55
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
5
Direct injuries
$2.1M
Property damage
Tornado in Mitchell County, Texas: 55 recorded events between 1955 and 2017. The strongest on record measured F2. That places the county #308 nationally and #61 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Tornado in Mitchell County, Texas: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for tornado in Mitchell County is the 2000s, when 18 of the county's 55 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 Mitchell County archive, tornado makes up 13.0% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #308 for this hazard and #61 within Texas, putting it in the 89.4 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
May is the peak month for tornado in Mitchell County with 22 recorded events, while Jan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-06-11 | EF2 | 10.3 mi | 200 yd | Touched down here |
| 1982-05-27 | EF2 | 23.0 mi | 30 yd | Touched down here |
| 1965-05-25 | EF2 | 2.0 mi | 200 yd | Touched down here |
| 2015-05-25 | EF1 | 0.2 mi | 50 yd | Touched down here |
| 2006-05-02 | EF1 | 0.1 mi | 30 yd | Touched down here |
| 2006-05-02 | EF1 | 0.1 mi | 30 yd | Touched down here |
| 2003-09-25 | EF1 | 1.0 mi | 30 yd | Touched down here |
| 1997-10-23 | EF1 | 0.1 mi | 20 yd | Touched down here |
| 1974-05-09 | EF1 | 1.0 mi | 20 yd | Touched down here |
| 1973-03-13 | EF1 | 9.8 mi | 10 yd | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 12, 2004 | COLORADO CITY | F2 | 0 | 3 | $250K |
| Mar 4, 2004 | LORAINE | F0 | 0 | 1 | $275K |
| May 26, 1965 | F2 | 0 | 1 | $250K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 29, 2017 | SPADE | EF0 | $0 |
| Apr 16, 2016 | LORAINE | EF0 | $0 |
| May 25, 2015 | LORAINE | EF1 | $40K |
| Apr 7, 2012 | HYMAN | EF0 | $0 |
| Apr 7, 2012 | HYMAN | EF0 | $0 |
| May 14, 2008 | WESTBROOK | EF0 | $0 |
| Apr 24, 2007 | COLORADO CITY | EF0 | $8K |
| May 2, 2006 | COLORADO CITY | F1 | $15K |
| May 2, 2006 | WESTBROOK | F1 | $5K |
| May 2, 2006 | WESTBROOK | F0 | $10K |
Other hazards here
More from Mitchell County
- Hail 208
- Thunderstorm Wind 106
- Flash Flood 48
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
A weak tornado struck the city of Loraine resulting in one injury and damage to several light-weight structures and vehicles. Damage surveyed by a National Weather Service meteorologist began on the south side of the city near Looby Street. From there the tornado traveled northeast producing a one mile long damage path that cut across the southeast corner of the city to near Interstate 20. Along the path, a roof was partially removed from one home and several vehicles and trailers were damaged or destroyed. About $100,000 worth of musical equipment was destroyed when a cargo trailer was rolled by the tornado. The tornado began to dissipate as it crossed Interstate 20 on the east side of the city. Before doing so, it blew two semi-trucks off of the highway, injuring one driver. Several eye witnesses described seeing the tornado's condensation funnel and debris whirling beneath it.
A tornado severely damaged two trailer homes and a few recreational vehicles in the Lake Champion vicinity along Highway 208 south of Colorado City. The roof was partially removed from one trailer house, and another was rolled onto its top. No injuries were reported.
Storm spotters reported a tornado. An NWS damage survey determined a path width of 250 yards with a length between one half mile and one mile. The tornado blew down sixteen power poles as it crossed Highway 208 north of Colorado City. Dollar estimates of damage determined through interviews with utility company responsible for damaged power poles.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many tornado events are on record in Mitchell County, Texas?
55 tornado events are recorded in Mitchell County between 1955 and 2017, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest tornado recorded in Mitchell County?
The strongest tornado on record in Mitchell County measured F2.
Where does the tornado data for Mitchell 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 Mitchell County, Texas.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/texas/mitchell-county/tornado/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.