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Tornado in Bowie County, Texas
59 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 59 tornado events in Bowie County, Texas, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 33 years.
May is the busiest month, with 18 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 20 events against 12 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.6% of the 10,090 tornado events recorded in Texas; its 6.7 per 100 square miles compares with 3.9 statewide.
NCEI attributes 2 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 15 at (E)F0, 25 at (E)F1, 11 at (E)F2, 6 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 | Bowie County | Texas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 59 | 10,090 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.7 | 3.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 6.4 | 3.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 2 | 595 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
4Feb
2Mar
10Apr
14May
18Jun
0Jul
1Aug
0Sep
1Oct
3Nov
4Dec
2
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 59 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Nov 2022 | Tornado | EF3 | $7.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2020 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 2018 | Tornado | EF2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Dec 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Nov 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Oct 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2008 | Tornado | EF2 | $1.0M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 3 Mar 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $750K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2003 | Tornado | F2 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Mar 2000 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Mar 2000 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Dec 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1999 | Tornado | F3 | $125M | — | — | 22 | County |
| 22 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F1 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 1993 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Oct 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1990 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1990 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1990 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 1986 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Feb 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Oct 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Mar 1983 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 1982 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 1982 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 29 Mar 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1979 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 1979 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Nov 1977 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 1975 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jan 1975 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 8 | County |
| 12 Mar 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 1971 | Tornado | F4 | — | — | 1 | 5 | County |
| 25 Apr 1970 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1967 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Mar 1962 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1954 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Feb 1950 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | 1 | 8 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Bowie County had?
59 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 Bowie County?
4 Mar 2025 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Bowie County?
The tornado of 4 May 1999, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $125M.
How does Bowie County compare with Texas for tornado?
6.7 events per 100 square miles against 3.9 statewide; the county holds 59 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.