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Tornado in Ector County, Texas
45 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.
Ector County, Texas, has 45 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 26 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 16 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 8 events against 19 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 5.0 per 100 square miles compares with 3.9 statewide.
By rating: 34 at (E)F0, 4 at (E)F1, 5 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Texas
| Measure | Ector County | Texas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 45 | 10,090 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.0 | 3.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 2.8 | 3.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 595 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
2Apr
3May
16Jun
11Jul
4Aug
2Sep
5Oct
2Nov
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 45 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 May 2019 | Tornado | EF3 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Mar 2012 | Tornado | EF2 | $1.0M | — | — | 3 | County |
| 1 Sep 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2010 | Tornado | EF3 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jul 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2002 | Tornado | F0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Mar 2000 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Sep 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Sep 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1987 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Oct 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1983 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1983 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Oct 1981 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 28 Aug 1981 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 1979 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1977 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1972 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 1969 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1968 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 1961 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1957 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Ector County had?
45 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 Ector County?
20 May 2019 (Tornado, EF3). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Ector County?
The tornado of 18 Mar 2012, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $1.0M.
How does Ector County compare with Texas for tornado?
5.0 events per 100 square miles against 3.9 statewide; the county holds 45 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.