Tornadoes · United States · Texas

1989 tornadoes in Texas

160 tornadoes touched down in Texas in 1989, 27 percent above the average of the record for the state. They killed 1 people and injured 75. 1 were rated F4 or EF4 and above.

1988 1990 The whole country in 1989

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 1989

January 25 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
January 25	1:00 PM CST	F1	Bell	0.5	73		3	$50,000 to $500,000

January 29 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
January 29	1:53 PM CST	F0	Brazoria	0.2	10			$5,000 to $50,000
January 29	2:20 PM CST	F0	Brazoria	0.2	10			$5,000 to $50,000

March 27 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
March 27	2:12 PM CST	F0	Floyd	1.0	60

March 28 4 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
March 28	2:15 PM CST	F0	Houston	0.2	10	$5,000 to $50,000
March 28	7:05 PM CST	F0	Eastland	0.2	10
March 28	7:15 PM CST	F0	Stephens	0.2	10
March 28	9:14 PM CST	F0	Archer	0.2	10

April 3 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
April 3	10:58 PM CDT	F1	Van Zandt	2.0	50

April 30 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
April 30	6:15 PM CDT	F0	Moore	0.3	40
April 30	7:28 PM CDT	F0	Potter	0.2	20

May 2 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 2	8:15 PM CDT	F1	Erath	0.2	10
May 2	9:25 PM CDT	F1	Hamilton	0.2	10

May 4 8 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries
May 4	4:30 PM CDT	F0	Moore	1.0	40
May 4	4:45 PM CDT	F0	Moore	1.0	40
May 4	6:05 PM CDT	F0	Randall	2.0	50
May 4	8:47 PM CDT	F1	Haskell	0.2	10
May 4	8:51 PM CDT	F1	Haskell	0.2	10
May 4	9:05 PM CDT	F1	Shackelford	0.2	10
May 4	10:10 PM CDT	F1	Hood	0.2	10
May 4	10:20 PM CDT	F2	Hood	3.5	500	22

May 9 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 9	7:35 PM CDT	F0	Edwards	0.2	10

May 11 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)
May 11	5:12 PM CDT	F1	Pecos	1.0	40
May 11	5:24 PM CDT	F1	Pecos	1.5	60
May 11	7:22 PM CDT	F0	Midland	0.5	40

May 12 6 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)
May 12	6:26 PM CDT	F2	Hartley	7.0	200
May 12	7:27 PM CDT	F0	Oldham	2.0	60
May 12	8:15 PM CDT	F0	Jones	0.2	10
May 12	8:15 PM CDT	F1	Jones	3.0	100
May 12	8:50 PM CDT	F1	Jones	0.2	10
May 12	9:15 PM CDT	F1	Jones	0.2	10

May 13 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)
May 13	2:29 PM CDT	F1	Knox	0.2	10
May 13	6:24 PM CDT	F2	Jones	1.5	150
May 13	7:27 PM CDT	F1	Callahan	0.2	10

May 14 5 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
May 14	3:26 PM CDT	F2	Sterling	6.0	600
May 14	4:40 PM CDT	F0	Tom Green	2.0	100
May 14	4:55 PM CDT	F1	Tom Green	2.0	100	$5,000 to $50,000
May 14	7:30 PM CDT	F1	Concho	0.5	150	$500 to $5,000
May 14	10:30 PM CDT	F2	McCulloch	1.0	100

May 15 9 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
May 15	3:25 PM CDT	F1	Coke	6.0	100
May 15	4:35 PM CDT	F1	Hale	5.5	80
May 15	5:05 PM CDT	F2	King	7.0	90	$5,000 to $50,000
May 15	7:28 PM CDT	F0	Deaf Smith	1.0	50
May 15	7:32 PM CDT	F1	Concho	2.0	100	$5,000 to $50,000
May 15	7:45 PM CDT	F1	Oldham	4.0	210
May 15	9:00 PM CDT	F1	Floyd	3.0	110	$5,000 to $50,000
May 15	9:05 PM CDT	F0	Oldham	1.5	90
May 15	10:10 PM CDT	F1	Tom Green	6.0	100	$50,000 to $500,000

