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Tornado in Deaf Smith County, Texas
41 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 41 tornado events in Deaf Smith County, Texas, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 25 years.
May is the busiest month, with 16 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 7 events against 13 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 2.7 per 100 square miles compares with 3.9 statewide.
By rating: 28 at (E)F0, 9 at (E)F1, 2 at (E)F2, 1 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 | Deaf Smith County | Texas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 41 | 10,090 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 2.7 | 3.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 22.4 | 3.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 595 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
2Apr
5May
16Jun
14Jul
3Aug
1Sep
0Oct
0Nov
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 41 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | $45K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | $35K | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Aug 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1996 | Tornado | F2 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1978 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1978 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1978 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1978 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 1976 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1974 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 1972 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1972 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1972 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1971 | Tornado | F3 | — | — | — | 24 | County |
| 19 Apr 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1968 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1967 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 1967 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 1967 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1964 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1960 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1958 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1957 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Deaf Smith County had?
41 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 Deaf Smith County?
4 Jun 2025 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Deaf Smith County?
The tornado of 26 May 1978, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $250K.
How does Deaf Smith County compare with Texas for tornado?
2.7 events per 100 square miles against 3.9 statewide; the county holds 41 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.