Tornadoes · United States · Texas

1979 tornadoes in Texas

157 tornadoes touched down in Texas in 1979, 24 percent above the average of the record for the state. They killed 54 people and injured 1,839. 2 were rated F4 or EF4 and above.

1978 1980 The whole country in 1979

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 1979

January 20 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
January 20	2:10 AM CST	F1	Wharton	13.2	20			$5,000 to $50,000

February 23 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
February 23	9:35 AM CST	F3	Henderson	10.3	33		1
February 23	11:30 AM CST	F1	Leon	0.1	10

March 2 5 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
March 2	2:37 PM CST	F0	Reagan	1.0	50		under $50
March 2	4:12 PM CST	F0	Crockett	0.5	30		$50 to $500
March 2	7:40 PM CST	F3	Mason	7.1	150	1	$500,000 to $5 million
March 2	8:55 PM CST	F1	Kendall	3.6	50		$5,000 to $50,000
March 2	11:30 PM CST	F2	Smith	0.1	150	2	$5,000 to $50,000

March 17 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
March 17	6:40 PM CST	F0	Briscoe	0.5	30

March 18 7 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
March 18	12:09 AM CST	F1	Lubbock	1.0	73		$500,000 to $5 million
March 18	12:40 AM CST	F0	Hale	0.3	10
March 18	12:45 AM CST	F0	Hale	0.5	40
March 18	12:45 AM CST	F1	Crosby	10.5	300	2	$50,000 to $500,000
March 18	1:18 AM CST	F0	Motley	0.3	20
March 18	2:30 AM CST	F0	Carson	0.5	30		under $50
March 18	3:10 AM CST	F1	Collingsworth	13.3	500		$50,000 to $500,000

March 19 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
March 19	5:30 PM CST	F1	Cooke	0.2	90			$500 to $5,000
March 19	8:30 PM CST	F2	Titus	1.0	50			$5,000 to $50,000

March 21 4 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
March 21	4:05 PM CST	F0	Mitchell	0.3	30	$5,000 to $50,000
March 21	5:00 PM CST	F1	Mitchell	1.0	50	$5,000 to $50,000
March 21	5:30 PM CST	F0	Crosby	0.3	30
March 21	8:07 PM CST	F0	Crosby	0.1	10

March 26 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
March 26	7:15 PM CST	F1	Hill	0.1	10			$500 to $5,000

March 29 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
March 29	2:15 PM CST	F0	Collin	0.1	10
March 29	4:45 PM CST	F1	Jack	0.1	10

March 31 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
March 31	3:15 PM CST	F1	Eastland	0.1	10
March 31	4:10 PM CST	F1	Hamilton	0.1	10

April 1 6 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
April 1	10:50 AM CST	F3	Gregg	5.6	150		$500,000 to $5 million
April 1	11:15 AM CST	F2	Marion	7.1	440	1	$500,000 to $5 million
April 1	12:25 PM CST	F1	Cass	0.1	10
April 1	1:30 PM CST	F2	Smith	3.6	100	1	$50,000 to $500,000
April 1	1:40 PM CST	F2	Smith	2.0	100		$5,000 to $50,000
April 1	4:00 PM CST	F1	Bowie	0.1	10		$500 to $5,000

April 3 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
April 3	1:56 PM CST	F0	Swisher	0.5	20			under $50

April 10 15 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
April 10	1:08 PM CST	F0	Crosby	2.0	50			under $50
April 10	1:38 PM CST	F0	Hale	0.1	10			under $50
April 10	3:05 PM CST	F2	Foard	22.1	150		1	$50,000 to $500,000
April 10	3:20 PM CST	F4	Wilbarger to OK	39.7	880	11	68	$5 million to $50 million
April 10	3:20 PM CST	F0	Foard	2.5	100			$500 to $5,000
April 10	3:55 PM CST	F2	Wilbarger to OK	74.1	1,056	1	3	$500,000 to $5 million
April 10	4:49 PM CST	F2	Baylor	10.4	300			$5,000 to $50,000
April 10	5:08 PM CST	F1	Wichita	0.1	10
April 10	5:50 PM CST	F4	Wichita to OK	46.9	1,320	42	1740	$50 million to $500 million
April 10	6:00 PM CST	F1	Wichita	2.0	50			$5,000 to $50,000
April 10	9:17 PM CST	F2	Runnels	9.6	100
April 10	9:30 PM CST	F3	Runnels	25.0	880		1	$500 to $5,000
April 10	11:50 PM CST	F1	Comanche	0.1	10			$500 to $5,000
April 10	11:50 PM CST	F2	Hamilton	24.0	200		3	$5,000 to $50,000
April 10	11:56 PM CST	F1	Palo Pinto	0.1	10			$500 to $5,000

