Tornadoes · United States · Texas

1957 tornadoes in Texas

145 tornadoes touched down in Texas in 1957, 15 percent above the average of the record for the state. They killed 38 people and injured 489. 4 were rated F4 or EF4 and above.

1956 1958 The whole country in 1957

The rating scale

Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.

F040 to 72 mph
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
F173 to 112 mph
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
F2113 to 157 mph
Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.
F3158 to 206 mph
Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.
F4207 to 260 mph
Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.
F5261 to 318 mph
Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.
Unrated
The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.

Every tornado in Texas in 1957

February 16 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
February 16	1:30 PM GMT-6	F0	Cameron	1.5	200			$50 to $500

March 11 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
March 11	9:00 PM GMT-6	F0	Karnes	1.0	33			under $50

March 17 8 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
March 17	1:30 PM GMT-6	F2	Galveston	11.6	67		4
March 17	1:30 PM GMT-6	F2	Galveston	0.1	10
March 17	1:55 PM GMT-6	F2	Galveston	0.1	10	1	7
March 17	3:18 PM GMT-6	F1	Brazoria	6.4	40			$50,000 to $500,000
March 17	4:30 PM GMT-6	F2	Galveston	7.1	67		4
March 17	4:45 PM GMT-6	F0	Galveston	7.1	67
March 17	5:00 PM GMT-6	F0	Brazoria	0.1	10
March 17	5:50 PM GMT-6	F2	Jefferson	0.9	100			$500 to $5,000

March 20 4 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
March 20	6:45 PM GMT-6	F3	Lee	7.2	10	2	$5,000 to $50,000
March 20	7:10 PM GMT-6	F3	Lee	16.9	1,760	2	$5,000 to $50,000
March 20	7:15 PM GMT-6	F1	Kendall	1.0	50		$500 to $5,000
March 20	7:45 PM GMT-6	F1	Ellis	1.0	10		$50,000 to $500,000

March 31 8 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
March 31	7:55 AM GMT-6	F2	Kendall	1.5	880		$500 to $5,000
March 31	9:05 AM GMT-6	F2	Travis	0.5	100		$50,000 to $500,000
March 31	10:50 AM GMT-6	F2	Travis	0.1	10		$5,000 to $50,000
March 31	12:30 PM GMT-6	F2	Walker	2.0	100	2	$5,000 to $50,000
March 31	1:30 PM GMT-6	F1	Matagorda	1.5	33		$500 to $5,000
March 31	4:10 PM GMT-6	F0	Brazos	1.0	200		$500 to $5,000
March 31	8:00 PM GMT-6	F1	Lamar	0.1	10		$5,000 to $50,000
March 31	9:15 PM GMT-6	F1	Travis	0.1	10		$50 to $500

April 2 13 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
April 2	3:00 AM GMT-6	F0	Denton	0.1	10
April 2	3:00 PM GMT-6	F2	Grayson	0.1	10		2	$5,000 to $50,000
April 2	3:25 PM GMT-6	F2	Montague	2.0	33		1	$5,000 to $50,000
April 2	3:50 PM GMT-6	F0	Tarrant	0.3	67			$500 to $5,000
April 2	4:00 PM GMT-6	F0	Grayson	0.1	10			$5,000 to $50,000
April 2	4:20 PM GMT-6	F3	Collin	10.7	33		4	$50,000 to $500,000
April 2	4:30 PM GMT-6	F3	Dallas	17.2	100	10	200	$500,000 to $5 million
April 2	6:00 PM GMT-6	F2	Lamar	6.5	100	1	2	$5,000 to $50,000
April 2	6:05 PM GMT-6	F2	Wheeler	0.3	33			$5,000 to $50,000
April 2	6:15 PM GMT-6	F3	Wise	0.1	10		1	$50,000 to $500,000
April 2	6:30 PM GMT-6	F1	Denton	1.5	67			$5,000 to $50,000
April 2	6:30 PM GMT-6	F2	Lamar	0.1	10			$5,000 to $50,000
April 2	7:51 PM GMT-6	F2	Delta	0.1	10	1	2	$5,000 to $50,000

April 3 9 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
April 3	1:15 AM GMT-6	F0	Kaufman	0.1	10
April 3	10:28 AM GMT-6	F1	Harrison	0.1	10	under $50
April 3	10:30 AM GMT-6	F0	Denton	0.1	10	under $50
April 3	10:45 AM GMT-6	F0	Tarrant	0.1	10	under $50
April 3	10:50 AM GMT-6	F0	Dallas	0.1	10	$50 to $500
April 3	11:00 AM GMT-6	F2	Morris	0.1	10	$50 to $500
April 3	11:30 AM GMT-6	F2	Harrison	0.1	10	$500 to $5,000
April 3	12:45 PM GMT-6	F1	Orange	0.1	33	$50 to $500
April 3	1:30 PM GMT-6	F2	Shelby	2.0	10	$500 to $5,000

April 18 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
April 18	4:20 PM GMT-6	F3	Grayson	1.0	17			$500 to $5,000

