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Tornado in Brown County, Texas
38 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 38 tornado events in Brown County, Texas, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 24 years.
May is the busiest month, with 16 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 11 events against 14 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.4% of the 10,090 tornado events recorded in Texas; its 4.0 per 100 square miles compares with 3.9 statewide.
By rating: 12 at (E)F0, 23 at (E)F1, 2 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 1 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Texas
| Measure | Brown County | Texas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 38 | 10,090 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.0 | 3.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 9.9 | 3.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 595 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
2Apr
7May
16Jun
7Jul
1Aug
2Sep
0Oct
2Nov
0Dec
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 38 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Mar 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Dec 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Mar 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 1997 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 1997 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1995 | Tornado | F1 | $90K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1994 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 1988 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1988 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Aug 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 1986 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Oct 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 1979 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1976 | Tornado | F5 | $2.5M | — | — | 11 | County |
| 26 Apr 1970 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 12 Jun 1969 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Oct 1960 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 21 Jun 1958 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1958 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1955 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Brown County had?
38 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 Brown County?
13 Mar 2019 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Brown County?
The tornado of 13 Oct 1960, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Brown County compare with Texas for tornado?
4.0 events per 100 square miles against 3.9 statewide; the county holds 38 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.