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Tornado in Bexar County, Texas
71 tornadoes events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Tornado.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
NCEI records 71 tornado events in Bexar County, Texas, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 37 years.
March is the busiest month, with 13 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 14 events against 20 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.7% of the 10,090 tornado events recorded in Texas; its 5.7 per 100 square miles compares with 3.9 statewide.
NCEI attributes 3 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 30 at (E)F0, 25 at (E)F1, 13 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 1 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Texas
| Measure | Bexar County | Texas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 71 | 10,090 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.7 | 3.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 0.4 | 3.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 3 | 595 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | March | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
8Mar
13Apr
7May
13Jun
2Jul
4Aug
4Sep
8Oct
5Nov
5Dec
1
Magnitude distribution
Enhanced Fujita scale wind estimates
- EF0/F0
- 65–85 mph (EF0)
- EF1/F1
- 86–110 mph (EF1)
- EF2/F2
- 111–135 mph (EF2)
- EF3/F3
- 136–165 mph (EF3)
- EF4/F4
- 166–200 mph (EF4)
- EF5/F5
- over 200 mph (EF5)
- Unrated
- no rating recorded
Tornado rating as recorded (Fujita scale before February 2007, Enhanced Fujita after).
Recorded events
All 71 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Oct 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | $250K | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Feb 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Feb 2017 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Feb 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 2012 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | 4 | County |
| 19 Mar 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jan 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Oct 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $800K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Nov 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Nov 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Nov 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Dec 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 2002 | Tornado | F0 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 2002 | Tornado | F2 | $2.0M | — | — | 30 | County |
| 19 Mar 2002 | Tornado | F1 | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 2002 | Tornado | F0 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 2002 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 2002 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Oct 2000 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2000 | Tornado | F0 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2000 | Tornado | F0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Feb 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | $3K | — | — | County |
| 27 Mar 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $500 | $500 | — | — | County |
| 29 Mar 1992 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 1988 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | 1 | 1 | County |
| 17 Sep 1988 | Tornado | F2 | $25M | — | — | 3 | County |
| 17 Sep 1988 | Tornado | F1 | $25M | — | — | 3 | County |
| 7 May 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 1984 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Feb 1984 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Feb 1984 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Feb 1984 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Feb 1984 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Oct 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Aug 1981 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 1980 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 1980 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 10 Aug 1980 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Nov 1977 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Sep 1972 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 1972 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 1972 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1971 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Sep 1970 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 1970 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 18 Apr 1970 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1969 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 3 May 1969 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 1968 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 24 Sep 1967 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 1967 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 1966 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1965 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Oct 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Nov 1961 | Tornado | F3 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 1960 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1959 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 1959 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 1958 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1955 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 1954 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 1954 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1953 | Tornado | F4 | — | — | 2 | 15 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Bexar County had?
71 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of tornadoes became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded tornado event in Bexar County?
26 Oct 2023 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Bexar County?
The tornado of 17 Sep 1988, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M.
How does Bexar County compare with Texas for tornado?
5.7 events per 100 square miles against 3.9 statewide; the county holds 71 of the state's 10,090 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Tornado hub and the county page.