Tornadoes · United States · Texas

1998 tornadoes in Texas

120 tornadoes touched down in Texas in 1998, about the average of the record for the state. They killed 2 people and injured 31.

1997 1999 The whole country in 1998

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 1998

January 4 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
January 4	8:59 PM CST	F0	Falls	0.1	30

January 5 7 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
January 5	12:08 AM CST	F0	Upshur	2.1	30
January 5	6:00 PM CST	F0	San Saba	0.1	30	$1,000
January 5	6:00 PM CST	F0	Mills	0.1	30
January 5	6:52 PM CST	F1	Mills	0.5	40	$40,000
January 5	7:15 PM CST	F0	Hamilton	0.1	30
January 5	10:52 PM CST	F2	Smith	4.2	80	$120,000
January 5	11:34 PM CST	F0	Smith	5.6	50

January 11 5 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
January 11	3:59 PM CST	F1	Titus	7.1	30
January 11	4:04 PM CST	F1	Titus	6.6	30
January 11	4:30 PM CST	F1	Lee	2.5	400	$80,000
January 11	5:07 PM CST	F1	Cass	7.0	30
January 11	5:10 PM CST	F1	Lee	1.0	100	$50,000

January 21 12 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
January 21	2:56 PM CST	F0	Lee	0.2	100
January 21	3:07 PM CST	F0	Lee	0.2	50
January 21	3:09 PM CST	F1	Lee	1.0	400		$80,000
January 21	3:12 PM CST	F0	Lee	0.2	50
January 21	3:40 PM CST	F0	Jackson	0.1	30
January 21	4:35 PM CST	F0	Leon	0.1	30
January 21	4:44 PM CST	F0	Brazos	3.0	50		$40,000
January 21	5:25 PM CST	F0	Madison	1.0	50		$250,000
January 21	5:28 PM CST	F1	Leon	0.5	40	1	$50,000
January 21	5:29 PM CST	F0	Grimes	0.5	80		$10,000
January 21	5:34 PM CST	F0	Montgomery	6.5	80		$10,000
January 21	5:49 PM CST	F1	Walker	3.0	200		$200,000

February 9 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
February 9	9:05 PM CST	F1	Harrison	16.0	50

February 10 9 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
February 10	8:50 AM CST	F0	Wilson	0.1	100
February 10	9:25 AM CST	F0	Guadalupe	0.2	200
February 10	10:19 AM CST	F0	Leon	0.5	40		$40,000
February 10	12:49 PM CST	F1	Harris	3.0	440	4	$3.0 million
February 10	12:50 PM CST	F1	Galveston	1.7	50	4	$100,000
February 10	12:54 PM CST	F1	Harris	4.0	440		$750,000
February 10	12:57 PM CST	F1	Harris	0.5	100		$250,000
February 10	1:20 PM CST	F1	Liberty	0.5	50		$50,000
February 10	2:27 PM CST	F1	Jasper	5.0	30		$1.0 million

February 16 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
February 16	5:25 PM CST	F1	Fort Bend	1.2	200	4	$3.7 million
February 16	6:03 PM CST	F0	Brazoria	0.2	50		$30,000
February 16	6:40 PM CST	F0	Galveston	0.1	30

February 21 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)
February 21	5:05 PM CST	F0	Duval	0.1	30
February 21	5:18 PM CST	F0	Duval	0.1	30
February 21	6:00 PM CST	F0	Duval	0.1	30

February 25 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
February 25	9:00 PM CST	F0	Medina	1.0	200
February 25	9:20 PM CST	F1	Bexar	2.5	300			$50,000

March 7 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
March 7	7:25 PM CST	F0	Gonzales	0.5	100

March 16 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
March 16	4:53 PM CST	F0	Bosque	0.1	30
March 16	7:05 PM CST	F1	Collin	1.2	50			$200,000

March 18 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
March 18	4:00 PM CST	F0	Swisher	0.1	30

April 6 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
April 6	6:13 PM CDT	F0	Wilbarger	0.1	30

April 8 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
April 8	4:40 AM CDT	F0	Hays	0.5	100
April 8	4:57 AM CDT	F0	Hays	1.0	150

April 26 9 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
April 26	2:20 PM CDT	F0	Castro	0.1	30		$10,000
April 26	2:25 PM CDT	F2	Hale	0.3	30		$100,000
April 26	3:40 PM CDT	F0	Crosby	0.1	30
April 26	4:14 PM CDT	F0	Shackelford	0.1	30
April 26	4:49 PM CDT	F0	Shackelford	0.1	30		$2,000
April 26	5:29 PM CDT	F0	Haskell	0.1	30
April 26	5:35 PM CDT	F1	Clay	0.2	50	2	$50,000
April 26	5:55 PM CDT	F0	Coryell	0.1	30
April 26	6:45 PM CDT	F0	Coryell	0.1	30

