Abilene, Texas tornadoes

Checking live National Weather Service warnings for Abilene...

38confirmed tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Abilene since NOAA records began in 1950. Most recent: March 19, 2020, EF2.

Join the free alerts waiting list
Map

Every tornado path within 10 miles

Tornado paths, 1950 to 2025
Use two fingers to move the map
(E)F0(E)F1(E)F2(E)F3(E)F4(E)F5Unrated

Each path is a straight line from where the tornado started to where it ended, which is all most NOAA records hold. Tap a path for its details.

Recent warnings

Recent warnings near Abilene

Loading warnings...

The record

At a glance

Total38within 10 miles, 1950 to 2025
Per year0.5average since 1950
Peak monthMay19 of 38
StrongestF3May 15, 1965
Deaths0whole paths, see note
Injuries9whole paths, see note

Deaths and injuries are NOAA's totals for each tornado's whole path, which can run well beyond Abilene.

Seasons

When tornadoes hit here

By month

190 Jan: 0Feb: 0Mar: 5Apr: 6May: 19Jun: 4Jul: 3Aug: 1Sep: 0Oct: 0Nov: 0Dec: 0JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

May is the peak month, with 19 of 38 tornadoes.

By time of day

80 12 AM: 2: 0: 13 AM: 1: 2: 06 AM: 0: 0: 09 AM: 0: 0: 112 PM: 0: 0: 33 PM: 7: 2: 86 PM: 4: 4: 19 PM: 0: 1: 112 AM3 AM6 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PM9 PM

Most often around 5:00 PM. Times as recorded by NOAA, mostly Central Standard Time.

By year, 1950 to 2025

40 1950: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 2: 0: 1: 0: 21960: 0: 0: 2: 0: 0: 1: 0: 0: 0: 41970: 0: 0: 0: 1: 0: 0: 4: 0: 1: 11980: 0: 0: 0: 1: 0: 0: 1: 1: 0: 11990: 1: 1: 0: 1: 2: 0: 0: 0: 0: 02000: 0: 0: 2: 1: 1: 0: 1: 0: 1: 02010: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 22020: 2: 0: 0: 0: 0: 019501960197019801990200020102020

The line is the five-year average. Tornadoes before about 1953 were under-reported, and better radar since the 1990s finds more weak ones.

By rating

EF0
19
EF1
10
EF2
6
EF3
3

Ratings before February 2007 use the original F scale; the numbers line up with today's EF scale. Unknown means NOAA could not assign a rating.

The record

Notable tornadoes

Strongest

F3, May 15, 1965

9.3 mile path Longest path

20.3 miles, F3

May 25, 1976, whole path Widest

550 yards, EF1

May 18, 2019
Every tornado

All 38 tornadoes, newest first

DateRatingPath lengthWidthDeathsInjuries
Mar 19, 2020EF25.38 mi135 yd00
Mar 19, 2020EF10.23 mi35 yd00
May 18, 2019EF18.66 mi550 yd00
May 18, 2019EF25.04 mi388 yd00
Apr 9, 2008EF00.1 mi50 yd00
May 5, 2006F00.2 mi20 yd00
Mar 4, 2004F112 mi100 yd00
May 15, 2003F00.3 mi20 yd00
Jun 13, 2002F00.5 mi50 yd00
May 7, 2002F00.2 mi20 yd00
May 25, 1994F00.1 mi10 yd00
May 11, 1994F00.1 mi10 yd00
Apr 14, 1993F15 mi150 yd00
Mar 21, 1991F00.2 mi10 yd00
Apr 5, 1990F20.2 mi10 yd00
May 13, 1989F10.2 mi10 yd00
May 28, 1987F00.2 mi10 yd00
Jun 16, 1986F00.2 mi10 yd00
May 30, 1983F10.1 mi17 yd00
Jun 25, 1979F00.1 mi10 yd00
Jul 3, 1978F20.1 mi50 yd00
May 26, 1976F31 mi300 yd00
May 25, 1976F320.3 mi300 yd01
Apr 15, 1976F00.1 mi10 yd00
Apr 15, 1976F00.1 mi10 yd00
Nearby

Abilene and its county

Abilene spans 2 counties, each with its own record since 1950: Taylor County (70 tornadoes) and Jones County (88). A county's record counts every tornado inside its borders, while this page counts every path within 10 miles of the city, so the two overlap without matching.

Nearby cities

Coming soon

Free tornado alerts for Abilene

We are building free email alerts for tornado warnings. Join the waiting list and we will email you once when they are ready. Until then, please rely on the National Weather Service and your phone's emergency alerts.

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025. City point and population: US Census Bureau, 2024. Each path is a straight line between NOAA's start and end points.