May 16 16 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
May 16	12:53 PM CDT	F1	Jones	1.0	100
May 16	1:54 PM CDT	F1	Coleman	0.2	10
May 16	2:55 PM CDT	F1	Oldham	3.0	80	2	$50,000 to $500,000
May 16	5:20 PM CDT	F0	Randall	1.5	60
May 16	5:35 PM CDT	F2	Randall	10.0	300
May 16	5:55 PM CDT	F0	Potter	3.0	50
May 16	5:55 PM CDT	F0	Randall	1.0	40
May 16	6:02 PM CDT	F0	Potter	0.1	40
May 16	6:23 PM CDT	F1	Potter	0.2	110		$5,000 to $50,000
May 16	7:00 PM CDT	F1	Hood	0.5	73
May 16	7:15 PM CDT	F1	Hood	0.5	73		$50,000 to $500,000
May 16	7:38 PM CDT	F1	Johnson	2.5	73		$5 million to $50 million
May 16	10:10 PM CDT	F1	Val Verde	8.0	200	1	$500,000 to $5 million
May 16	12:08 AM CDT	F4	Kinney	17.0	300		$500,000 to $5 million
May 16	12:10 AM CDT	F1	Gaines	2.5	60
May 16	12:29 AM CDT	F0	Val Verde	0.2	10

May 17 15 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 17	1:35 AM CDT	F0	Lynn	0.2	40
May 17	4:02 AM CDT	F3	Williamson	3.0	1,700	1	28	$500,000 to $5 million
May 17	4:30 AM CDT	F2	Gillespie	2.0	100
May 17	8:10 AM CDT	F1	Coryell	0.2	10
May 17	8:30 AM CDT	F1	Anderson	0.2	10
May 17	8:37 AM CDT	F1	Coryell	0.2	10
May 17	9:25 AM CDT	F1	Smith	0.2	10
May 17	10:05 AM CDT	F1	Henderson	0.2	10
May 17	10:23 AM CDT	F1	Smith	0.2	10
May 17	4:32 PM CDT	F1	Motley	6.0	100
May 17	4:55 PM CDT	F1	Smith	0.5	50
May 17	5:00 PM CDT	F2	Trinity	31.0	400		14	$500,000 to $5 million
May 17	5:13 PM CDT	F1	Childress	6.0	200
May 17	5:40 PM CDT	F1	Nacogdoches	0.2	10
May 17	6:28 PM CDT	F2	Polk	3.0	150

May 20 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 20	5:30 PM CDT	F1	Callahan	0.2	10

May 31 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 31	8:30 PM CDT	F0	Hale	1.0	30

June 1 6 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
June 1	7:48 PM CDT	F0	Howard	1.0	60
June 1	8:10 PM CDT	F0	Mitchell	1.5	40
June 1	8:18 PM CDT	F0	Howard	1.5	70
June 1	9:23 PM CDT	F0	Dawson	2.0	100
June 1	9:40 PM CDT	F1	Dawson	4.5	150	$5,000 to $50,000
June 1	12:00 AM CDT	F1	Howard	2.5	100	$5,000 to $50,000

June 2 4 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
June 2	4:00 PM CDT	F1	Lubbock	3.0	150	$50,000 to $500,000
June 2	7:00 PM CDT	F0	Howard	1.0	80
June 2	7:23 PM CDT	F0	Howard	3.0	100
June 2	7:40 PM CDT	F0	Mitchell	3.5	120

June 3 7 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
June 3	4:23 PM CDT	F1	Hale	7.5	150	$5,000 to $50,000
June 3	5:05 PM CDT	F0	Swisher	0.5	90
June 3	6:01 PM CDT	F1	Crane	5.0	150
June 3	6:47 PM CDT	F0	Ector	4.0	100
June 3	7:00 PM CDT	F0	Crane	1.5	100
June 3	7:06 PM CDT	F0	Midland	3.0	120
June 3	8:30 PM CDT	F2	Bailey	8.0	880	$50,000 to $500,000

June 4 4 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)
June 4	2:18 AM CDT	F1	Martin	8.5	200
June 4	2:30 AM CDT	F1	Martin	4.0	140
June 4	2:56 AM CDT	F0	Martin	3.0	100
June 4	3:52 AM CDT	F0	Dawson	1.5	60

