F5 | 5.1 mi | 650 yd | 27 |
| 1970-05-11 | Lubbock · Lubbock | F5 | 8.4 mi | 1,333 yd | 26 |
| 1964-04-03 | Wichita Falls · Wichita | F5 | 4.7 mi | 500 yd | 7 |
| 1973-05-06 | Valley Mills · McLennan, Bosque | F5 | 10.6 mi | 100 yd | 0 |
| 1976-04-19 | Brownwood · Brown | F5 | 10.5 mi | 440 yd | 0 |
| 1979-04-10 | Wichita Falls · Archer, Wichita, Clay | F4 | 34.1 mi | 1,320 yd | 42 |
| 1987-05-22 | Balmorhea · Reeves | F4 | 3 mi | 1,000 yd | 30 |
| 1957-05-15 | Silverton · Briscoe | F4 | 17 mi | 300 yd | 21 |
| 1953-03-13 | O'Brien to Knox · Haskell, Knox | F4 | 13.9 mi | 50 yd | 17 |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database; F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after.
The longest tornado paths in Texas
| Date | Tornado and counties | Rating | Path in state | Width | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954-04-30 | Rockdale to Grapeland · Travis, Williamson, Milam, Robertson | F3 | 139.9 mi | 880 yd | 0 |
| 1970-04-17 | Pampa · Parmer, Randall, Armstrong, Carson | F4 | 130 mi | 880 yd | 1 |
| 1980-05-15 | Val Verde, Kinney, Maverick, Zavala | F1 | 99.8 mi | 40 yd | 0 |
| 1970-04-17 | Plainview · Hale, Floyd, Swisher, Briscoe | F4 | 96.6 mi | 880 yd | 5 |
| 1973-04-13 | Pampa · Armstrong, Carson, Gray, Roberts | F2 | 90.1 mi | 150 yd | 0 |
| 1957-05-24 | Hereford · Parmer, Delta, Randall, Potter | F2 | 70.1 mi | 33 yd | 0 |
| 1954-04-30 | Lufkin · Trinity, Angelina, Nacogdoches, San Augustine | F2 | 68.8 mi | 883 yd | 0 |
| 1970-04-18 | Howardwick · Swisher, Briscoe, Armstrong, Donley | F4 | 65 mi | 880 yd | 16 |
| 1958-05-03 | Tyler to Longview · Gregg, Harrison | F3 | 59.2 mi | 440 yd | 0 |
| 1982-03-18 | Gruver · Moore, Hansford, Ochiltree | F4 | 59 mi | 880 yd | 0 |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, state segments: path length and width inside the state. SPC severe weather database.
Tornadoes in every Texas county
All 254 counties: tornadoes whose track touched each, and the strongest
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database: whole tornadoes whose track touched the county (any state segment listing it). SPC severe weather database.
Is Texas in Tornado Alley?
Tornado Alley has no official boundary; the Storm Prediction Center calls it a media nickname for the central U.S. area of relatively high tornado occurrence. By the record, Texas ranks 24th of 50 states for tornadoes rated 1 or higher per square mile since 1950 (169 per 10,000 square miles), and it is one of the Plains states at the core of the area the name usually means.
Tornado Alley, measured: the states by density and maps of where tornadoes began in two eras.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database and Online Tornado FAQ. SPC's tornado FAQ.
The costliest tornadoes in Texas
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-10-20 | TornadoGribble, Dallas County The tornado formed in northwest Dallas, near State Highway 348 and Luna Road, where large tree damage and minor roof damage was initially observed. This tornado tracked toward the east-northeast, crossing I-35E and impacted numerous commercial structures between this freeway and Harry Hines Blvd. Extensive damage to ... | EF3 15.76 mi x 1,300 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.8B |
| 2012-04-03 | TornadoDe Soto Carroll Airport, Dallas County This tornado is a continuation from Ellis County. The tornado crossed into Dallas County near I-35E at the Ellis/Dallas County line. Light damage was noted as the tornado crossed into the county but then the tornado moved into the city of Lancaster and struck the Portofino Apartments where it damaged the roofs of two ... | EF2 9.35 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 10 | $514M |
| 2019-10-20 | TornadoGarland, Dallas County The tornado started on Kenmore Street just north of West Miller Road where part of a Sears Facility warehouse was heavily damaged. A wide section of the metal roof was peeled off and subsequently the adjacent metal walls were also torn away. Some of the interior support columns and beams were bent, causing another ... | EF2 2.48 mi x 265 yd | 0 | 0 | $462M |
| 2012-04-03 | TornadoKennedale, Tarrant County An EF-2 tornado began in Kennedale, and then moved north-northeast into Arlington. In its occlusion phase, the tornado curved back to the northwest; ending its track near the east shores of Lake Arlington along Waterview Drive. The path length of the tornado was 6.4 miles long with a width of approximately 150 yards. ... | EF2 6.4 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 7 | $257M |
| 1999-05-04 | TornadoDe Kalb, Bowie County This tornado moved directly through the downtown district of De Kalb and across a high school. Numerous homes and businesses were severely damaged or destroyed. The high school suffered severe damage. Sirens sounded 15 minutes prior to arrival of the storm. The damage resulted in a Presidential Disaster Declaration. ... | F3 19.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 22 | $221M |
| 2013-05-15 | TornadoMambrino, Hood County National Weather Service crews surveyed the damage from the Granbury tornado. The tornado first occurred on the west bank of Lake Granbury / Brazos River. The tornado crossed the lake heading east, towards Davis Road. On the east side of the lake, the tornado damaged several power lines and trees, before hitting the ... | EF4 2.5 mi x 400 yd | 6 | 54 | $181M |
