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Tornado in Brewster County, Texas

21 tornadoes events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Tornado.

21 events · 0 deaths recorded · peak month June · county share of state 0.2%

2021-05-28: Tornado2019-05-31: Tornado2019-05-03: Tornado2017-03-19: Tornado2015-05-22: Tornado2013-04-13: Tornado2005-06-10: Tornado2005-06-09: Tornado2003-06-05: Tornado1995-06-09: Tornado1995-06-09: Tornado1987-05-31: Tornado1987-05-19: Tornado1981-05-07: Tornado1979-06-04: Tornado1976-07-15: Tornado1975-05-10: Tornado1967-09-21: Tornado1962-06-09: Tornado1958-06-16: Tornado1954-06-11: Tornado
Tornado event locations in and around Brewster County. Dots: Tornado event locations in the kept record. Boundaries: US Census Bureau.

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 21 tornado events in Brewster County, Texas, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 17 years.

June is the busiest month, with 9 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 6 events against 7 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.

The county holds 0.2% of the 10,090 tornado events recorded in Texas; its 0.3 per 100 square miles compares with 3.9 statewide.

By rating: 17 at (E)F0, 2 at (E)F1, 1 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 1 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.

Compared with Texas

MeasureBrewster CountyTexasUS
Tornado events since 19502110,09081,281
Per 100 square miles0.33.92.3
Per 10,000 residents22.23.42.4
Deaths recorded05956,410
Busiest monthJuneMayMay

By year

195019882026
Tornado events recorded in Brewster County per year, 1950 to 2026 (2026 is partial).

Seasonality

Jan
0
Feb
0
Mar
1
Apr
1
May
8
Jun
9
Jul
1
Aug
0
Sep
1
Oct
0
Nov
0
Dec
0
Tornado events in Brewster County by month of occurrence, all years.

Magnitude distribution

EF0/F017
EF1/F12
EF2/F21
EF3/F30
EF4/F40
EF5/F50
Unrated1
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 21 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.

DateEvent typeMagnitudeProperty damageCrop damageDeathsInjuriesGeography
28 May 2021TornadoEF unrated————County
31 May 2019TornadoEF0————County
3 May 2019TornadoEF0————County
19 Mar 2017TornadoEF0————County
22 May 2015TornadoEF0————County
13 Apr 2013TornadoEF0————County
10 Jun 2005TornadoF0————County
9 Jun 2005TornadoF0————County
5 Jun 2003TornadoF0————County
9 Jun 1995TornadoF0————County
9 Jun 1995TornadoF0————County
31 May 1987TornadoF0————County
19 May 1987TornadoF0————County
7 May 1981TornadoF1$250K———County
4 Jun 1979TornadoF0$30———County
15 Jul 1976TornadoF0————County
10 May 1975TornadoF0$3K———County
21 Sep 1967TornadoF0————County
9 Jun 1962TornadoF2$3K———County
16 Jun 1958TornadoF1$3K———County
11 Jun 1954TornadoF0$3K——3County

Questions and answers

How many tornado events has Brewster County had?

21 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 Brewster County?

28 May 2021 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.

What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Brewster County?

The tornado of 7 May 1981, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $250K.

How does Brewster County compare with Texas for tornado?

0.3 events per 100 square miles against 3.9 statewide; the county holds 21 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.