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Tornado in Donley County, Texas
64 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.
Donley County, Texas, has 64 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 31 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 20 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 24 events against 20 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.6% of the 10,090 tornado events recorded in Texas; its 6.9 per 100 square miles compares with 3.9 statewide.
NCEI attributes 16 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 40 at (E)F0, 9 at (E)F1, 9 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 4 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Texas
| Measure | Donley County | Texas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 64 | 10,090 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.9 | 3.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 195.8 | 3.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 16 | 595 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
12Apr
12May
20Jun
16Jul
1Aug
0Sep
0Oct
0Nov
0Dec
3
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 64 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Dec 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Dec 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | $20K | — | — | County |
| 14 Dec 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | $10K | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF2 | $63K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF2 | $170K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF3 | $180K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 28 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | $6K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 2003 | Tornado | F1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1997 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1995 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1995 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Mar 1983 | Tornado | F2 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Mar 1983 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 26 May 1978 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1977 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1977 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 1976 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 1976 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1974 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 1970 | Tornado | F4 | $2.5M | — | 16 | 42 | County |
| 18 Apr 1970 | Tornado | F4 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 1970 | Tornado | F4 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 1970 | Tornado | F4 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 1961 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1960 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1957 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 16 Jun 1955 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1955 | Tornado | F2 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Donley County had?
64 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 Donley County?
1 May 2024 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Donley County?
The tornado of 18 Apr 1970, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M; 16 deaths recorded.
How does Donley County compare with Texas for tornado?
6.9 events per 100 square miles against 3.9 statewide; the county holds 64 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.