Hale County, Texas tornadoes

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137confirmed tornadoes since NOAA records began in 1950 (the first here in 1955). Most recent: May 3, 2024, EFU. 2026 so far: 3 preliminary reports preliminary

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Map

Every tornado path in the county

Fromto

Tornado paths, 1950 to 2025

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(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 in Hale County

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The record

At a glance

Total1371950 to 2025

Per year1.8average since 1950

Peak monthMay47 of 137

StrongestF4Apr 17, 1970

Deaths11whole paths, see note

Injuries156whole paths, see note

Deaths and injuries are NOAA's totals for each tornado's whole path, which can extend beyond Hale County.

Seasons

When tornadoes hit here

By month

May is the peak month, with 47 of 137 tornadoes.

By time of day

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

By year, 1950 to 2025

The line is the five-year average. Tornadoes before about 1953 were under-reported, and better radar since the 1990s finds more weak ones. This year so far: 3 preliminary reports.

By rating

EF0

EF1

EF2

EF3

EF4

Unknown

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

Deadliest

All 137 tornadoes, newest first

Tornadoes, newest first
Date	Rating	Path length	Width	Deaths	Injuries
May 3, 2024	EFU	0.01 mi	30 yd	0	0
May 26, 2021	EFU	1.01 mi	30 yd	0	0
Mar 13, 2021	EFU	0.05 mi	20 yd	0	0
Mar 13, 2021	EFU	0.04 mi	20 yd	0	0
May 25, 2019	EFU	4.64 mi	100 yd	0	0
May 25, 2019	EF2	1.69 mi	100 yd	0	0
May 7, 2019	EFU	0.01 mi	30 yd	0	0
Aug 14, 2013	EF0	0.07 mi	25 yd	0	0
Oct 12, 2012	EF0	0.14 mi	20 yd	0	0
Oct 12, 2012	EF0	1.8 mi	200 yd	0	0
Mar 19, 2011	EF0	0.1 mi	75 yd	0	0
May 24, 2009	EF0	0.17 mi	25 yd	0	0
Apr 16, 2009	EF1	2 mi	75 yd	0	0
Apr 16, 2009	EF1	7.57 mi	125 yd	0	0
Sep 27, 2007	EF0	3.15 mi	40 yd	0	0
May 31, 2007	EF0	0.5 mi	50 yd	0	0
Apr 21, 2007	EF2	28.75 mi	1,230 yd	0	1
Apr 17, 2007	EF1	2 mi	100 yd	0	0
Jun 9, 2005	F3	15 mi	900 yd	0	0
May 12, 2005	F0	0.2 mi	50 yd	0	0
May 12, 2005	F0	0.1 mi	40 yd	0	0
May 25, 1999	F0	0.1 mi	30 yd	0	0
May 1, 1999	F0	0.2 mi	30 yd	0	0
Oct 1, 1998	F0	0.2 mi	30 yd	0	0
Apr 26, 1998	F2	0.3 mi	30 yd	0	0
May 30, 1997	F0	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
Apr 10, 1997	F0	0.1 mi	50 yd	0	0
Apr 10, 1997	F1	0.2 mi	73 yd	0	0
Jun 2, 1995	F0	0.2 mi	20 yd	0	0
Jun 2, 1995	F0	0.2 mi	20 yd	0	0
Jun 11, 1992	F0	0.8 mi	50 yd	0	0
Jun 11, 1992	F0	0.2 mi	40 yd	0	0
Jun 11, 1992	F1	0.3 mi	80 yd	0	0
Jun 8, 1992	F1	2.2 mi	100 yd	0	0
May 27, 1992	F1	5 mi	120 yd	0	0
Apr 16, 1992	F0	0.8 mi	50 yd	0	0
Apr 16, 1992	F0	0.2 mi	30 yd	0	0
Apr 15, 1992	F0	0.3 mi	30 yd	0	0
Apr 9, 1992	F1	0.8 mi	50 yd	0	0
Apr 9, 1992	F0	0.2 mi	20 yd	0	0
Apr 9, 1992	F0	0.5 mi	50 yd	0	0
Jun 5, 1991	F0	0.3 mi	20 yd	0	0
May 13, 1991	F0	0.5 mi	30 yd	0	0
May 11, 1991	F1	1.2 mi	70 yd	0	0
May 11, 1991	F1	3.5 mi	80 yd	0	2
May 7, 1991	F0	2.6 mi	60 yd	0	0
Jun 6, 1989	F2	2.5 mi	200 yd	0	0
Jun 6, 1989	F0	1 mi	90 yd	0	0
Jun 6, 1989	F1	2 mi	120 yd	0	0
Jun 6, 1989	F0	0.5 mi	60 yd	0	0
Jun 3, 1989	F1	7.5 mi	150 yd	0	0
May 31, 1989	F0	1 mi	30 yd	0	0
May 15, 1989	F1	5.5 mi	80 yd	0	0
May 28, 1988	F0	4 mi	90 yd	0	0
Aug 10, 1987	F0	2.5 mi	40 yd	0	0
May 26, 1987	F0	0.2 mi	30 yd	0	0
