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Tornado in Reeves County, Texas
48 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 48 tornado events in Reeves County, Texas, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 25 years.
May is the busiest month, with 25 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 5 events against 22 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 1.8 per 100 square miles compares with 3.9 statewide.
NCEI attributes 30 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 30 at (E)F0, 5 at (E)F1, 7 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 5 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Texas
| Measure | Reeves County | Texas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 48 | 10,090 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 1.8 | 3.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 33.1 | 3.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 30 | 595 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
1Apr
8May
25Jun
8Jul
1Aug
0Sep
1Oct
4Nov
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 48 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 May 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 2020 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2010 | Tornado | EF2 | $24K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Oct 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Sep 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1999 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Oct 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Oct 1998 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1992 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1987 | Tornado | F4 | $2.5M | — | 30 | 121 | County |
| 26 May 1978 | Tornado | — | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1978 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 1978 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 1977 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1976 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 22 Apr 1976 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 12 | County |
| 20 May 1972 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 20 May 1972 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 1964 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Oct 1963 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1962 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1962 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1962 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 18 May 1961 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1961 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1961 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1959 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1959 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1955 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 13 Jun 1954 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Reeves County had?
48 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 Reeves County?
9 May 2023 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Reeves County?
The tornado of 22 May 1987, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M; 30 deaths recorded.
How does Reeves County compare with Texas for tornado?
1.8 events per 100 square miles against 3.9 statewide; the county holds 48 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.