April 19 5 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
April 19	4:00 AM GMT-6	F0	Johnson	0.1	17	$50 to $500
April 19	5:30 AM GMT-6	F2	Eastland	0.3	17	$500 to $5,000
April 19	8:30 PM GMT-6	F0	Hill	0.1	33
April 19	11:15 PM GMT-6	F1	Henderson	0.1	200	$500 to $5,000
April 19	11:55 PM GMT-6	F0	Wood	0.1	10	$500 to $5,000

April 20 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
April 20	12:20 AM GMT-6	F0	Dallas	2.0	10	under $50
April 20	10:30 AM GMT-6	F1	Terry	1.3	100	$500 to $5,000
April 20	12:15 PM GMT-6	F2	King	0.4	100	$500 to $5,000

April 21 6 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
April 21	5:45 PM GMT-6	F4	Hockley	29.2	880	7	$500,000 to $5 million
April 21	6:00 PM GMT-6	F4	Lubbock	15.5	100	6	$500,000 to $5 million
April 21	6:00 PM GMT-6	F2	Lubbock	30.6	100		$500,000 to $5 million
April 21	6:00 PM GMT-6	F2	Lubbock	30.6	10		$500,000 to $5 million
April 21	6:15 PM GMT-6	F1	Gaines	1.0	300		$500 to $5,000
April 21	6:45 PM GMT-6	F2	Lubbock	12.6	880		$500,000 to $5 million

April 22 8 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
April 22	2:25 AM GMT-6	F1	Travis	0.1	10	$50 to $500
April 22	7:25 AM GMT-6	F1	Cherokee	0.5	17	$500 to $5,000
April 22	12:15 PM GMT-6	F0	Gaines	0.5	17	under $50
April 22	2:00 PM GMT-6	F1	Floyd	7.1	17	under $50
April 22	2:40 PM GMT-6	F2	Hall	9.2	200	$5,000 to $50,000
April 22	3:30 PM GMT-6	F0	Ector	0.1	10	under $50
April 22	4:00 PM GMT-6	F1	Panola	11.1	10	$50 to $500
April 22	4:20 PM GMT-6	F1	Motley	0.5	50	$500 to $5,000

April 24 10 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
April 24	12:00 PM GMT-6	F1	Milam	0.1	10		$50,000 to $500,000
April 24	1:45 PM GMT-6	F1	Williamson	0.1	10		$500 to $5,000
April 24	2:20 PM GMT-6	F0	Travis	0.5	33		under $50
April 24	2:20 PM GMT-6	F3	Bastrop	14.7	880	1	$50,000 to $500,000
April 24	3:45 PM GMT-6	F2	Navarro	6.1	100		$500 to $5,000
April 24	4:00 PM GMT-6	F0	Grayson	0.1	10		under $50
April 24	4:12 PM GMT-6	F0	Bell	0.2	10		$500 to $5,000
April 24	4:20 PM GMT-6	F2	Freestone	4.1	100		under $50
April 24	4:30 PM GMT-6	F0	Freestone	0.1	17		under $50
April 24	4:30 PM GMT-6	F1	Freestone	0.5	17		$500 to $5,000

April 25 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
April 25	3:30 PM GMT-6	F0	Taylor	2.0	30	under $50
April 25	4:05 PM GMT-6	F0	Archer	0.1	10	under $50
April 25	6:30 PM GMT-6	F1	Montague	3.4	10	$500 to $5,000

April 26 9 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
April 26	12:30 AM GMT-6	F0	Reagan	0.7	250		under $50
April 26	2:00 AM GMT-6	F2	Caldwell	0.1	10		$500 to $5,000
April 26	2:30 AM GMT-6	F2	Bastrop	40.5	10		$500 to $5,000
April 26	7:15 AM GMT-6	F3	Gregg	1.0	10		$5,000 to $50,000
April 26	8:00 AM GMT-6	F2	Smith	6.1	100	6	$500,000 to $5 million
April 26	9:30 AM GMT-6	F3	Gregg	14.2	50		$5,000 to $50,000
April 26	9:30 AM GMT-6	F2	Gregg	0.2	50
April 26	11:00 AM GMT-6	F2	Upshur	11.9	67		$5,000 to $50,000
April 26	2:10 PM GMT-6	F0	Eastland	0.1	17		under $50

April 29 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
April 29	3:15 AM GMT-5	F1	Willacy	0.5	33

April 30 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
April 30	3:25 PM GMT-5	F1	Orange	2.5	100			$500 to $5,000

May 8 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 8	11:38 PM GMT-5	F0	Taylor	0.3	10			under $50

May 11 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 11	6:15 PM GMT-5	F1	Hartley	7.4	33			under $50

May 12 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 12	5:43 PM GMT-5	F2	McLennan	1.0	30			$500 to $5,000

May 13 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 13	12:30 PM GMT-5	F1	Harrison	4.3	200

May 14 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 14	6:30 PM GMT-5	F0	Briscoe	0.1	10			under $50

