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Tornado in Howard County, Texas
54 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.
Howard County, Texas, has 54 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 28 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 19 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 8 events against 13 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.5% of the 10,090 tornado events recorded in Texas; its 6.0 per 100 square miles compares with 3.9 statewide.
By rating: 31 at (E)F0, 14 at (E)F1, 5 at (E)F2, 1 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 | Howard County | Texas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 54 | 10,090 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.0 | 3.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 15.8 | 3.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 595 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
12May
19Jun
18Jul
2Aug
2Sep
0Oct
0Nov
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 54 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Aug 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2016 | Tornado | EF3 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2014 | Tornado | EF2 | $45K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 2009 | Tornado | EF2 | $83K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | $300K | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1988 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1987 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 1983 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1977 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1975 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 1969 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1966 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1964 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1963 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 1962 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1962 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Nov 1958 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1956 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | 3 | County |
| 22 May 1955 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1955 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1955 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1955 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1954 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 1954 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Howard County had?
54 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 Howard County?
11 Aug 2018 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Howard County?
The tornado of 5 Jun 2005, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25K and crop damage at $300K.
How does Howard County compare with Texas for tornado?
6.0 events per 100 square miles against 3.9 statewide; the county holds 54 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.