April 11 4 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
April 11	2:06 AM CST	F1	Grayson	0.1	10
April 11	10:10 AM CST	F2	Henderson	13.3	150	$5,000 to $50,000
April 11	10:12 AM CST	F2	Hopkins	8.3	150	$50,000 to $500,000
April 11	11:02 AM CST	F1	Wood	0.1	10

April 18 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
April 18	9:30 AM CST	F2	Montgomery	4.0	50	$50,000 to $500,000
April 18	2:45 PM CST	F1	Harris	0.1	10	$5,000 to $50,000
April 18	3:00 PM CST	F0	Austin	0.1	10	$5,000 to $50,000

April 19 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
April 19	5:40 PM CST	F0	Harris	0.1	10			$5,000 to $50,000

April 20 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
April 20	1:00 PM CST	F1	Pecos	2.0	900	under $50
April 20	5:20 PM CST	F1	Brown	0.1	10
April 20	11:10 PM CST	F1	Bexar	0.3	40	$5,000 to $50,000

May 1 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 1	6:00 AM CDT	F1	Brown	0.1	10			$500 to $5,000
May 1	10:33 AM CDT	F0	Travis	2.0	40

May 2 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 2	9:25 PM CDT	F1	Taylor	2.0	10

May 3 17 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
May 3	10:28 AM CDT	F0	Tarrant	0.1	10
May 3	11:00 AM CDT	F1	Johnson	0.1	10		$500 to $5,000
May 3	11:01 AM CDT	F1	Parker	0.1	10
May 3	11:30 AM CDT	F1	Tarrant	0.1	50
May 3	11:30 AM CDT	F1	Dallas	1.0	100		$5,000 to $50,000
May 3	11:48 AM CDT	F1	Dallas	1.0	100		$5,000 to $50,000
May 3	12:38 PM CDT	F1	Hunt	0.1	10
May 3	1:58 PM CDT	F1	Lamar	0.1	10
May 3	2:05 PM CDT	F2	Dallas	7.6	200	5	$5 million to $50 million
May 3	2:08 PM CDT	F1	Red River	0.1	10
May 3	2:25 PM CDT	F0	Dallas	0.5	50		$50 to $500
May 3	6:00 PM CDT	F3	Wood	7.2	400		$500,000 to $5 million
May 3	6:20 PM CDT	F2	Camp	10.8	200		$50,000 to $500,000
May 3	6:55 PM CDT	F1	Cass	0.1	10
May 3	7:30 PM CDT	F1	Smith	0.1	10
May 3	7:30 PM CDT	F1	Bowie	0.1	10
May 3	7:30 PM CDT	F1	Upshur	0.1	10

May 9 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 9	6:17 PM CDT	F0	Hemphill	5.7	10			under $50

May 10 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 10	7:12 PM CDT	F2	Hill	2.0	50
May 10	9:05 PM CDT	F1	Hill	0.1	10

May 20 4 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
May 20	2:33 PM CDT	F1	Hardeman	0.1	10
May 20	2:36 PM CDT	F1	Foard	0.1	10
May 20	6:46 PM CDT	F0	Martin	0.1	10	under $50
May 20	9:22 PM CDT	F1	Baylor	0.1	10

May 21 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)
May 21	4:45 PM CDT	F1	Tarrant	0.1	20
May 21	4:50 PM CDT	F1	Tarrant	0.1	20
May 21	6:37 PM CDT	F3	Stephens	2.0	1,320

May 22 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
May 22	4:18 AM CDT	F0	Harris	0.5	40
May 22	5:00 AM CDT	F0	Harris	0.8	40	under $50
May 22	6:30 AM CDT	F0	Jefferson	0.1	10

May 26 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 26	4:41 PM CDT	F0	Gray	0.3	30			under $50

May 27 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
May 27	5:30 PM CDT	F0	Oldham	0.1	10	under $50
May 27	6:25 PM CDT	F2	Bowie	10.1	100	$500 to $5,000
May 27	12:05 AM CDT	F1	Stephens	0.1	10

May 28 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 28	7:25 PM CDT	F1	Eastland	4.9	10

May 30 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 30	4:45 PM CDT	F0	Liberty	0.5	20

June 4 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
June 4	4:25 PM CDT	F0	Brewster	6.2	13			under $50

June 5 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
June 5	10:57 AM CDT	F0	Lamb	1.1	50
June 5	4:15 PM CDT	F1	Hall	0.1	10	under $50
June 5	4:35 PM CDT	F1	Lamb	24.5	167

June 6 4 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
June 6	11:05 AM CDT	F1	Anderson	6.2	73		$5,000 to $50,000
June 6	5:35 PM CDT	F1	Throckmorton	4.5	100		$500 to $5,000
June 6	5:55 PM CDT	F2	Young	7.9	200		$5,000 to $50,000
June 6	6:30 PM CDT	F3	Young	7.1	400	2	$50,000 to $500,000

