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Tornado in Smith County, Texas
76 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.
Smith County, Texas, has 76 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 38 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 21 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 24 events against 19 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.8% of the 10,090 tornado events recorded in Texas; its 8.2 per 100 square miles compares with 3.9 statewide.
NCEI attributes 2 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 20 at (E)F0, 32 at (E)F1, 20 at (E)F2, 2 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 | Smith County | Texas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 76 | 10,090 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 8.2 | 3.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 3.2 | 3.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 2 | 595 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
7Feb
5Mar
9Apr
21May
19Jun
3Jul
2Aug
1Sep
0Oct
1Nov
5Dec
3
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 76 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Oct 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $125K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Aug 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 2016 | Tornado | EF2 | $300K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 29 Apr 2016 | Tornado | EF2 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Dec 2015 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | $125K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | $125K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jan 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jan 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Feb 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Feb 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Dec 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Mar 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jan 1998 | Tornado | F2 | $120K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jan 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Feb 1996 | Tornado | F0 | $8K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 4 Jan 1993 | Tornado | — | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Nov 1991 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Nov 1991 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1991 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1991 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1990 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1990 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1989 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1989 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1989 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Nov 1988 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 1987 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | 2 | 6 | County |
| 15 Nov 1987 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Mar 1987 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Mar 1983 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Mar 1983 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1981 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Mar 1980 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 1979 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 1979 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 1 Apr 1979 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Mar 1979 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 23 Feb 1979 | Tornado | F3 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 11 May 1978 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 1978 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 1978 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 1978 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1978 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jan 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jan 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 27 Dec 1968 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1968 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1968 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 1967 | Tornado | F2 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 1967 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 1962 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 1962 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 1962 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 1958 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1957 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 6 | County |
| 11 Feb 1950 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 5 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Smith County had?
76 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 Smith County?
4 Apr 2026 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Smith County?
The tornado of 15 Nov 1987, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M; 2 deaths recorded.
How does Smith County compare with Texas for tornado?
8.2 events per 100 square miles against 3.9 statewide; the county holds 76 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.