Tornadoes · United States · Texas

1983 tornadoes in Texas

186 tornadoes touched down in Texas in 1983, 47 percent above the average of the record for the state. They killed 8 people and injured 85.

1982 1984 The whole country in 1983

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 1983

January 31 5 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
January 31	9:30 AM CST	F1	Wharton	5.0	60		$50,000 to $500,000
January 31	10:00 AM CST	F1	Montgomery	5.2	40		$500,000 to $5 million
January 31	10:15 AM CST	F2	Austin	3.0	60	4	$500,000 to $5 million
January 31	1:07 PM CST	F1	Brazoria	1.0	20		$50,000 to $500,000
January 31	2:00 PM CST	F3	Jefferson	1.0	40	1	$500,000 to $5 million

February 9 7 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
February 9	12:30 PM CST	F1	Walker	2.0	40		$50,000 to $500,000
February 9	1:30 PM CST	F2	Harris	1.5	50	3	$50,000 to $500,000
February 9	1:50 PM CST	F1	Harris	1.0	20		$50,000 to $500,000
February 9	2:10 PM CST	F1	Harris	1.0	20		$5,000 to $50,000
February 9	2:15 PM CST	F0	Walker	0.5	20		$50,000 to $500,000
February 9	2:20 PM CST	F1	San Jacinto	0.5	30		$50,000 to $500,000
February 9	2:25 PM CST	F2	Brazoria	8.0	50		$5,000 to $50,000

March 3 8 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
March 3	4:50 PM CST	F2	Donley	5.0	880		under $50
March 3	5:40 PM CST	F0	Eastland	0.6	33		$500 to $5,000
March 3	5:59 PM CST	F2	Donley	5.0	880	1	$5,000 to $50,000
March 3	6:00 PM CST	F0	Cherokee	0.4	33		$5,000 to $50,000
March 3	6:15 PM CST	F1	Smith	0.5	33		$5,000 to $50,000
March 3	7:05 PM CST	F0	Gray	0.5	33		under $50
March 3	7:40 PM CST	F1	Comanche	0.5	33		$5,000 to $50,000
March 3	8:00 PM CST	F0	Upshur	0.1	33		under $50

March 4 6 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
March 4	7:15 AM CST	F1	Kendall	4.0	50		$5,000 to $50,000
March 4	7:20 AM CST	F2	Kendall	4.0	100	1	$50,000 to $500,000
March 4	7:35 AM CST	F0	Kendall	1.0	20		$50 to $500
March 4	10:45 AM CST	F1	Smith	0.1	50		$5,000 to $50,000
March 4	12:15 PM CST	F2	Bowie	5.0	50		$50,000 to $500,000
March 4	2:00 PM CST	F0	Montgomery	0.5	20		under $50

March 15 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
March 15	5:00 PM CST	F3	Hidalgo	6.1	900		10	$500,000 to $5 million

March 16 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
March 16	7:20 AM CST	F0	Brazoria	0.3	20			$5,000 to $50,000

March 23 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
March 23	10:30 AM CST	F1	San Patricio	0.5	20			$5,000 to $50,000

March 26 4 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
March 26	4:00 AM CST	F0	Victoria	0.5	30		$5,000 to $50,000
March 26	6:30 AM CST	F0	Liberty	0.3	20		under $50
March 26	6:30 AM CST	F1	Brazoria	0.5	70	7	$50,000 to $500,000
March 26	6:40 AM CST	F0	Brazoria	0.3	20		$500 to $5,000

March 29 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
March 29	7:48 PM CST	F0	Callahan	0.1	33			under $50
March 29	9:05 PM CST	F0	Eastland	0.1	33			under $50

March 30 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
March 30	10:02 AM CST	F1	Harris	0.3	40		2	$5,000 to $50,000

April 13 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
April 13	8:30 AM CST	F0	Grayson	0.1	20			$5,000 to $50,000

May 3 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 3	1:35 AM CDT	F0	DeWitt	1.0	30			under $50

May 10 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 10	9:55 PM CDT	F1	Jones	0.1	17			under $50
May 10	10:15 PM CDT	F1	Jones	0.1	17			under $50

May 12 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 12	7:20 PM CDT	F0	Cottle	0.5	50			under $50

