72
Recorded events
3
Direct deaths
65
Direct injuries
$7.1M
Property damage
Tornado in Grayson County, Texas: 72 recorded events between 1952 and 2025. The strongest on record measured F3. That places the county #151 nationally and #23 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Tornado in Grayson County, Texas: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for tornado in Grayson County is the 1970s, when 17 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 Grayson County archive, tornado makes up 6.7% 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
Apr is the peak month for tornado in Grayson County with 27 recorded events, while Feb 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-05-09 | EF3 | 9.3 mi | 300 yd | Crossed in |
| 1955-04-06 | EF3 | 30.2 mi | 67 yd | Touched down here |
| 1974-05-14 | EF3 | 2.0 mi | 33 yd | Touched down here |
| 1973-03-10 | EF3 | 6.8 mi | 100 yd | Touched down here |
| 1971-03-12 | EF3 | 41.6 mi | 250 yd | Crossed in |
| 1971-03-12 | EF3 | 5.2 mi | 440 yd | Crossed in |
| 1971-03-12 | EF3 | 5.1 mi | 440 yd | Touched down here |
| 1971-03-12 | EF3 | 5.1 mi | 440 yd | Touched down here |
| 1957-04-18 | EF3 | 1.0 mi | 17 yd | Touched down here |
| 1957-04-02 | EF3 | 10.7 mi | 33 yd | Crossed in |
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 6, 1955 | F3 | 1 | 27 | $2.5M | |
| Mar 21, 2022 | CEDAR MILLS | EF2 | 1 | 11 | $0 |
| May 10, 2006 | PILOT GROVE | F3 | 1 | 4 | $500K |
| Apr 27, 2016 | HOWE | EF0 | 0 | 5 | $450K |
| Dec 9, 2008 | DENISON MCKEON ARPT | EF2 | 0 | 3 | $750K |
| Mar 10, 1973 | F3 | 0 | 3 | $0 | |
| Jan 14, 1960 | F1 | 0 | 3 | $250K | |
| Apr 2, 1957 | F3 | 0 | 2 | $250K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 9, 2025 | HILTON | EF1 | $50K |
| Mar 21, 2022 | CEDAR MILLS | EF2 | $0 |
| Apr 27, 2016 | IDA | EF0 | $80K |
| Apr 27, 2016 | HOWE | EF0 | $450K |
| Apr 27, 2016 | WHITESBORO | EF0 | $200K |
| May 25, 2015 | ELLSWORTH | EF0 | $20K |
| May 20, 2015 | LOCUST | EF0 | $80K |
| May 10, 2015 | SOUTH GALE | EF1 | $50K |
| Dec 9, 2008 | DENISON MCKEON ARPT | EF2 | $750K |
| Dec 9, 2008 | COLLINSVILLE | EF1 | $400K |
Other hazards here
More from Grayson County
- Hail 480
- Thunderstorm Wind 388
- Flash Flood 98
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
The tornado first touched down in a field near Thousand Oak Trails. It then moved through the Sherwood Oaks community, producing extensive and widespread damage to trees and homes. Multiple manufactured homes were flipped, many trees were snapped in half, and one home was moved off its foundation. The tornado then crossed Lake Texoma and moved into Marshall County Oklahoma. A total of 105 structures were damaged, 53 destroyed, and 27 sustained major damage. Maximum estimated winds in Grayson County were 130 mph. One fatality occurred in a mobile home.
According to a damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service in Fort Worth, a lower EF-2 tornado affected areas of south and southwest Denison. Trees and power lines were downed. Dozens of homes, storage shelters, and businesses were damaged. About 500 homes in the area were without power.
A National Weather Service damage survey team determined a tornado produced EF-0 and EF-1 damage to several homes, businesses, and one school on the evening of April 26th. The tornado occurred in Howe, just south of the Sherman city limits, beginning on the west side of US 75. The tornado damaged a mobile home business near the Howe High School, where superficial damage was done due to debris flying into and onto the school. The damage to the school was mainly superficial, however. The tornado continued to move northeast and damaged approximately 20 homes, causing widespread roof, fence, and vehicle damage. Five people were injured in this area, but none had life threatening injuries.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many tornado events are on record in Grayson County, Texas?
72 tornado events are recorded in Grayson County between 1952 and 2025, causing 3 direct deaths.
What is the strongest tornado recorded in Grayson County?
The strongest tornado on record in Grayson County measured F3.
Where does the tornado data for Grayson 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 Grayson County, Texas.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/texas/grayson-county/tornado/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.