Tornadoes · United States · Texas

Tornadoes in Dallas County, Texas

108 tornadoes have crossed Dallas County since 1950, 7th of the 254 counties in Texas with a tornado on record, an average of 1.4 a year. They have killed 24 people and injured 949. 2 were rated F4 or EF4 and above.

The rating scale

Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The United States rated tornadoes on Ted Fujita’s F scale until 31 January 2007 and on the Enhanced Fujita scale after it. Both run from 0 to 5, and both rate the damage rather than measure the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.

  1. F0 / EF040 to 72 mph on the F scale, 65 to 85 mph on the EF scale

    Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.

  2. F1 / EF173 to 112 mph on the F scale, 86 to 110 mph on the EF scale

    Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.

  3. F2 / EF2113 to 157 mph on the F scale, 111 to 135 mph on the EF scale

    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.

  4. F3 / EF3158 to 206 mph on the F scale, 136 to 165 mph on the EF scale

    Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.

  5. F4 / EF4207 to 260 mph on the F scale, 166 to 200 mph on the EF scale

    Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.

  6. F5 / EF5261 to 318 mph on the F scale, over 200 mph on the EF scale

    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.

  7. 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.

Now

Tornadoes
108
Deaths
24
Injuries
949
F4 and above
2
Worst on record
EF4, December 26, 2015

The deadliest in Dallas County

  1. EF4 Garland–Rowlett tornado, TexasDecember 26, 201510 killed, 468 injured
  2. F3 Dallas tornado, TexasApril 2, 195710 killed, 200 injured
  3. F4, Dallas County, TexasApril 25, 19943 killed, 48 injured
  4. F2, Collin and Dallas counties, TexasMay 9, 19931 killed, 63 injured

The strongest

  1. EF4 Garland–Rowlett tornado, TexasDecember 26, 2015EF4, 13.0 mi (21 km)
  2. F4, Dallas County, TexasApril 25, 1994F4, 6.0 mi (10 km)
  3. F3, Dallas and Collin counties, TexasOctober 12, 1969F3, 45.9 mi (74 km)
  4. F3, Dallas, Rockwall and Collin counties, TexasOctober 4, 1959F3, 27.6 mi (44 km)
  5. F3 Dallas tornado, TexasApril 2, 1957F3, 17.2 mi (28 km)
  6. EF3, Dallas County, TexasOctober 20, 2019EF3, 15.8 mi (25 km)
  7. F3, Dallas County, TexasDecember 13, 1984F3, 10.0 mi (16 km)
  8. EF3, Ellis and Dallas counties, TexasDecember 26, 2015EF3, 8.5 mi (14 km)
  9. F3, Tarrant and Dallas counties, TexasMarch 28, 2000F3, 8.0 mi (13 km)
  10. F3, Dallas County, TexasMay 26, 1976F3, 4.5 mi (7 km)

Every year with a tornado

The 48 years of the 76 in the record with a tornado in Dallas County. Each year links to every tornado in Texas that year.

YearTornadoesDeathsInjuriesStrongest
20251EF1
20232EF1
20212EF1
20201EF0
20195EF3
20171EF0
2015410514EF4
20141EF0
2012512EF2
20112EF1
201021EF2
20081EF1
20072EF0
20051F0
20031F0
20011F1
20002F3
199699F2
199538F1
19948355F4
19931163F2
19921F0
199011F2
19871F0
1985116F2
1984228F3
198231F1
19812F2
197945F2
19771F2
197631F3
19752F0
19742F2
19731F1
19722F1
1971712F2
1970112F2
196922F3
196821F1
19671F0
19661F2
19633F0
196113F2
19602F0
195915F3
19581F2
1957410200F3
19521F0

