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Tornado in Clay County, Texas
43 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.
Clay County, Texas, has 43 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 27 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 19 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 16 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 3.9 per 100 square miles compares with 3.9 statewide.
By rating: 14 at (E)F0, 17 at (E)F1, 3 at (E)F2, 3 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 5 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Texas
| Measure | Clay County | Texas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 43 | 10,090 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 3.9 | 3.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 41.9 | 3.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 595 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
15May
19Jun
2Jul
1Aug
4Sep
1Oct
0Nov
1Dec
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 43 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Nov 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | $8K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2020 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2019 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Aug 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 16 Jun 1997 | Tornado | F1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1997 | Tornado | F0 | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1997 | Tornado | F0 | $750 | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1993 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1993 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1993 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1990 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1990 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 1986 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 1979 | Tornado | F4 | — | — | — | 40 | County |
| 13 Aug 1972 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 1972 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Sep 1970 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1968 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1967 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 1958 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 1956 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Apr 1955 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1955 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 1954 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Clay County had?
43 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 Clay County?
25 Apr 2026 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Clay County?
The tornado of 14 May 1986, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Clay County compare with Texas for tornado?
3.9 events per 100 square miles against 3.9 statewide; the county holds 43 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.