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Tornado in Briscoe County, Texas
50 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.
Briscoe County, Texas, has 50 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 29 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 20 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 17 events against 10 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.5% of the 10,090 tornado events recorded in Texas; its 5.6 per 100 square miles compares with 3.9 statewide.
NCEI attributes 25 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 29 at (E)F0, 10 at (E)F1, 3 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 3 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 5 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Texas
| Measure | Briscoe County | Texas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 50 | 10,090 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.6 | 3.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 356.4 | 3.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 25 | 595 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
8Apr
8May
20Jun
13Jul
0Aug
1Sep
0Oct
0Nov
0Dec
0
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 50 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Aug 2016 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $35K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF2 | $125K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2001 | Tornado | F1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1987 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1983 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1981 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1981 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Mar 1979 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 1978 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1977 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | 3 | — | County |
| 17 Apr 1970 | Tornado | F4 | — | — | 1 | 4 | County |
| 17 Apr 1970 | Tornado | F4 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1965 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1962 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1962 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1962 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 1961 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1958 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1957 | Tornado | F4 | $250K | — | 21 | 80 | County |
| 14 May 1957 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Briscoe County had?
50 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 Briscoe County?
24 Apr 2025 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Briscoe County?
The tornado of 15 May 1957, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $250K; 21 deaths recorded.
How does Briscoe County compare with Texas for tornado?
5.6 events per 100 square miles against 3.9 statewide; the county holds 50 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.