May 13 4 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
May 13	2:30 PM CDT	F0	Moore	0.5	50	under $50
May 13	3:30 PM CDT	F1	Tillman to OK	6.8	50	under $50
May 13	3:42 PM CDT	F1	Briscoe	0.5	80	under $50
May 13	5:20 PM CDT	F0	Hall	0.3	60	under $50

May 17 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
May 17	7:45 PM CDT	F1	Throckmorton	0.2	17	under $50
May 17	8:30 PM CDT	F1	Throckmorton	0.2	17	under $50
May 17	9:00 PM CDT	F1	Throckmorton	0.2	17	under $50

May 18 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 18	12:15 PM CDT	F1	Travis	13.0	60			$500 to $5,000
May 18	4:16 PM CDT	F1	Cherokee	0.1	17			under $50

May 19 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 19	7:35 PM CDT	F0	Val Verde	1.0	30			under $50
May 19	9:43 PM CDT	F0	Martin	0.3	50			under $50

May 20 25 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 20	1:05 AM CDT	F0	Austin	0.3	20			$500,000 to $5 million
May 20	1:15 AM CDT	F0	Liberty	0.8	40			$500,000 to $5 million
May 20	1:30 AM CDT	F1	Washington	1.0	167	1	4	$500,000 to $5 million
May 20	1:35 AM CDT	F1	Liberty	1.0	100			$500,000 to $5 million
May 20	2:00 AM CDT	F1	Austin	2.5	167			$50,000 to $500,000
May 20	2:10 AM CDT	F1	Austin	3.0	167			$500 to $5,000
May 20	2:15 AM CDT	F1	Harris	1.5	167			under $50
May 20	2:20 AM CDT	F2	Harris	7.0	333	1	5	$500,000 to $5 million
May 20	2:30 AM CDT	F2	Harris	12.0	333	1	7	$500,000 to $5 million
May 20	1:20 PM CDT	F0	Harris	0.3	20			under $50
May 20	1:31 PM CDT	F0	Harris	0.3	20			under $50
May 20	1:55 PM CDT	F0	Chambers	0.3	20			$50,000 to $500,000
May 20	2:15 PM CDT	F0	Jefferson	0.3	20			$500,000 to $5 million
May 20	2:35 PM CDT	F0	Jefferson	0.3	50			$50 to $500
May 20	2:35 PM CDT	F0	Chambers	0.3	20			under $50
May 20	2:40 PM CDT	F0	Jefferson	1.0	100			$500,000 to $5 million
May 20	2:45 PM CDT	F2	Jefferson	3.0	167	1	9	$500,000 to $5 million
May 20	3:00 PM CDT	F2	Harris	4.0	333	1	2	$50,000 to $500,000
May 20	3:01 PM CDT	F1	Jefferson	0.7	10		3	$500,000 to $5 million
May 20	3:18 PM CDT	F0	Hale	10.0	1,320			under $50
May 20	3:54 PM CDT	F1	Floyd	2.0	1,760			under $50
May 20	5:00 PM CDT	F0	Grimes	0.3	20			under $50
May 20	5:40 PM CDT	F0	Floyd	0.3	50			under $50
May 20	6:00 PM CDT	F0	Harris	0.3	20			under $50
May 20	8:55 PM CDT	F0	Cottle	1.0	40			under $50

May 21 11 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
May 21	3:20 AM CDT	F0	Jasper	0.3	20		under $50
May 21	8:00 AM CDT	F1	Lee	2.0	100	1	$50,000 to $500,000
May 21	9:25 AM CDT	F0	Waller	0.3	20		under $50
May 21	10:15 AM CDT	F0	Harris	0.5	50		under $50
May 21	12:10 PM CDT	F0	Austin	0.5	30		under $50
May 21	1:10 PM CDT	F0	Austin	0.5	20		under $50
May 21	1:10 PM CDT	F0	Austin	0.5	20		under $50
May 21	1:10 PM CDT	F0	Austin	0.5	20		under $50
May 21	1:15 PM CDT	F0	Harris	0.3	30		under $50
May 21	1:15 PM CDT	F0	Harris	0.3	30		under $50
May 21	1:20 PM CDT	F0	Harris	0.3	50		under $50

May 22 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 22	7:30 PM CDT	F1	Throckmorton	0.2	33			$500 to $5,000
May 22	8:30 PM CDT	F1	Young	0.2	33			$5,000 to $50,000

May 23 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
May 23	8:50 PM CDT	F0	Bandera	0.3	30	under $50
May 23	8:53 PM CDT	F0	Bandera	0.3	30	under $50
May 23	8:55 PM CDT	F0	Bandera	0.3	20	under $50

