72
Recorded events
3
Direct deaths
74
Direct injuries
$13.8M
Property damage
Tornado in Bell County, Texas: 72 recorded events between 1955 and 2024. The strongest on record measured F3. That places the county #151 nationally and #23 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Tornado in Bell County, Texas: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for tornado in Bell County is the 1990s, when 14 of the county's 72 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the Bell County archive, tornado makes up 7.5% of all recorded severe weather across 7 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #151 for this hazard and #23 within Texas, putting it in the 95.0 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
May is the peak month for tornado in Bell County with 31 recorded events, while Jun is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
| Date | Scale | Path length | Max width | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976-05-26 | EF3 | 2.0 mi | 100 yd | Touched down here |
| 2022-04-12 | EF3 | 16.6 mi | 770 yd | Crossed in |
| 1997-05-27 | EF3 | 3.7 mi | 150 yd | Crossed in |
| 1997-05-27 | EF3 | 1.4 mi | 273 yd | Touched down here |
| 1990-03-14 | EF3 | 9.0 mi | 50 yd | Touched down here |
| 1955-05-06 | EF2 | 10.1 mi | 33 yd | Touched down here |
| 2024-05-22 | EF2 | 2.8 mi | 420 yd | Touched down here |
| 2022-03-21 | EF2 | 34.6 mi | 600 yd | Crossed in |
| 1997-05-27 | EF2 | 2.0 mi | 200 yd | Touched down here |
| 1996-04-12 | EF2 | 1.0 mi | 250 yd | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 27, 1976 | F3 | 2 | 7 | $2.5M | |
| May 7, 1955 | F2 | 1 | 1 | $250K | |
| May 22, 2024 | (TPL)TEMPLE MUNI ARP | EF2 | 0 | 30 | $5.0M |
| Apr 12, 2022 | YOUNGSPORT | EF3 | 0 | 23 | $0 |
| Jan 25, 1989 | F1 | 0 | 3 | $250K | |
| Apr 29, 1963 | F2 | 0 | 3 | $25K | |
| Apr 28, 2023 | HOOD AFB | EF1 | 0 | 2 | $2.0M |
| Nov 13, 1981 | F1 | 0 | 2 | $25K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 23, 2024 | MIDWAY | EFU | $0 |
| May 22, 2024 | HEIDENHEIMER | EF1 | $550K |
| May 22, 2024 | (TPL)TEMPLE MUNI ARP | EF2 | $5.0M |
| Apr 28, 2023 | HOOD AFB | EF1 | $2.0M |
| Apr 13, 2022 | SEATON | EF0 | $0 |
| Apr 12, 2022 | YOUNGSPORT | EF3 | $0 |
| Mar 21, 2022 | BARTLETT | EF1 | $2K |
| Mar 21, 2022 | PRAIRIE DELL | EF0 | $0 |
| May 16, 2021 | PENDLETON | EF0 | $50K |
| Apr 25, 2008 | HOLLAND | EF0 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Bell County
- Hail 394
- Thunderstorm Wind 302
- Flash Flood 159
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
The fourth tornado that was produced by the large supercell thunderstorm developed on the north side of Lake Belton, near Morgans Point where a marina was destroyed. Over 100 boats at the marina were destroyed by the strong tornado that moved slowly south-southwest. Ten homes along the lakeshore also sustained severe damage and damage to trees was nearly total. The tornado dissipated just northeast of Woodland.
A second tornado developed southeast of Temple near Bob White Rd north of FM-3117 tracking mostly over open field. Major roof damage was found near the intersection of these roads (DI 2, DOD 4). Additional but less extensive roof damage was seen to others homes as the tornado tracked southeast near Heidenheimer Rd. The team also found significant damage to several transmission lines along this area with more than a dozen towers flipped on its side. Many trees along the tornado track were also heavily damaged. Another home on Shaw Rd near Stallion Rd lost all its roof material and most of the wood beams constructing the roof. The tornado lifted soon after crossing Shaw Rd. This tornado was rated EF-1 with maximum estimated winds of 110 mph.
In Belton, amateur radio operators reported power flashes and a few downed trees. In and around Temple, power flashes were reported and numerous roofs, fences, and signs were damaged. One fence which was knocked down was anchored with cement pillars. Guests at a motel which lost a roof were temporarily trapped in their rooms due to their doors being barracaded by debris. Vehicles were damaged by tree limbs and other debris. A duplex also lost a roof and suffered water damage. A golf course lost its scoreboard which was supported by several 4-inch metal poles. An estimated forty trees were uprooted or damaged.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many tornado events are on record in Bell County, Texas?
72 tornado events are recorded in Bell County between 1955 and 2024, causing 3 direct deaths.
What is the strongest tornado recorded in Bell County?
The strongest tornado on record in Bell County measured F3.
Where does the tornado data for Bell County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Tornado in Bell County, Texas.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/texas/bell-county/tornado/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.