61
Recorded events
13
Direct deaths
165
Direct injuries
$7.9M
Property damage
Tornado in Hill County, Texas: 61 recorded events between 1957 and 2025. The strongest on record measured F4. That places the county #235 nationally and #44 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Tornado in Hill County, Texas: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for tornado in Hill County is the 1970s, when 15 of the county's 61 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 Hill County archive, tornado makes up 10.2% of all recorded severe weather across 7 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #235 for this hazard and #44 within Texas, putting it in the 91.9 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
May is the peak month for tornado in Hill County with 26 recorded events, while Jul 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953-05-11 | EF5 | 20.9 mi | 583 yd | Crossed in |
| 1973-03-10 | EF4 | 23.3 mi | 150 yd | Crossed in |
| 1959-03-31 | EF4 | 10.4 mi | 1,760 yd | Touched down here |
| 1976-05-26 | EF4 | 18.8 mi | 300 yd | Crossed in |
| 2000-05-12 | EF3 | 7.0 mi | 400 yd | Touched down here |
| 1971-05-23 | EF3 | 7.1 mi | 33 yd | Touched down here |
| 1981-05-09 | EF3 | 5.2 mi | 73 yd | Touched down here |
| 1978-05-11 | EF3 | 7.2 mi | 10 yd | Touched down here |
| 1976-05-25 | EF3 | 0.1 mi | 10 yd | Touched down here |
| 1969-05-14 | EF3 | 0.1 mi | 33 yd | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 10, 1973 | F4 | 6 | 75 | $0 | |
| Apr 1, 1959 | F4 | 6 | 31 | $25K | |
| May 23, 1971 | F3 | 1 | 49 | $0 | |
| May 23, 1957 | F3 | 0 | 4 | $250K | |
| Jan 16, 2017 | LAKE WHITNEY | EF1 | 0 | 2 | $290K |
| Apr 19, 1986 | F1 | 0 | 2 | $250K | |
| Mar 26, 1972 | F2 | 0 | 2 | $250K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 30, 2025 | MERTENS | EFU | $0 |
| Apr 26, 2024 | ABBOTT | EF1 | $50K |
| Apr 26, 2024 | BIROME | EF1 | $60K |
| Apr 26, 2024 | BIROME | EF2 | $0 |
| May 16, 2021 | FILES VLY | EFU | $0 |
| May 4, 2021 | BRAZLIME | EF2 | $350K |
| May 4, 2021 | BRAZLIME | EFU | $0 |
| Oct 13, 2018 | BRANDON | EF0 | $5K |
| Oct 13, 2018 | CHAT | EF1 | $50K |
| Oct 13, 2018 | CHAT | EF0 | $15K |
Other hazards here
More from Hill County
- Hail 310
- Thunderstorm Wind 159
- Flash Flood 54
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
The National Weather Service in Fort Worth conducted a damage survey and found that a tornado developed west of FM 933 and south of CR 1145. Tree damage was noted as the tornado crossed FM 933 and FM 67 one mile southeast of Blum. The tornado apparently increased in size and intensity after crossing FM 67. A large grain silo was toppled over on CR 1137, roughly 1.5 miles northeast of Blum. Extensive tree and power pole damage was also noted. The path width was over a quarter of a mile at this time. As the tornado crossed County Roads 1136 and 1133, widespread tree damage was noted, as was structural damage to roofs and windows. The tornado then moved across FM 2488 just south of the Johnson County line, where a well-engineered home lost portions of roof decking and a large barn was destroyed. Portions of the barn's metal skin were carried over a mile to the north-northeast. The tornado then crossed into Johnson County.
The tornado formed in extreme northern Hill County, NW of the Blum community, near the intersection of Texas Highway 174 and Hill County Road 1106. The tornado traveled across open country for approximately 3.4 miles. Scattered tree and powerline damage of EF-0 intensity was noted along the length of this path. Near the end of the tornado's lifespan, it struck a brick-clad frame home, removing most of the roof and part of the walls of the structure. The tornado's peak intensity of EF-2, with estimated wind speeds of 130 mph, was inferred from the damage to this structure. Some other trees and outbuildings sustained EF-0 to EF-1 damage near this home. The tornado dissipated several hundred yards beyond the point where the tornado impacted the frame home.
A National Weather Service storm survey crew found evidence of a tornado which began in Bosque County northwest of Laguna Park, and ended in Hill County. In Bosque County, the tornado produced EF-0 damage, with damage to trees. In Hill County, approximately 80 homes had some damage, mostly shingle damage on roofs. However, about 10 manufactured homes suffered major damage, with roof and window damage. One older home lost most of its roof and walls, after a tree fell on the home.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many tornado events are on record in Hill County, Texas?
61 tornado events are recorded in Hill County between 1957 and 2025, causing 13 direct deaths.
What is the strongest tornado recorded in Hill County?
The strongest tornado on record in Hill County measured F4.
Where does the tornado data for Hill 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 Hill County, Texas.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/texas/hill-county/tornado/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.