May 15 10 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 15	12:00 PM GMT-5	F0	Jim Wells	2.0	10			under $50
May 15	4:30 PM GMT-5	F1	Gray	8.0	10			$500 to $5,000
May 15	6:20 PM GMT-5	F1	Gray	0.1	10			$500 to $5,000
May 15	7:00 PM GMT-5	F3	Donley	10.2	50		1	$50,000 to $500,000
May 15	8:25 PM GMT-5	F3	Swisher	1.0	10			$5,000 to $50,000
May 15	8:40 PM GMT-5	F1	Yoakum	0.1	10			$50 to $500
May 15	8:45 PM GMT-5	F2	Yoakum	2.0	10			$5,000 to $50,000
May 15	10:00 PM GMT-5	F0	Floyd	4.1	100	1
May 15	11:35 PM GMT-5	F4	Briscoe	17.0	300	21	80	$50,000 to $500,000
May 15	12:10 AM GMT-5	F2	Hale	2.0	17			$5,000 to $50,000

May 16 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 16	6:00 PM GMT-5	F2	Roberts	0.1	10			$500 to $5,000

May 17 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 17	4:50 PM GMT-5	F0	Crosby	0.1	10			under $50

May 22 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 22	10:00 PM GMT-5	F3	Hill	4.1	200		4	$50,000 to $500,000
May 22	11:15 PM GMT-5	F1	Ellis	2.0	200		2	$5,000 to $50,000

May 23 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 23	4:30 PM GMT-5	F0	Titus	0.1	50			$500 to $5,000

May 24 11 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
May 24	11:45 AM GMT-5	F2	Parmer	70.1	33		$500 to $5,000
May 24	12:20 PM GMT-5	F0	Bailey	0.5	50		$500 to $5,000
May 24	12:30 PM GMT-5	F0	Deaf Smith	1.0	10		under $50
May 24	1:38 PM GMT-5	F3	Lamb	1.9	200	3	$50,000 to $500,000
May 24	2:00 PM GMT-5	F3	Lynn	37.3	200	1	$50,000 to $500,000
May 24	2:30 PM GMT-5	F1	Hale	10.5	10
May 24	2:50 PM GMT-5	F0	Potter	0.3	50		$5,000 to $50,000
May 24	3:00 PM GMT-5	F0	Hale	0.5	10		$5,000 to $50,000
May 24	3:45 PM GMT-5	F3	Martin	1.5	83	1	$500 to $5,000
May 24	7:28 PM GMT-5	F2	Martin	2.0	10		under $50
May 24	9:30 PM GMT-5	F1	Baylor	0.1	10		$500 to $5,000

May 25 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 25	3:00 PM GMT-5	F0	Hood	0.5	10			under $50
May 25	7:15 PM GMT-5	F1	Lampasas	0.5	50			$50 to $500

June 2 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
June 2	9:00 AM GMT-5	F1	Galveston	0.1	10

June 10 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
June 10	6:45 PM GMT-5	F2	Ochiltree	0.1	10			$500 to $5,000

June 12 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
June 12	9:10 AM GMT-5	F3	Dallas	0.1	10			$500 to $5,000

June 22 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
June 22	11:00 PM GMT-5	F0	Yoakum	0.1	10
June 22	11:18 PM GMT-5	F1	Hale	0.5	10			$500 to $5,000

August 12 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
August 12	4:50 PM GMT-5	F2	Baylor	0.4	100			$5,000 to $50,000
August 12	6:45 PM GMT-5	F2	Jones	0.5	10			$500 to $5,000

August 17 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
August 17	6:45 PM GMT-5	F2	Navarro	4.1	1,333			$5,000 to $50,000

September 20 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
September 20	7:00 PM GMT-5	F1	Wilbarger	0.5	150			$5,000 to $50,000
September 20	7:00 PM GMT-5	F1	Wilbarger	0.5	150			$5,000 to $50,000

October 7 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
October 7	8:15 PM GMT-5	F2	Baylor	2.0	10			$500 to $5,000

October 14 4 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
October 14	4:00 PM GMT-5	F2	Waller	1.0	33	$5,000 to $50,000
October 14	4:00 PM GMT-5	F2	Waller	0.5	17	$5,000 to $50,000
October 14	4:00 PM GMT-5	F3	Waller	1.0	10	$5,000 to $50,000
October 14	6:45 PM GMT-5	F2	Liberty	0.5	200	$5,000 to $50,000

October 22 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
October 22	7:00 AM GMT-5	F3	Liberty	4.3	100		1	$5,000 to $50,000

November 7 4 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
November 7	8:45 PM GMT-6	F1	Jefferson	0.1	10			$5,000 to $50,000
November 7	9:15 PM GMT-6	F3	Jefferson	3.6	200	2	59	$500,000 to $5 million
November 7	9:23 PM GMT-6	F3	Jefferson	1.5	10		1	$50,000 to $500,000
November 7	11:27 PM GMT-6	F4	Orange	12.9	200	1	81	$500,000 to $5 million

November 17 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
November 17	4:45 PM GMT-6	F2	Tarrant	2.0	50		2	$500 to $5,000

Nearby

Every tornado in Texas since 1950 Warnings in force in Texas The live radar over Texas

What this means

Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. Tornado counts rise through the record as reporting improved, so a year in the 1950s is not comparable with one today except for the strongest tornadoes, which were always noticed.

Sources

NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.