June 8 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
June 8	5:45 PM CDT	F0	Lubbock	0.1	10	under $50
June 8	7:45 PM CDT	F0	Dickens	0.1	10	under $50
June 8	9:00 PM CDT	F1	Foard	0.1	10

June 24 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
June 24	4:35 PM CDT	F1	Haskell	0.1	10

June 25 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
June 25	3:30 PM CDT	F1	Wise	1.0	50
June 25	4:45 PM CDT	F0	Taylor	0.1	10

July 5 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
July 5	2:50 PM CDT	F0	Swisher	0.1	10

July 7 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
July 7	10:10 PM CDT	F0	Potter	0.1	10

July 9 4 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
July 9	9:50 PM CDT	F0	Cottle	0.1	10	$5,000 to $50,000
July 9	10:00 PM CDT	F1	Kent	2.0	50	$50,000 to $500,000
July 9	10:10 PM CDT	F0	Fisher	0.1	10
July 9	10:10 PM CDT	F0	Cottle	1.0	40	$500 to $5,000

July 10 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
July 10	1:00 AM CDT	F0	Grayson	0.1	10

July 12 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
July 12	10:30 AM CDT	F0	Harris	0.5	20

July 19 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
July 19	12:35 PM CDT	F0	Ector	0.1	10

July 23 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
July 23	5:55 PM CDT	F0	Hemphill	0.1	10

July 24 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
July 24	5:55 PM CDT	F0	Hansford	0.1	10
July 24	5:55 PM CDT	F0	Hansford	0.1	10

August 2 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
August 2	12:50 PM CDT	F0	Taylor	0.1	10

August 11 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
August 11	2:55 PM CDT	F0	Galveston	0.1	10

August 17 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
August 17	5:14 PM CDT	F0	Midland	0.1	10

August 20 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
August 20	5:00 PM CDT	F1	Martin	0.1	10			$50,000 to $500,000

August 21 5 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
August 21	4:50 PM CDT	F0	Eastland	10.5	50	$500 to $5,000
August 21	6:05 PM CDT	F0	Hale	0.1	10
August 21	6:35 PM CDT	F0	Hemphill	1.0	20
August 21	6:45 PM CDT	F0	Lubbock	0.1	10
August 21	10:30 PM CDT	F0	Eastland	0.1	10

August 25 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
August 25	11:12 PM CDT	F0	Sherman	0.1	10

September 3 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
September 3	6:40 PM CDT	F0	Bailey	0.1	10

September 18 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
September 18	2:30 PM CDT	F1	Brazoria	0.1	10		$5,000 to $50,000
September 18	4:50 PM CDT	F2	Harris	1.0	350	1	$500,000 to $5 million
September 18	5:00 PM CDT	F1	Harris	0.1	10		$50,000 to $500,000

October 15 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
October 15	7:15 PM CDT	F1	Coryell	0.5	200			$5,000 to $50,000

October 22 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
October 22	5:44 AM CDT	F2	Jefferson	1.0	50			$500,000 to $5 million
October 22	6:15 AM CDT	F1	Hardin	0.1	10			$5,000 to $50,000

October 30 12 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
October 30	4:45 AM CST	F2	Taylor	0.1	10		$5,000 to $50,000
October 30	6:15 AM CST	F1	Brown	0.5	50		$5,000 to $50,000
October 30	6:15 AM CST	F3	Stephens	18.6	127		$500,000 to $5 million
October 30	7:10 AM CST	F2	Young	29.1	77	5	$50,000 to $500,000
October 30	7:50 AM CST	F1	Palo Pinto	8.9	50	2	$50,000 to $500,000
October 30	8:15 AM CST	F2	Wise	2.0	50		$5,000 to $50,000
October 30	8:35 AM CST	F0	Hood	0.1	10		$500 to $5,000
October 30	8:58 AM CST	F0	Denton	0.1	10		$500 to $5,000
October 30	9:15 AM CST	F1	Johnson	1.0	50		$5,000 to $50,000
October 30	9:20 AM CST	F1	Montague	8.0	77		$5,000 to $50,000
October 30	9:35 AM CST	F1	McLennan	0.1	10		$500 to $5,000
October 30	4:50 PM CST	F1	Harris	0.2	40		$50,000 to $500,000

November 8 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
November 8	1:47 PM CST	F0	Lubbock	5.1	17			under $50

November 21 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
November 21	7:00 AM CST	F1	Angelina	6.2	100			$5,000 to $50,000
November 21	8:00 AM CST	F1	Nacogdoches	2.0	77			$5,000 to $50,000

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.