| 2013-05-15 | TornadoLake Pat Cleburne, Johnson County Trained storm spotters observed a nearly mile wide tornado to the southwest of the city of Cleburne. NWS storm survey crew determined this tornado produced EF-3 damage on the east side of Lake Pat Cleburne. The path of the tornado was erratic, moving initially north, then northeast, then north again. | EF3 7.79 mi x 1,733 yd | 0 | 7 | $157M |
| 1997-05-27 | TornadoCedar Park, Williamson County The Cedar Park tornado formed around 3:05 pm CST from a different supercell thunderstorm. It first touched down about 3.5 miles north of Cedar Park at a location 0.6 miles south of CR 178 and 1.4 miles east of the intersection of US 183 and CR 178. The initial damage was to trees, however, the ground survey revealed ... | F3 5.6 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 15 | $129M |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $250M, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 10, 1979 (tornado, Wichita County, 42 killed); May 11, 1970 (tornado, Lubbock County, 26 killed); November 21, 1992 (tornado, Harris County); August 10, 1980 (tornado, Travis County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: property and crop damage as estimated by the National Weather Service, in 2025 dollars.
Are tornadoes becoming more frequent in Texas?
Texas's count per decade against the whole country's, and its share. The Storm Prediction Center notes that tornado reports rose especially around the installation of the NEXRAD Doppler radar network in the mid-1990s, so a rising count is partly better detection; the share of the national total is the fairer comparison across decades.
| Decade | Texas | United States | Texas's share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 622 | 4,837 | 12.9% |
| 1960s | 1,184 | 6,863 | 17.3% |
| 1970s | 1,431 | 8,633 | 16.6% |
| 1980s | 1,407 | 8,250 | 17.1% |
| 1990s | 1,689 | 12,205 | 13.8% |
| 2000s | 1,468 | 12,892 | 11.4% |
| 2010s | 1,184 | 12,232 | 9.7% |
| 2020-25 | 632 | 8,234 | 7.7% |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, state segments.
The most recent tornadoes in Texas
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-25 | TornadoAllison, Wheeler County | EF1 2.34 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $32K |
| 2026-06-22 | TornadoFt Stockton, Pecos County | EFU 2.17 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-20 | TornadoGreen Lake, Calhoun County | EF0 0.01 mi x 1 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-26 | TornadoQuemado, Maverick County | EF0 0.52 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-26 | TornadoNew Berlin, Guadalupe County | EF1 2.91 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-22 | TornadoAlley, Hale County | EFU 0.39 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-19 | TornadoBarnhart, Irion County | EFU 0.31 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-01 | TornadoDacosta, Victoria County | EF1 1.1 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $500K |
| 2026-04-28 | TornadoCottondale, Wise County | EF0 1.55 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2026-04-28 | TornadoRio Vista, Johnson County | EF1 2.03 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2026-04-28 | TornadoLake Pat Cleburne, Johnson County | EF0 3.49 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-04-28 | TornadoGodley, Johnson County | EF0 1.12 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; the newest months are revised by NCEI as reports arrive. Search the record at NCEI.
Federal disaster declarations for tornadoes in Texas
FEMA has declared 32 disasters in Texas for tornadoes, counting its incident type and declarations that name tornado in the title (FEMA files most storm disasters under Severe Storm); 32 were major disasters, the latest on September 1, 2026.
| Declared | Number | Title | Areas named |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-01 | DR-4935 | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding | 23 |
| 2024-05-17 | DR-4781 | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding | 83 |
| 2016-03-19 | DR-4266 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding | 21 |
| 2016-02-09 | DR-4255 | Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding | 51 |
| 2015-11-25 | DR-4245 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding | 22 |
| 2015-05-29 | DR-4223 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding | 113 |
| 2007-06-29 | DR-1709 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding | 78 |
| 2007-05-01 | DR-1697 | Severe Storms and Tornadoes | 5 |
| 2002-11-05 | DR-1439 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding | 18 |
| 2000-04-07 | DR-1323 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding | 1 |
| 1999-05-06 | DR-1274 | Tx, Tornado 5/4/99 | 4 |
| 1995-06-13 | DR-1056 | Severe Storms, Hail, Flooding, and Tornadoes | 1 |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), through October 2, 2026. OpenFEMA dataset page.
Next
- Galveston County: the county's whole recordThe Texas county with the most tornadoes per square mile
- Tornadoes across the United StatesEvery state ranked, by year and month
- Every natural hazard in TexasTornadoes, floods, storms, heat and the federal declarations
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- Severe thunderstorm wind in Texas36,939 records
- Drought in Texas18,588 records