Every tornado that crossed Dallas County

108 tornadoes, newest first.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
March 4, 20255:24 AM CSTEF1Dallas0.485$1.0 million
March 16, 20234:52 PM CDTEF1Dallas0.7100
March 16, 20234:47 PM CDTEF1Dallas6.4100
May 16, 20212:10 PM CDTEF1Dallas0.690$50,000
May 16, 20212:00 PM CDTEF0Dallas0.330$2,000
January 10, 20206:42 PM CSTEF0Dallas1.1175$15,000
October 20, 20199:36 PM CDTEF1Rockwall5.8500$10 million
October 20, 20199:24 PM CDTEF2Dallas2.5265$400 million
October 20, 20198:58 PM CDTEF3Dallas15.81,300$1.6 billion
June 16, 20193:45 PM CDTEF0Dallas0.150$20,000
March 9, 20197:38 AM CSTEF0Dallas1.7100$10,000
January 15, 20178:43 PM CSTEF0Dallas0.380$120,000
December 26, 20156:46 PM CSTEF4Garland–Rowlett tornado13.055010468$27 million
December 26, 20156:01 PM CSTEF3Ellis8.512546$9.7 million
May 24, 20152:34 AM CDTEF1Dallas1.180$600,000
May 24, 20152:34 AM CDTEF1Dallas4.940$100,000
May 8, 20143:15 PM CDTEF0Dallas0.5120$80,000
April 3, 20123:22 PM CDTEF0Dallas0.3302$300,000
April 3, 20122:23 PM CDTEF0Dallas2.075$150,000
April 3, 20122:08 PM CDTEF0Dallas1.330$100,000
April 3, 20121:54 PM CDTEF0Dallas0.125$4,000
April 3, 20121:00 PM CDTEF2Ellis13.720010$400 million
May 24, 20119:48 PM CDTEF0Dallas0.030
May 24, 20118:23 PM CDTEF1Dallas1.4500$150,000
September 8, 20106:10 PM CDTEF2Dallas2.75161$750,000
September 8, 20105:36 PM CDTEF1Ellis9.9704$200,000
April 10, 20084:00 AM CDTEF1Dallas2.040$1.0 million
June 26, 20076:00 PM CDTEF0Dallas1.040$60,000
April 13, 20077:00 PM CDTEF0Dallas1.030$50,000
April 25, 20054:35 PM CDTF0Dallas0.115
April 5, 20038:19 PM CSTF0Tarrant0.7100$2,000
September 5, 20012:25 PM CDTF1Dallas1.550$120,000
March 28, 20007:55 PM CSTF0Dallas0.110
March 28, 20007:05 PM CSTF3Tarrant8.0300
October 21, 19969:45 AM CDTF0Dallas0.1351$120,000
October 21, 19969:35 AM CDTF1Dallas0.5507$3.0 million
January 17, 199610:50 PM CSTF1Dallas5.050
January 17, 199610:47 PM CSTF0Dallas0.110
January 17, 199610:47 PM CSTF0Dallas2.050
January 17, 199610:43 PM CSTF1Dallas1.250
January 17, 199610:42 PM CSTF1Dallas1.550
January 17, 199610:40 PM CSTF2Dallas0.550$750,000
January 17, 199610:33 PM CSTF1Dallas3.0501$750,000
April 19, 19959:02 PM CDTF1Dallas6.01008$500,000 to $5 million
April 19, 19953:20 PM CDTF0Dallas0.110
March 25, 19955:45 PM CSTF0Dallas0.110
October 21, 19946:00 PM CDTF0Dallas0.110
October 21, 19945:12 PM CDTF0Dallas0.110
October 21, 19944:50 PM CDTF0Dallas0.110
October 21, 19943:56 PM CDTF0Dallas0.110
April 29, 19942:15 AM CDTF0Dallas0.110
April 25, 19949:30 PM CDTF4Dallas6.0800348$50 million to $500 million
April 25, 19949:00 PM CDTF2Dallas2.04007$5 million to $50 million
April 25, 19948:50 PM CDTF0Dallas0.110$5,000 to $50,000
