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Tornado in Cherokee County, Texas
45 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 45 tornado events in Cherokee County, Texas, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 32 years.
April is the busiest month, with 17 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 20 events against 10 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 4.3 per 100 square miles compares with 3.9 statewide.
NCEI attributes 3 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 7 at (E)F0, 16 at (E)F1, 16 at (E)F2, 4 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 2 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Texas
| Measure | Cherokee County | Texas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 45 | 10,090 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.3 | 3.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 8.8 | 3.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 3 | 595 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
1Mar
6Apr
17May
4Jun
4Jul
2Aug
0Sep
1Oct
2Nov
2Dec
5
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 45 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Nov 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Mar 2022 | Tornado | EF2 | $35K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF2 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jan 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | $105K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2019 | Tornado | EF2 | $600K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2019 | Tornado | EF3 | $10M | — | 1 | 20 | County |
| 13 Apr 2019 | Tornado | EF2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Dec 2017 | Tornado | EF2 | $120K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 2016 | Tornado | EF2 | $700K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Apr 2015 | Tornado | EF2 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Dec 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Dec 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Oct 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Dec 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Apr 2003 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2002 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1999 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 1999 | Tornado | F2 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Oct 1993 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1991 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1991 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1991 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 15 Nov 1987 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | 2 | 75 | County |
| 18 May 1983 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Mar 1983 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Mar 1980 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 1973 | Tornado | F3 | — | — | — | 3 | County |
| 3 Apr 1972 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 1969 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 1968 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Dec 1967 | Tornado | — | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Feb 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 11 Apr 1961 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Mar 1961 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 1959 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 1955 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1953 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Cherokee County had?
45 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 Cherokee County?
20 Nov 2025 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Cherokee County?
The tornado of 15 Nov 1987, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M; 2 deaths recorded.
How does Cherokee County compare with Texas for tornado?
4.3 events per 100 square miles against 3.9 statewide; the county holds 45 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.