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Tornado in Hidalgo County, Texas
43 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 43 tornado events in Hidalgo County, Texas, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 23 years.
September is the busiest month, with 14 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 6 events against 22 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: 22 at (E)F0, 13 at (E)F1, 1 at (E)F2, 4 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 3 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Texas
| Measure | Hidalgo County | Texas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 43 | 10,090 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 2.7 | 3.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 0.5 | 3.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 595 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | September | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
5Apr
3May
4Jun
5Jul
4Aug
7Sep
14Oct
1Nov
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 43 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $500K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 2 Sep 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2003 | Tornado | F1 | $1.5M | — | — | 11 | County |
| 29 May 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2001 | Tornado | F1 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2001 | Tornado | F1 | $70K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Aug 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $6K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Aug 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | $4K | — | — | County |
| 27 Mar 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1994 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | $500 | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 1988 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 1988 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 1988 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 16 Sep 1988 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 1988 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 1988 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 1988 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1987 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Sep 1983 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 1983 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 15 Mar 1983 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | 9 | County |
| 15 Mar 1983 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Aug 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Aug 1981 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 1980 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 1975 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Sep 1970 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Sep 1967 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1967 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Oct 1965 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1965 | Tornado | F3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 1962 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 1955 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Hidalgo County had?
43 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 Hidalgo County?
27 Mar 2025 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Hidalgo County?
The tornado of 15 Mar 1983, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Hidalgo County compare with Texas for tornado?
2.7 events per 100 square miles against 3.9 statewide; the county holds 43 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.