States › Texas › Hale County › Tornado
Tornado in Hale County, Texas
134 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 134 tornado events in Hale County, Texas, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 41 years.
May is the busiest month, with 49 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 19 events against 37 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.3% of the 10,090 tornado events recorded in Texas; its 13.3 per 100 square miles compares with 3.9 statewide.
NCEI attributes 8 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 71 at (E)F0, 36 at (E)F1, 13 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 2 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 11 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Texas
| Measure | Hale County | Texas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 134 | 10,090 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 13.3 | 3.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 41.6 | 3.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 8 | 595 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
5Apr
21May
49Jun
44Jul
2Aug
7Sep
2Oct
3Nov
1Dec
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 134 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 May 2026 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2019 | Tornado | EF2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2019 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2019 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Oct 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Oct 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Sep 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | $12K | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 2007 | Tornado | EF2 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $35K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | $500K | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Oct 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F2 | $100K | $25K | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 1997 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Apr 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Apr 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Apr 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 1991 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 11 May 1991 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1988 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 1987 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1986 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1983 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1980 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 1979 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1979 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 1979 | Tornado | — | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Mar 1979 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Mar 1979 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1978 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 1978 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 1978 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 1978 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1977 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1977 | Tornado | F2 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1977 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 1974 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 1974 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1974 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1974 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1974 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1974 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1973 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F3 | — | — | 2 | 26 | County |
| 2 Jul 1972 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 1972 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 1971 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 1971 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1970 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 1970 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 1970 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 1970 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 1970 | Tornado | F4 | $2.5M | — | 2 | 47 | County |
| 1 Nov 1968 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 1968 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1968 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1968 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1968 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1968 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1967 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1967 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1967 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1967 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1967 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1967 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1966 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1966 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1966 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1966 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1966 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1966 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 1965 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1965 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1965 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1965 | Tornado | F4 | $25M | — | 4 | 76 | County |
| 26 Sep 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1963 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1963 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1963 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1963 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1963 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1960 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 1959 | Tornado | — | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1959 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1957 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1957 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1957 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 1957 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 1957 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1955 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Hale County had?
134 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 Hale County?
22 May 2026 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Hale County?
The tornado of 2 Jun 1965, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M; 4 deaths recorded.
How does Hale County compare with Texas for tornado?
13.3 events per 100 square miles against 3.9 statewide; the county holds 134 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.