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Tornado in Castro 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 Castro County, Texas, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 32 years.
May is the busiest month, with 21 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 23 events against 28 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 7.9 per 100 square miles compares with 3.9 statewide.
NCEI attributes 3 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 43 at (E)F0, 12 at (E)F1, 5 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 9 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Texas
| Measure | Castro County | Texas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 71 | 10,090 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 7.9 | 3.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 96.3 | 3.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 3 | 595 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
5Apr
11May
21Jun
17Jul
5Aug
4Sep
4Oct
3Nov
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 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 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Sep 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 2019 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Oct 2018 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2017 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | $9K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2017 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2017 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2017 | Tornado | EF3 | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Sep 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 2007 | Tornado | EF2 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Oct 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 4 Jun 1995 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1995 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1995 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1995 | Tornado | F2 | $400K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 26 May 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 1986 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Sep 1981 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 1980 | Tornado | F2 | $250 | — | — | 1 | County |
| 28 May 1980 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1980 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 27 Mar 1980 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Feb 1980 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Aug 1977 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1972 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Oct 1971 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 4 | County |
| 16 May 1969 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Sep 1967 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 1967 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 1967 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1966 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 1965 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 1960 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | 3 | 32 | County |
| 8 Jul 1959 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1959 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1951 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Castro 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 Castro County?
26 Apr 2025 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Castro County?
The tornado of 17 Oct 1971, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Castro County compare with Texas for tornado?
7.9 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.