Jun 4, 1986	F0	0.2 mi	40 yd	0	0
Jun 2, 1986	F0	0.2 mi	30 yd	0	0
Jun 2, 1986	F0	0.2 mi	30 yd	0	0
May 4, 1986	F0	4 mi	40 yd	0	0
May 20, 1983	F0	10 mi	1,320 yd	0	0
Jun 10, 1982	F0	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
Jun 7, 1982	F1	2 mi	10 yd	0	0
May 24, 1982	F0	0.2 mi	10 yd	0	0
May 18, 1982	F0	0.2 mi	10 yd	0	0
May 28, 1980	F0	0.3 mi	20 yd	0	0
May 27, 1980	F0	10.7 mi	30 yd	0	0
Aug 21, 1979	F0	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
Jun 5, 1979	F1	24.5 mi	167 yd	0	0
Apr 10, 1979	F0	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
Mar 18, 1979	F0	0.5 mi	40 yd	0	0
Mar 18, 1979	F0	0.3 mi	10 yd	0	0
Jun 4, 1978	F0	0.5 mi	17 yd	0	0
May 19, 1978	F0	2 mi	30 yd	0	0
Apr 8, 1978	F2	2 mi	100 yd	0	0
Apr 8, 1978	F0	2 mi	30 yd	0	0
May 20, 1977	F1	1 mi	30 yd	0	0
May 17, 1977	F1	1 mi	20 yd	0	0
May 17, 1977	F2	0.5 mi	60 yd	0	0
Jun 3, 1974	F0	0.5 mi	27 yd	0	0
Jun 3, 1974	F0	0.5 mi	30 yd	0	0
Jun 2, 1974	F1	0.8 mi	27 yd	0	0
Jun 2, 1974	F1	0.8 mi	30 yd	0	0
May 28, 1974	F1	0.5 mi	30 yd	0	0
May 24, 1974	F1	8.5 mi	30 yd	0	0
Mar 9, 1974	F1	9.3 mi	20 yd	0	0
May 22, 1973	F1	1 mi	17 yd	0	0
Apr 24, 1973	F1	0.3 mi	17 yd	0	0
Apr 15, 1973	F3	7.6 mi	200 yd	2	26
Jul 2, 1972	F0	0.5 mi	50 yd	0	0
Jul 2, 1972	F0	0.5 mi	50 yd	0	0
Oct 17, 1971	F1	0.3 mi	50 yd	0	0
Oct 17, 1971	F1	0.3 mi	50 yd	0	0
Oct 17, 1971	F1	8.2 mi	100 yd	0	0
Oct 17, 1971	F2	31 mi	100 yd	0	0
Aug 13, 1971	F1	0.3 mi	50 yd	0	0
Aug 13, 1971	F1	0.3 mi	50 yd	0	0
Jun 17, 1970	F1	1 mi	33 yd	0	0
May 14, 1970	F1	4.9 mi	33 yd	0	0
May 14, 1970	F1	4.9 mi	27 yd	0	0
May 14, 1970	F0	4.3 mi	17 yd	0	0
Apr 17, 1970	F4	96.6 mi	880 yd	5	51
Nov 1, 1968	F0	0.1 mi	17 yd	0	0
Jun 9, 1968	F1	5.9 mi	33 yd	0	0
May 31, 1968	F2	5 mi	3,000 yd	0	0
Jun 4, 1967	F1	1 mi	33 yd	0	0
Jun 4, 1967	F0	1 mi	33 yd	0	0
Jun 4, 1967	F0	1 mi	33 yd	0	0
Jun 4, 1967	F0	0.5 mi	17 yd	0	0
Jun 1, 1967	F0	0.5 mi	17 yd	0	0
Jun 1, 1967	F0	0.5 mi	17 yd	0	0
Aug 6, 1966	F0	1 mi	33 yd	0	0
Jun 17, 1966	F0	2 mi	23 yd	0	0
Jun 16, 1966	F0	1 mi	30 yd	0	0
May 28, 1966	F1	0.8 mi	27 yd	0	0
May 10, 1966	F2	0.1 mi	33 yd	0	0
May 10, 1966	F1	0.1 mi	27 yd	0	0
Aug 8, 1965	F0	0.1 mi	17 yd	0	0
Jun 10, 1965	F0	0.5 mi	17 yd	0	0
Jun 10, 1965	F2	0.5 mi	10 yd	0	0
Jun 2, 1965	F4	39.3 mi	200 yd	4	76
Sep 26, 1964	F1	4.7 mi	23 yd	0	0
Jun 8, 1963	F1	2 mi	33 yd	0	0
Jun 2, 1963	F1	6.1 mi	67 yd	0	0
Jun 2, 1963	F0	1 mi	10 yd	0	0
Jun 2, 1963	F0	1 mi	17 yd	0	0
May 29, 1963	F0	0.5 mi	33 yd	0	0
May 17, 1960	F0	0.6 mi	17 yd	0	0
Jun 23, 1959	F1	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
Jun 22, 1959	F0	1 mi	17 yd	0	0
Jun 22, 1957	F1	0.5 mi	10 yd	0	0
May 24, 1957	F0	0.5 mi	10 yd	0	0
May 24, 1957	F1	10.5 mi	10 yd	0	0
May 15, 1957	F2	2 mi	17 yd	0	0
Apr 21, 1957	F2	30.6 mi	100 yd	0	0
Apr 21, 1957	F2	30.6 mi	10 yd	0	0
May 22, 1955	F2	20.7 mi	400 yd	0	0

This year

2026 preliminary reports not yet confirmed

Report date	Location	Rating
May 22, 2026	6 NNW Abernathy	Not yet rated
May 22, 2026	Edmonson	Not yet rated
May 22, 2026	3 SE Plainview	Not yet rated

Preliminary reports from the Storm Prediction Center. One tornado can be reported more than once, and NOAA confirms the final record months later.

Nearby

Nearby counties

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Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025, and SPC preliminary reports for 2026. Page built October 13, 2026.