Tornadoes · United States · Texas

2002 tornadoes in Texas

174 tornadoes touched down in Texas in 2002, 38 percent above the average of the record for the state. They killed 3 people and injured 72.

2001 2003 The whole country in 2002

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 2002

March 19 15 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
March 19	1:31 PM CST	F1	Tom Green	3.0	50		$2,000
March 19	2:00 PM CST	F1	Tom Green	4.0	50		$10,000
March 19	2:13 PM CST	F0	Runnels	0.2	20
March 19	3:20 PM CST	F0	Val Verde	0.2	30
March 19	3:45 PM CST	F0	Val Verde	0.2	30
March 19	4:04 PM CST	F0	Kinney	0.2	100
March 19	4:10 PM CST	F0	Val Verde	0.2	30
March 19	6:50 PM CST	F0	Uvalde	2.0	50
March 19	7:10 PM CST	F1	Medina	0.3	50
March 19	7:15 PM CST	F0	Bexar	0.5	20		$500,000
March 19	7:17 PM CST	F0	Bexar	0.5	20		$500,000
March 19	7:17 PM CST	F1	Bexar	0.5	20		$500,000
March 19	7:19 PM CST	F1	Bexar	1.0	50		$500,000
March 19	7:20 PM CST	F2	Bexar	1.5	50	30	$2.0 million
March 19	7:25 PM CST	F1	Bexar	0.5	60		$1.0 million

March 29 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
March 29	10:05 PM CST	F0	Taylor	0.2	20

March 30 23 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
March 30	12:51 PM CST	F0	Falls	0.7	75		$1,000
March 30	1:06 PM CST	F1	Runnels	3.0	85		$30,000
March 30	1:21 PM CST	F2	Limestone	7.0	440		$250,000
March 30	1:45 PM CST	F1	Runnels	0.5	100
March 30	1:55 PM CST	F0	Limestone	3.5	30		$4,000
March 30	2:17 PM CST	F0	Taylor	0.2	20
March 30	2:17 PM CST	F0	Taylor	0.2	20
March 30	2:40 PM CST	F1	Callahan	9.0	200
March 30	3:10 PM CST	F0	Callahan	0.3	30
March 30	3:52 PM CST	F0	Hamilton	1.2	40		$10,000
March 30	3:59 PM CST	F1	Eastland	1.0	100		$50,000
March 30	4:05 PM CST	F0	Hamilton	2.5	100		$70,000
March 30	4:10 PM CST	F0	Eastland	0.1	30
March 30	4:20 PM CST	F0	Erath	0.1	30
March 30	4:24 PM CST	F0	Anderson	0.1	30
March 30	4:42 PM CST	F1	Cherokee	33.0	150
March 30	5:30 PM CST	F0	Wharton	0.5	20
March 30	5:36 PM CST	F0	Fort Bend	0.5	30		$150,000
March 30	5:40 PM CST	F0	Wharton	0.5	50		$50,000
March 30	6:15 PM CST	F0	Nacogdoches	3.0	50
March 30	6:50 PM CST	F3	Angelina	49.0	440	6	$6.2 million
March 30	7:15 PM CST	F0	Fort Bend	0.5	30		$20,000
March 30	8:09 PM CST	F3	Harris	0.7	60		$350,000

April 7 11 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
April 7	2:46 PM CDT	F0	Crockett	0.5	50
April 7	3:03 PM CDT	F0	Crockett	0.5	50
April 7	3:33 PM CDT	F0	Throckmorton	0.2	20
April 7	3:34 PM CDT	F2	Throckmorton	7.0	1,500	$10,000
April 7	3:50 PM CDT	F0	Throckmorton	0.2	20
April 7	4:10 PM CDT	F0	Val Verde	0.2	30
April 7	4:40 PM CDT	F0	Val Verde	0.2	30
April 7	5:20 PM CDT	F0	Kinney	3.0	50
April 7	6:15 PM CDT	F0	Uvalde	0.2	20
April 7	7:40 PM CDT	F2	Medina	1.0	100	$200,000
April 7	8:00 PM CDT	F1	Frio	0.1	20	$10,000

April 13 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
April 13	7:06 PM CDT	F0	Mason	0.5	50			$10,000

April 16 12 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
April 16	5:42 PM CDT	F0	Tarrant	1.6	100	$10,000
April 16	5:49 PM CDT	F0	Tarrant	0.6	50	$2,000
April 16	5:52 PM CDT	F0	Tarrant	0.8	70	$10,000
April 16	5:59 PM CDT	F3	Tarrant	2.1	80	$250,000
April 16	6:56 PM CDT	F0	Johnson	1.1	70
April 16	7:07 PM CDT	F0	Johnson	0.5	40
April 16	7:11 PM CDT	F0	Johnson	1.0	100
April 16	7:14 PM CDT	F0	Johnson	1.0	40
April 16	7:31 PM CDT	F1	Ellis	2.3	200	$10,000
April 16	7:50 PM CDT	F0	Ellis	0.4	75	$3,000
April 16	8:01 PM CDT	F0	Ellis	0.2	70	$10,000
April 16	8:25 PM CDT	F0	Ellis	0.4	60

