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Tornado in Lamar County, Texas
47 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.
Lamar County, Texas, has 47 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 22 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 16 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 11 events against 11 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 5.2 per 100 square miles compares with 3.9 statewide.
NCEI attributes 11 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 20 at (E)F0, 5 at (E)F1, 15 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 3 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 3 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Texas
| Measure | Lamar County | Texas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 47 | 10,090 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.2 | 3.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 9.4 | 3.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 11 | 595 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
7Apr
16May
14Jun
4Jul
0Aug
0Sep
2Oct
2Nov
1Dec
1
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 47 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Dec 2022 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Nov 2022 | Tornado | EF4 | $5.0M | — | — | 10 | County |
| 22 Apr 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 2020 | Tornado | EF2 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Mar 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Sep 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Mar 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Mar 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Mar 2005 | Tornado | F1 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 1996 | Tornado | F0 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $12K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1994 | Tornado | F2 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 1990 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | 13 | County |
| 17 Mar 1987 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1985 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 8 | County |
| 24 May 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 1982 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 1982 | Tornado | F4 | $25M | — | 10 | 170 | County |
| 2 Apr 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Oct 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Oct 1981 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1981 | Tornado | F4 | $2.5M | — | — | 30 | County |
| 3 May 1979 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1978 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1978 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1974 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 1974 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 6 | County |
| 10 Mar 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 23 Apr 1964 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1964 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 1957 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | 1 | 2 | County |
| 2 Apr 1957 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 1957 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Lamar County had?
47 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 Lamar County?
24 Apr 2026 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Lamar County?
The tornado of 2 Apr 1982, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M; 10 deaths recorded.
How does Lamar County compare with Texas for tornado?
5.2 events per 100 square miles against 3.9 statewide; the county holds 47 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.