May 8 5 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
May 8	3:38 PM CDT	F0	Lamb	0.2	30
May 8	4:42 PM CDT	F0	Briscoe	0.2	30
May 8	4:58 PM CDT	F0	Hall	0.2	30
May 8	5:51 PM CDT	F0	Haskell	0.1	30
May 8	8:31 PM CDT	F0	Wise	0.8	50	$400,000

May 25 4 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)
May 25	6:56 PM CDT	F0	Irion	0.1	30
May 25	7:02 PM CDT	F0	Irion	0.1	30
May 25	9:00 PM CDT	F0	Lynn	0.1	30
May 25	12:50 AM CDT	F0	Coke	10.0	30

May 26 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
May 26	7:00 PM CDT	F0	Tom Green	0.1	30
May 26	8:30 PM CDT	F1	Tom Green	3.6	1,940	2	$1.3 million
May 26	9:30 PM CDT	F0	Concho	0.1	30		$1,000

June 5 4 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
June 5	4:48 PM CDT	F0	Caldwell	0.5	100
June 5	5:00 PM CDT	F1	Caldwell	1.0	200	$50,000
June 5	5:32 PM CDT	F1	Fayette	1.0	200	$20,000
June 5	10:46 PM CDT	F0	Fort Bend	0.2	50	$40,000

June 12 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
June 12	8:27 PM CDT	F0	Shackelford	0.1	30

June 18 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
June 18	9:57 PM CDT	F0	Montague	0.1	30

July 4 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
July 4	1:00 PM CDT	F1	Williamson	0.2	100			$30,000

July 14 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
July 14	5:15 PM CDT	F1	Gonzales	1.0	50			$10,000

August 3 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
August 3	3:19 PM CDT	F1	Upshur	0.7	30			$50,000

August 7 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
August 7	5:10 PM CDT	F0	Randall	0.5	30
August 7	5:50 PM CDT	F0	Yoakum	0.5	30

August 22 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
August 22	5:30 AM CDT	F0	Galveston	0.1	30			$20,000

August 29 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
August 29	6:45 PM CDT	F1	Travis	0.1	100			$30,000

September 10 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
September 10	7:15 PM CDT	F0	Matagorda	0.2	30		5	$10,000
September 10	8:09 PM CDT	F0	Galveston	0.5	30			$10,000

September 11 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
September 11	4:32 AM CDT	F1	Harris	0.2	50

September 22 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
September 22	11:48 AM CDT	F0	Nueces	0.2	30

October 1 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
October 1	4:04 PM CDT	F0	Hale	0.2	30			$10,000

October 2 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
October 2	1:04 PM CDT	F0	Hunt	0.1	30
October 2	1:52 PM CDT	F0	Hopkins	0.2	30		$10,000
October 2	5:16 PM CDT	F1	Young	7.0	400	3	$700,000

October 4 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
October 4	1:35 AM CDT	F0	Brazoria	0.1	50			$10,000

October 5 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
October 5	4:35 PM CDT	F0	Crockett	0.5	50			$10,000

October 6 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
October 6	7:20 AM CDT	F0	Fort Bend	10.0	50			$10,000

October 17 12 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
October 17	1:00 AM CDT	F0	Harris	1.0	30			$20,000
October 17	10:15 AM CDT	F2	Navarro	3.5	100	1	4	$100,000
October 17	11:17 AM CDT	F2	Coryell	0.1	30			$50,000
October 17	11:55 AM CDT	F0	Navarro	0.1	30
October 17	1:25 PM CDT	F0	Hill	0.1	30
October 17	1:30 PM CDT	F1	Bastrop	0.1	100		1	$30,000
October 17	2:10 PM CDT	F1	Bastrop	0.2	100			$50,000
October 17	3:20 PM CDT	F1	Burleson	5.0	80			$500,000
October 17	3:28 PM CDT	F2	Burleson	3.5	100			$1.5 million
October 17	4:40 PM CDT	F1	Brazos	3.5	80			$20,000
October 17	6:36 PM CDT	F0	Victoria	0.2	30
October 17	7:50 PM CDT	F0	Washington	1.0	30

October 18 8 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
October 18	4:45 AM CDT	F0	Harris	1.0	30			$30,000
October 18	5:00 AM CDT	F0	Harris	1.0	30			$10,000
October 18	5:30 AM CDT	F0	Liberty	0.5	30			$30,000
October 18	6:25 AM CDT	F2	Waller	1.0	50	1	1	$70,000
October 18	9:20 AM CDT	F0	Hardin	1.0	30			$10,000
October 18	10:23 AM CDT	F0	Orange	1.0	30			$100,000
October 18	11:02 AM CDT	F0	Jasper	1.0	30			$30,000
October 18	11:30 AM CDT	F0	Orange	1.0	30			$50,000

October 27 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
October 27	4:45 PM CST	F1	Reeves	1.0	300
October 27	7:15 PM CST	F1	Randall	1.0	300			$70,000

October 30 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
October 30	3:15 PM CST	F0	Reeves	3.0	100
October 30	7:16 PM CST	F0	Castro	0.2	30

November 4 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
November 4	3:25 AM CST	F0	Cameron	0.3	40			$20,000

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.