April 19 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
April 19	7:08 PM CDT	F0	Lynn	2.0	50

May 4 9 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
May 4	8:09 PM CDT	F0	Tom Green	0.5	30
May 4	8:12 PM CDT	F0	Concho	1.0	50
May 4	8:23 PM CDT	F0	Concho	2.0	75
May 4	8:44 PM CDT	F0	Concho	2.0	50
May 4	9:18 PM CDT	F0	Fisher	1.0	40
May 4	10:30 PM CDT	F0	McCulloch	3.0	150	$20,000
May 4	11:15 PM CDT	F0	Scurry	0.5	200	$10,000
May 4	11:45 PM CDT	F0	Mitchell	0.8	250	$50,000
May 4	12:03 AM CDT	F0	Mitchell	0.1	150

May 5 19 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 5	5:22 PM CDT	F0	Deaf Smith	0.1	25
May 5	5:31 PM CDT	F0	Deaf Smith	0.5	50
May 5	5:35 PM CDT	F0	Hutchinson	0.1	25
May 5	6:02 PM CDT	F0	Castro	1.0	50
May 5	6:30 PM CDT	F2	Swisher	5.0	300
May 5	6:45 PM CDT	F2	Swisher	5.0	150	2	4	$4.0 million
May 5	6:57 PM CDT	F0	Randall	0.1	25
May 5	6:59 PM CDT	F0	Swisher	1.0	50			$2,000
May 5	7:11 PM CDT	F0	Armstrong	0.4	50
May 5	7:30 PM CDT	F0	Armstrong	0.3	25
May 5	7:35 PM CDT	F0	Armstrong	0.1	25
May 5	7:54 PM CDT	F0	Hemphill	2.5	25
May 5	7:58 PM CDT	F0	Hemphill to OK	1.5	25
May 5	8:10 PM CDT	F0	Armstrong	0.2	25
May 5	8:34 PM CDT	F0	Hall	1.0	40
May 5	9:00 PM CDT	F1	Hall	1.0	40			$2,000
May 5	9:15 PM CDT	F1	Hall	3.0	50			$10,000
May 5	9:15 PM CDT	F0	Collingsworth	0.2	25
May 5	9:23 PM CDT	F1	Hall	6.0	50			$10,000

May 7 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
May 7	8:50 PM CDT	F0	Nolan	0.5	20	$1,000
May 7	9:45 PM CDT	F0	Jones	0.2	20	$1,000
May 7	9:45 PM CDT	F0	Taylor	0.2	20	$1,000

May 10 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 10	8:49 PM CDT	F0	Pecos	0.2	50
May 10	9:50 PM CDT	F0	Floyd	0.5	40

May 11 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 11	1:51 AM CDT	F0	Moore	0.1	25

May 16 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 16	8:50 PM CDT	F1	Hutchinson	0.1	100			$40,000

May 17 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 17	8:09 PM CDT	F0	Zapata	2.0	25			$30,000

May 23 4 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
May 23	6:30 PM CDT	F0	Lipscomb	0.1	25
May 23	8:43 PM CDT	F0	Hutchinson	0.1	25
May 23	9:05 PM CDT	F0	Hutchinson	0.1	25
May 23	11:25 PM CDT	F1	Roberts	6.0	100	$70,000

May 24 5 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)
May 24	7:50 PM CDT	F0	Hardeman	0.2	25
May 24	8:00 PM CDT	F0	Taylor	0.2	30
May 24	8:04 PM CDT	F0	Taylor	0.2	30
May 24	8:50 PM CDT	F0	Runnels	0.4	50
May 24	9:20 PM CDT	F0	Runnels	0.3	20

May 26 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)
May 26	7:20 PM CDT	F0	Pecos	0.1	50
May 26	9:17 PM CDT	F0	Nolan	0.2	20
May 26	10:48 PM CDT	F0	Nolan	0.3	30

May 27 6 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
May 27	3:10 PM CDT	F0	Mitchell	0.3	100	$70,000
May 27	3:53 PM CDT	F0	Coke	1.0	75
May 27	4:49 PM CDT	F0	Ector	0.1	50	$2,000
May 27	5:12 PM CDT	F0	Crosby	1.0	50	$3,000
May 27	5:20 PM CDT	F0	Midland	0.1	50
May 27	5:20 PM CDT	F0	Dawson	0.1	50

