States › Texas › Cochran County › Tornado
Tornado in Cochran 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 Cochran County, Texas, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 16 years.
May is the busiest month, with 17 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 11 events against 5 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 4.9 per 100 square miles compares with 3.9 statewide.
By rating: 21 at (E)F0, 5 at (E)F1, 4 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 7 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Texas
| Measure | Cochran County | Texas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 38 | 10,090 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.9 | 3.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 151.0 | 3.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 595 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
2Apr
5May
17Jun
10Jul
3Aug
0Sep
0Oct
1Nov
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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2022 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2022 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2022 | Tornado | EF unrated | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2022 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2022 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2017 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF2 | $175K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | $80K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1997 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 1973 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Oct 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 1970 | Tornado | F4 | $25M | — | — | 20 | County |
| 16 May 1969 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1969 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1969 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1969 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1969 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 1961 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 1961 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1961 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1961 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1961 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1956 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Cochran 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 Cochran County?
5 Jun 2025 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Cochran County?
The tornado of 17 Apr 1970, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M.
How does Cochran County compare with Texas for tornado?
4.9 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.