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Tornado in Dawson County, Texas
54 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 54 tornado events in Dawson County, Texas, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 27 years.
May is the busiest month, with 22 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 12 events against 24 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.5% of the 10,090 tornado events recorded in Texas; its 6.0 per 100 square miles compares with 3.9 statewide.
By rating: 33 at (E)F0, 17 at (E)F1, 3 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 1 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Texas
| Measure | Dawson County | Texas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 54 | 10,090 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.0 | 3.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 43.5 | 3.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 595 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
1Apr
12May
22Jun
12Jul
0Aug
0Sep
3Oct
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 54 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 May 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Mar 2000 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 1997 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1996 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1995 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Sep 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Oct 1991 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Oct 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1990 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 1987 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1987 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1987 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Feb 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1980 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 9 Apr 1978 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1971 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1969 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 1969 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1969 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1969 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 8 | County |
| 22 Oct 1963 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 1954 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1950 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Dawson County had?
54 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 Dawson County?
29 May 2025 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Dawson County?
The tornado of 8 Jun 1965, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25K.
How does Dawson County compare with Texas for tornado?
6.0 events per 100 square miles against 3.9 statewide; the county holds 54 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.