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Tornado in Runnels 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.
Runnels County, Texas, has 54 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 27 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 19 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 9 events against 16 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 5.1 per 100 square miles compares with 3.9 statewide.
By rating: 21 at (E)F0, 11 at (E)F1, 15 at (E)F2, 5 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 2 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Texas
| Measure | Runnels County | Texas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 54 | 10,090 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.1 | 3.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 54.3 | 3.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 595 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
2Mar
6Apr
15May
19Jun
2Jul
2Aug
3Sep
4Oct
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Nov 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2024 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2019 | Tornado | EF3 | $6.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2019 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2017 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | $8K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2002 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2002 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Aug 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Mar 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 1988 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 1988 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Sep 1986 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 1986 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1983 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 1982 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | 4 | County |
| 10 Apr 1979 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 1979 | Tornado | F3 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Sep 1976 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1976 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 1976 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 1976 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1975 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1972 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Feb 1971 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Feb 1971 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 1967 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 5 May 1965 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Aug 1962 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 1956 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 1954 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 27 Apr 1954 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Runnels 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 Runnels County?
7 Nov 2024 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Runnels County?
The tornado of 18 May 2019, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $6.0M.
How does Runnels County compare with Texas for tornado?
5.1 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.