May 24 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 24	9:00 PM CDT	F1	Hemphill	0.3	60			$5,000 to $50,000

May 25 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 25	4:03 PM CDT	F0	Ector	0.1	30			under $50
May 25	4:15 PM CDT	F0	Upton	0.1	30			under $50

May 28 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 28	2:40 PM CDT	F1	Ellis	0.1	17			under $50

May 30 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 30	4:35 PM CDT	F1	Taylor	0.1	17			under $50
May 30	6:20 PM CDT	F0	Ector	0.3	50			under $50

June 3 6 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
June 3	6:01 PM CDT	F0	Parker	0.1	17	under $50
June 3	6:18 PM CDT	F0	Comanche	0.1	17	under $50
June 3	6:35 PM CDT	F0	Eastland	0.1	17	under $50
June 3	6:40 PM CDT	F0	Parker	0.1	17	under $50
June 3	6:47 PM CDT	F0	Tarrant	0.1	17	under $50
June 3	9:22 PM CDT	F0	Stephens	0.1	17	under $50

June 4 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
June 4	4:45 PM CDT	F0	Lubbock	2.0	200			$50 to $500
June 4	10:30 PM CDT	F1	Williamson	0.5	50			$50,000 to $500,000

June 5 6 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
June 5	3:50 PM CDT	F0	Jones	0.1	17	4	$500 to $5,000
June 5	4:00 PM CDT	F0	Jones	0.1	17		under $50
June 5	4:05 PM CDT	F0	Taylor	0.1	17		under $50
June 5	4:40 PM CDT	F0	Taylor	0.1	17		under $50
June 5	4:45 PM CDT	F0	Jones	0.1	17		under $50
June 5	5:15 PM CDT	F1	Callahan	0.1	17		$50,000 to $500,000

June 6 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
June 6	12:30 PM CDT	F1	Frio	1.0	567	$5,000 to $50,000
June 6	1:25 PM CDT	F0	Bee	0.3	20	under $50
June 6	1:50 PM CDT	F1	Duval	0.3	30	$50,000 to $500,000

June 7 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
June 7	11:45 PM CDT	F1	Parmer	0.3	60			$5,000 to $50,000

June 8 6 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
June 8	7:34 PM CDT	F0	Parmer	0.3	60	under $50
June 8	8:15 PM CDT	F1	Bailey	0.5	100	under $50
June 8	8:30 PM CDT	F0	Lamb	0.3	70	under $50
June 8	9:25 PM CDT	F0	Lamb	0.3	70	under $50
June 8	9:53 PM CDT	F1	Hockley	0.1	17	under $50
June 8	10:22 PM CDT	F0	Lynn	0.3	50	under $50

June 9 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
June 9	11:45 PM CDT	F1	Hutchinson	0.1	17	1	1	$5,000 to $50,000
June 9	12:00 AM CDT	F1	Hutchinson	0.1	17			$50,000 to $500,000

June 10 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
June 10	11:45 PM CDT	F0	Sherman	0.3	70			under $50

June 11 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
June 11	1:10 AM CDT	F1	Roberts	0.1	17			$50,000 to $500,000
June 11	1:15 AM CDT	F0	Gray	0.3	70			$5,000 to $50,000

June 13 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
June 13	3:50 PM CDT	F0	Ochiltree	0.3	80			under $50

June 24 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
June 24	1:20 PM CDT	F0	Upton	0.1	17			under $50

June 27 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
June 27	5:55 PM CDT	F1	Hardeman	0.1	17			under $50
June 27	6:20 PM CDT	F0	Wilbarger	0.1	17			under $50

June 28 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
June 28	8:00 PM CDT	F0	Fannin	0.1	17			$5,000 to $50,000

June 29 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
June 29	8:07 PM CDT	F0	Runnels	0.1	17			under $50

July 4 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
July 4	8:38 PM CDT	F0	Howard	0.2	50			under $50

July 14 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
July 14	3:00 PM CDT	F1	Webb	0.5	40			under $50

July 15 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
July 15	11:55 AM CDT	F1	Brazoria	0.7	60		2	$50,000 to $500,000
July 15	4:10 PM CDT	F1	Harris	0.5	60			$5,000 to $50,000