May 28 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
May 28	6:48 PM CDT	F0	Pecos	0.1	50

May 29 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
May 29	7:10 PM CDT	F0	Willacy	2.0	25
May 29	7:56 PM CDT	F0	Hidalgo	2.5	25
May 29	8:17 PM CDT	F0	Cameron	1.0	15	$10,000

June 4 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
June 4	4:50 PM CDT	F0	Floyd	1.0	40
June 4	8:07 PM CDT	F0	Haskell	5.0	150	$10,000
June 4	9:00 PM CDT	F0	Throckmorton	0.5	50

June 13 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
June 13	8:08 PM CDT	F0	Taylor	0.5	50			$1,000

July 4 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
July 4	8:13 PM CDT	F0	Glasscock	0.2	50

August 1 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
August 1	6:45 PM CDT	F0	Culberson	0.1	25

August 13 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
August 13	8:13 PM CDT	F0	Mitchell	0.1	50

August 22 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
August 22	3:30 PM CDT	F0	Harris	0.1	20			$10,000

August 30 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
August 30	7:07 PM CDT	F0	Deaf Smith	0.5	25

September 6 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
September 6	12:45 AM CDT	F0	Brazoria	0.1	0			$10,000
September 6	12:55 AM CDT	F0	Matagorda	4.0	0			$60,000

September 7 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Injuries	Damage
September 7	1:30 AM CDT	F0	Brazoria	0.2		$30,000
September 7	2:15 AM CDT	F0	Wharton	0.2		$70,000
September 7	3:15 AM CDT	F1	Fort Bend	0.2	3	$100,000

September 8 6 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)
September 8	3:06 AM CDT	F0	Bee	0.5	500
September 8	3:06 AM CDT	F0	Live Oak	0.6	500
September 8	4:02 AM CDT	F0	Goliad	0.4	400
September 8	4:45 AM CDT	F0	Goliad	0.6	500
September 8	10:15 PM CDT	F0	Jim Wells	0.5	500
September 8	10:46 PM CDT	F0	Jim Wells	0.6	600

September 13 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
September 13	3:30 PM CDT	F0	Reeves	2.0	75

September 14 1 tornado

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
September 14	7:30 PM CDT	F0	Pecos	0.1	50

October 8 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
October 8	11:20 AM CDT	F0	Hays	1.0	200	$70,000
October 8	4:30 PM CDT	F0	Galveston	0.7	50	$100,000
October 8	5:54 PM CDT	F0	Harris	0.1	20

October 24 2 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
October 24	2:19 PM CDT	F2	Nueces	2.5	200	1	20	$75 million
October 24	3:41 PM CDT	F1	Nueces	1.5	100		6	$10 million

October 28 3 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
October 28	9:30 PM CST	F1	Liberty	0.5	20	$180,000
October 28	9:50 PM CST	F0	Harris	0.5	20	$60,000
October 28	10:58 PM CST	F1	Hardin	2.0	10	$100,000

December 23 12 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
December 23	7:04 AM CST	F1	Travis	5.5	200	1	$200,000
December 23	8:45 AM CST	F1	Fayette	3.0	100		$150,000
December 23	9:10 AM CST	F0	Washington	0.2	20		$10,000
December 23	9:51 AM CST	F0	Colorado	0.3	20		$20,000
December 23	11:20 AM CST	F0	Brazos	0.5	30		$10,000
December 23	12:15 PM CST	F0	Grimes	0.5	30		$10,000
December 23	12:45 PM CST	F1	Madison	1.0	30	2	$60,000
December 23	1:20 PM CST	F0	Montgomery	0.5	20		$10,000
December 23	1:55 PM CST	F0	San Jacinto	0.5	20		$10,000
December 23	3:30 PM CST	F0	San Jacinto	0.5	30		$30,000
December 23	8:10 PM CST	F0	Washington	0.5	20		$10,000
December 23	10:18 PM CST	F0	Liberty	0.3	30		$30,000

December 30 10 tornadoes

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
December 30	12:30 PM CST	F0	Denton	0.3	30	$70,000
December 30	2:02 PM CST	F0	Ellis	0.2	0
December 30	2:37 PM CST	F0	Bexar	0.2	20
December 30	3:25 PM CST	F0	Hays	1.2	50
December 30	4:10 PM CST	F0	Caldwell	0.6	20
December 30	5:15 PM CST	F0	Bee	0.5	75
December 30	5:35 PM CST	F0	Fayette	0.8	50	$20,000
December 30	9:10 PM CST	F0	Harris	0.3	30	$10,000
December 30	9:20 PM CST	F1	Galveston	1.1	30	$70,000
December 30	9:25 PM CST	F0	Harris	0.5	30	$250,000

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.