June 6 9 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
June 6	3:20 PM CDT	F1	Pecos	4.0	150	$5,000 to $50,000
June 6	4:10 PM CDT	F0	Hale	0.5	60
June 6	4:45 PM CDT	F1	Hale	2.0	120	$5,000 to $50,000
June 6	4:46 PM CDT	F0	Hale	1.0	90
June 6	4:49 PM CDT	F2	Hale	2.5	200	$50,000 to $500,000
June 6	5:50 PM CDT	F1	Ector	3.0	100	$5,000 to $50,000
June 6	5:50 PM CDT	F3	Crosby	30.0	900	$5,000 to $50,000
June 6	9:13 PM CDT	F1	Lipscomb	1.0	60
June 6	9:33 PM CDT	F1	Lipscomb	1.0	40

June 7 15 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
June 7	7:14 AM CDT	F1	Hood	0.2	10
June 7	2:17 PM CDT	F2	Callahan	6.0	80		$5,000 to $50,000
June 7	3:20 PM CDT	F0	Eastland	0.2	10
June 7	3:37 PM CDT	F1	Cass	3.0	440
June 7	3:40 PM CDT	F1	Wise	0.2	10
June 7	4:00 PM CDT	F1	Tarrant	0.2	10
June 7	4:26 PM CDT	F2	Titus	12.0	200
June 7	4:30 PM CDT	F0	Hamilton	0.2	10
June 7	5:27 PM CDT	F1	Harrison	3.0	447
June 7	5:35 PM CDT	F1	Rusk	3.0	220
June 7	5:38 PM CDT	F1	Harrison	3.0	220
June 7	5:47 PM CDT	F1	Panola	4.0	220
June 7	5:50 PM CDT	F1	Marion	3.0	447
June 7	5:55 PM CDT	F3	Panola	6.0	447		$5,000 to $50,000
June 7	7:40 PM CDT	F2	Milam	10.0	150	4	$500,000 to $5 million

June 10 8 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)
June 10	4:20 PM CDT	F0	Ector	18.0	100
June 10	4:27 PM CDT	F0	Ector	7.0	100
June 10	5:50 PM CDT	F1	Brown	0.2	10
June 10	7:02 PM CDT	F0	Howard	2.0	90
June 10	8:24 PM CDT	F0	Hall	4.0	110
June 10	9:07 PM CDT	F0	Moore	2.5	110
June 10	9:15 PM CDT	F0	Moore	3.0	100
June 10	9:40 PM CDT	F0	Hutchinson	4.5	120

June 11 6 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
June 11	6:30 PM CDT	F0	Pecos	4.5	140
June 11	10:55 PM CDT	F1	Carson	4.0	150
June 11	12:02 AM CDT	F0	Donley	1.5	90
June 11	12:07 AM CDT	F0	Donley	0.3	80	$500,000 to $5 million
June 11	12:08 AM CDT	F0	Donley	0.3	80	$500,000 to $5 million
June 11	12:40 AM CDT	F0	Hall	3.0	150	$5,000 to $50,000

June 12 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
June 12	7:50 PM CDT	F1	Hutchinson	1.0	100	$5,000 to $50,000
June 12	9:20 PM CDT	F1	Motley	2.5	300
June 12	11:25 PM CDT	F0	Donley	2.0	100

June 26 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
June 26	12:00 AM CDT	F0	Galveston	0.2	10		1

August 1 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
August 1	9:20 AM CDT	F0	Galveston	0.2	10

August 2 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
August 2	4:46 PM CDT	F0	Gaines	0.6	10	$500 to $5,000
August 2	5:19 PM CDT	F0	Swisher	5.0	80
August 2	5:54 PM CDT	F0	Ector	0.5	10

August 15 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
August 15	5:35 PM CDT	F0	Oldham	2.5	60
August 15	8:54 PM CDT	F0	Hartley	3.0	90

September 8 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)
September 8	5:55 PM CDT	F0	Ector	0.2	20
September 8	6:05 PM CDT	F0	Midland	0.3	20
September 8	6:15 PM CDT	F1	Midland	3.0	50

October 15 5 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)
October 15	7:55 PM CDT	F0	Galveston	0.2	10
October 15	9:15 PM CDT	F0	Galveston	0.2	10
October 15	9:20 PM CDT	F0	Galveston	0.2	10
October 15	10:05 PM CDT	F0	Harris	0.2	10
October 15	10:24 PM CDT	F0	Chambers	0.2	10

October 16 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
October 16	2:50 AM CDT	F0	Polk	0.2	10			$5,000 to $50,000

November 17 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
November 17	2:50 PM CST	F0	Cameron	1.0	10			$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.