August 17 6 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
August 17	10:10 PM CDT	F0	Galveston	0.5	30	under $50
August 17	10:30 PM CDT	F0	Harris	0.5	30	under $50
August 17	10:59 PM CDT	F0	Harris	0.3	20	under $50
August 17	11:40 PM CDT	F0	Galveston	0.3	30	under $50
August 17	11:40 PM CDT	F0	Galveston	0.3	30	under $50
August 17	11:43 PM CDT	F0	Galveston	0.3	30	under $50

August 18 16 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
August 18	2:02 AM CDT	F0	Harris	0.3	30	under $50
August 18	2:15 AM CDT	F1	Harris	0.5	40	under $50
August 18	2:45 AM CDT	F0	Harris	0.5	30	$50,000 to $500,000
August 18	3:02 AM CDT	F0	Harris	0.3	30	$500 to $5,000
August 18	3:20 AM CDT	F0	Brazoria	0.3	30	under $50
August 18	3:30 AM CDT	F0	Harris	0.3	40	under $50
August 18	5:20 AM CDT	F0	Harris	0.5	40	under $50
August 18	6:05 AM CDT	F0	Harris	0.3	30	under $50
August 18	7:20 AM CDT	F0	Harris	1.0	40	under $50
August 18	11:10 AM CDT	F0	Montgomery	0.5	30	under $50
August 18	3:00 PM CDT	F2	Navarro	2.5	33	$500,000 to $5 million
August 18	4:55 PM CDT	F0	Wharton	0.5	40	under $50
August 18	5:15 PM CDT	F0	Harris	0.5	30	under $50
August 18	7:30 PM CDT	F0	Brazoria	0.3	30	under $50
August 18	7:35 PM CDT	F0	Brazoria	0.3	30	under $50
August 18	8:20 PM CDT	F0	Harris	1.0	50	under $50

September 1 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
September 1	3:30 AM CDT	F0	Jasper	3.0	30			$50,000 to $500,000

September 7 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
September 7	2:40 PM CDT	F1	Starr	2.0	50			under $50

September 19 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
September 19	2:07 PM CDT	F0	Williamson	0.5	30			under $50

September 20 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
September 20	3:30 AM CDT	F0	Orange	0.5	30			$50,000 to $500,000

September 27 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
September 27	9:15 AM CDT	F0	Kleberg	0.5	30			under $50

November 6 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
November 6	11:30 AM CST	F0	Cameron	2.0	300			$5,000 to $50,000
November 6	11:50 AM CST	F0	Cameron	4.0	200			$5,000 to $50,000

November 19 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
November 19	9:10 AM CST	F2	Brazos	1.1	100			$500,000 to $5 million

November 22 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
November 22	11:00 PM CST	F2	Ellis	3.0	40		6	$500,000 to $5 million

November 23 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
November 23	4:55 AM CST	F0	Orange	0.3	100			$5,000 to $50,000

November 30 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
November 30	5:25 PM CST	F0	Galveston	0.3	40			under $50
November 30	5:25 PM CST	F0	Galveston	0.3	40			under $50

December 10 12 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
December 10	3:00 PM CST	F2	Trinity	10.0	50			$50,000 to $500,000
December 10	3:30 PM CST	F2	Angelina	18.0	50		2	$500,000 to $5 million
December 10	3:50 PM CST	F2	Nacogdoches	8.0	50		3	$500,000 to $5 million
December 10	4:00 PM CST	F1	Washington	4.0	200	1		$50,000 to $500,000
December 10	4:08 PM CST	F0	Washington	2.0	150			$50,000 to $500,000
December 10	4:50 PM CST	F1	Grimes	1.0	100			$50,000 to $500,000
December 10	6:05 PM CST	F0	Harris	0.5	30			$500 to $5,000
December 10	6:05 PM CST	F1	San Jacinto	3.0	200	1	3	$50,000 to $500,000
December 10	6:10 PM CST	F0	Montgomery	2.0	100			under $50
December 10	6:25 PM CST	F0	Harris	1.0	50			$50,000 to $500,000
December 10	7:45 PM CST	F2	Tyler	26.0	700		4	$500,000 to $5 million
December 10	8:30 PM CST	F1	Jasper	0.5	40			$50,000 to $500,000

December 13 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
December 13	9:05 AM CST	F0	Galveston	0.5	20			$5,000 to $50,000
December 13	10:25 AM CST	F0	Jefferson	0.5	30			under $50

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.