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Tornado in Mitchell County, Texas
55 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 55 tornado events in Mitchell County, Texas, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 30 years.
May is the busiest month, with 22 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 7 events against 26 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: 41 at (E)F0, 10 at (E)F1, 4 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Texas
| Measure | Mitchell County | Texas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 55 | 10,090 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.0 | 3.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 60.6 | 3.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 595 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
9Apr
8May
22Jun
9Jul
1Aug
3Sep
1Oct
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 55 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Mar 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | $8K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 25 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Mar 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $275K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 4 Mar 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $125K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Oct 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Sep 2003 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2002 | Tornado | F0 | $65K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2002 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Mar 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Mar 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Oct 1997 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Aug 1984 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 1984 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 1984 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Mar 1980 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Mar 1979 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Mar 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1978 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 1967 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 22 Jul 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1962 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 1955 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1955 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Mitchell County had?
55 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 Mitchell County?
28 Mar 2017 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Mitchell County?
The tornado of 4 Mar 2004, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $275K.
How does Mitchell County compare with Texas for tornado?
6.0 events per 100 square miles against 3.9 statewide; the county holds 55 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.