Texas, 1972

Tornadoes and Damaging Wind in Texas, October 21, 1972

October 21, 1972 · 6 events in 3 counties and zones

5 tornado, 1 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
3
Property damage
$303,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

Event by event

5 tornado, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Tornado, Williamson

When
October 21, 8:30 PM CDT
Where
Williamson County
Rating
F1
Path length
0.3 mi
Path width
200 yd
Property damage
$25,000
Coordinates
30.630, -97.680

Tornado, McLennan

When
October 21, 10:00 PM CDT
Where
McLennan County
Rating
F1
Path length
0.1 mi
Path width
67 yd
Property damage
$3,000
Coordinates
31.430, -97.280

Tornado, Bell

When
October 21, 10:00 PM CDT
Where
Bell County
Rating
F2
Path length
5.4 mi
Path width
100 yd
Property damage
$25,000
Coordinates
31.250, -97.400

Tornado, McLennan

When
October 21, 10:30 PM CDT
Where
McLennan County
Rating
F2
Path length
1.5 mi
Path width
20 yd
Property damage
$250
Coordinates
31.550, -97.180

Tornado, McLennan

When
October 21, 10:30 PM CDT
Where
McLennan County
Rating
F2
Path length
1 mi
Path width
20 yd
Injuries
3 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$250,000
Coordinates
31.550, -97.180

Thunderstorm Wind, McLennan

When
October 21, 10:25 PM CST
Where
McLennan County
Measured
56 kt (64 mph)
Coordinates
31.600, -97.180

What these are

Tornado
A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

More

Every storm in Texas in 1972Every state in 1972This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Texas, 1972

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 10135236, 10135237, 10135238, 10135240, 10135241, 10135239.