51
Recorded events
1
Direct deaths
15
Direct injuries
$7.1M
Property damage
Tornado in Panola County, Texas: 51 recorded events between 1953 and 2024. The strongest on record measured F3. That places the county #364 nationally and #71 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Tornado in Panola County, Texas: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for tornado in Panola County is the 2010s, when 12 of the county's 51 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 Panola County archive, tornado makes up 9.6% of all recorded severe weather across 6 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #364 for this hazard and #71 within Texas, putting it in the 87.8 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Apr is the peak month for tornado in Panola County with 10 recorded events, while Aug 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987-11-15 | EF3 | 48.0 mi | 500 yd | Crossed in |
| 1989-06-07 | EF3 | 6.0 mi | 447 yd | Touched down here |
| 2021-03-27 | EF2 | 15.8 mi | 1,600 yd | Touched down here |
| 2022-12-13 | EF2 | 9.2 mi | 460 yd | Touched down here |
| 2022-03-21 | EF2 | 11.9 mi | 500 yd | Crossed in |
| 2021-03-27 | EF2 | 22.3 mi | 300 yd | Crossed in |
| 2011-04-26 | EF2 | 42.4 mi | 850 yd | Touched down here |
| 2009-12-23 | EF2 | 10.1 mi | 200 yd | Crossed in |
| 2003-04-06 | EF2 | 4.9 mi | 220 yd | Crossed in |
| 1991-02-18 | EF2 | 4.0 mi | 300 yd | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 28, 2021 | CARTHAGE | EF2 | 1 | 3 | $1.5M |
| Nov 16, 1987 | F3 | 0 | 5 | $2.5M | |
| Sep 13, 1961 | F2 | 0 | 2 | $3K | |
| Mar 12, 1953 | F2 | 0 | 2 | $25K | |
| Mar 22, 2022 | LONG BRANCH | EF2 | 0 | 1 | $550K |
| Mar 28, 2021 | DOTSON | EF2 | 0 | 1 | $100K |
| Jul 25, 1956 | F1 | 0 | 1 | $25K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 8, 2024 | WOODS | EF1 | $0 |
| Jul 8, 2024 | LORRAINE | EF1 | $300K |
| Jul 8, 2024 | TATUM | EF1 | $85K |
| Jun 16, 2023 | ADAMS STORE | EF1 | $50K |
| Dec 13, 2022 | DE BERRY | EF2 | $25K |
| May 5, 2022 | TATUM | EF1 | $0 |
| Mar 22, 2022 | LONG BRANCH | EF2 | $550K |
| Mar 28, 2021 | CARTHAGE | EF2 | $1.5M |
| Mar 28, 2021 | DOTSON | EF2 | $100K |
| Nov 25, 2020 | DEADWOOD | EF1 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Panola County
- Thunderstorm Wind 270
- Hail 170
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
National Weather Storm Survey Team determined that damage across Panola County was consistent with that of a tornado. An EF1 tornado first touched down near Beckville, Texsa and traveled east northeast before lifting just northeast of De Berry Texas. Numerous trees and powerlines were downed throughout the track of this tornado and some of these trees damaged several homes and outbuildings as well.
This is a continuation of the Eastern Rusk County tornado. Although this tornado entered Western Panola County with estimated winds around 90 mph, it strengthened to a strong EF-2 with estimated maximum winds around 130 mph, as it lifted northeast through Western Panola County. It crossed FM 348 and County Roads 881, 188, and 189, snapping and uprooting numerous trees before reaching Highway 79. In this area, several homes were significantly damaged, and one well-built residence lost most of its roof with several walls collapsed. One injury occurred in this home, although the injury was not deemed critical. The damage rating on this structure was a strong EF-2, and near this location, the tornado achieved its maximum width of approximately 500 yards. Near this location, the high level of tree damage and damage to at least one other structure also warranted a rating of EF-2. A home on County Road 293 and a metal building on County Road 237 were also damaged from this tornado, before it lifted along County Road 241 several miles southwest of Beckville.
An EF1 tornado with winds of 95 to 105 mph occurred along CR 241 in Panola County and moved southeastward along CR 224 before lifting. Numerous homes were damaged mainly from falling trees. In particular…a manufactured home had its entire roof peeled and strewn into a field east of the home. A cabin 300 yards east of that home had its entire roof lifted off the wooden frame and thrown into the tree line adjacent to the structure. Numerous large trees both hardwood and softwood were snapped and or uprooted along the path which ended 5 miles southeast along CR 224. Several trees were uprooted or snapped onto homes along CR 241 and CR 248. The tornado was 200 yards wide at its widest point and on the ground until 1203 pm.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many tornado events are on record in Panola County, Texas?
51 tornado events are recorded in Panola County between 1953 and 2024, causing 1 direct deaths.
What is the strongest tornado recorded in Panola County?
The strongest tornado on record in Panola County measured F3.
Where does the tornado data for Panola 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 Panola County, Texas.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/texas/panola-county/tornado/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.