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Tornado in Nolan County, Texas
49 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 49 tornado events in Nolan County, Texas, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 26 years.
May is the busiest month, with 22 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 8 events against 21 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 5.4 per 100 square miles compares with 3.9 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 38 at (E)F0, 6 at (E)F1, 4 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Texas
| Measure | Nolan County | Texas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 49 | 10,090 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.4 | 3.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 33.6 | 3.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 595 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
6Apr
10May
22Jun
9Jul
2Aug
0Sep
0Oct
0Nov
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 49 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Mar 2020 | Tornado | EF2 | $2.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Mar 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 5 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2005 | Tornado | F0 | $6K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $8K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Mar 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2002 | Tornado | F0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Mar 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1986 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1986 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | 1 | 100 | County |
| 22 Jul 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1972 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1965 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1965 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1963 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 1958 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1954 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Nolan County had?
49 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 Nolan County?
19 Mar 2020 (Tornado, EF2). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Nolan County?
The tornado of 19 Apr 1986, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M; 1 death recorded.
How does Nolan County compare with Texas for tornado?
5.4 events per 100 square miles against 3.9 statewide; the county holds 49 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.