May 9, 19931:30 PM CDTF2Collin12.0100163$500,000 to $5 million
October 7, 19925:12 PM CDTF0Dallas0.110$500 to $5,000
January 19, 199011:30 AM CSTF2Dallas0.8501$500,000 to $5 million
March 16, 19871:40 PM CSTF0Dallas0.210
May 13, 198511:42 AM CDTF2Dallas4.57716$500,000 to $5 million
December 13, 19849:45 AM CSTF3Dallas10.050028$5 million to $50 million
March 23, 19844:45 PM CSTF1Dallas0.840$5,000 to $50,000
May 11, 19829:15 PM CDTF1Denton3.0501$50,000 to $500,000
April 16, 19824:50 PM CSTF0Dallas0.110
March 14, 19827:25 AM CSTF1Dallas2.0100$50,000 to $500,000
October 13, 19812:40 PM CDTF1Dallas1.050
May 8, 19819:20 PM CDTF2Dallas4.973$5,000 to $50,000
May 3, 19792:25 PM CDTF0Dallas0.550$50 to $500
May 3, 19792:05 PM CDTF2Dallas7.62005$5 million to $50 million
May 3, 197911:48 AM CDTF1Dallas1.0100$5,000 to $50,000
May 3, 197911:30 AM CDTF1Dallas1.0100$5,000 to $50,000
April 20, 197712:55 AM CSTF2Dallas1.577$5,000 to $50,000
July 4, 19769:00 PM CDTF1Dallas0.110$500 to $5,000
May 26, 19765:25 PM CDTF3Dallas4.51501$500,000 to $5 million
March 26, 19762:30 PM CSTF1Dallas0.110$50 to $500
July 25, 197512:10 PM CDTF0Dallas0.110
June 8, 19757:26 PM CDTF0Dallas0.110
June 12, 19746:15 AM CDTF0Dallas0.110
April 11, 19746:10 AM CDTF2Dallas0.3100$50,000 to $500,000
May 1, 19732:45 PM CDTF1Dallas0.320$5,000 to $50,000
November 12, 19729:50 PM CSTF1Dallas0.310$50,000 to $500,000
November 12, 19729:30 PM CSTF1Dallas0.310$5,000 to $50,000
December 14, 19716:30 PM CSTF1Dallas1.51,7604$500,000 to $5 million
December 14, 19716:15 PM CSTF2Dallas4.31674$500,000 to $5 million
December 14, 19716:00 PM CSTF1Dallas1.0100$50,000 to $500,000
December 14, 19716:00 PM CSTF1Dallas0.1171$5,000 to $50,000
December 14, 19715:30 PM CSTF1Tarrant0.1171$500,000 to $5 million
October 19, 19719:37 PM CDTF1Dallas0.5502$50,000 to $500,000
February 18, 19715:20 PM CSTF1Dallas0.113$500 to $5,000
April 25, 19705:00 AM CSTF2Dallas1.01012$500,000 to $5 million
October 12, 19697:50 AM GMT-5F3Dallas45.92002$500 to $5,000
May 8, 19694:24 PM GMT-5F0Dallas0.110
May 25, 196810:00 PM GMT-5F0Dallas0.1101$5,000 to $50,000
May 13, 19683:42 AM GMT-5F1Dallas1.017$50 to $500
March 26, 19675:00 AM GMT-6F0Dallas0.333
May 23, 19663:30 PM GMT-5F2Dallas0.1333$5,000 to $50,000
September 5, 19632:31 PM GMT-5F0Dallas0.233
May 29, 19637:00 PM GMT-5F0Dallas0.517
May 27, 19638:00 PM GMT-5F0Dallas0.517
April 11, 19614:55 PM GMT-6F2Dallas0.3333$5,000 to $50,000
May 5, 196011:37 PM GMT-5F0Dallas0.110$500 to $5,000
May 5, 196011:00 PM GMT-5F0Dallas0.113
October 4, 19597:00 AM GMT-5F3Dallas27.6675$50,000 to $500,000
August 12, 19583:35 PM GMT-5F2Dallas3.0300$500 to $5,000
June 12, 19579:10 AM GMT-5F3Dallas0.110$500 to $5,000
April 20, 195712:20 AM GMT-6F0Dallas2.010under $50
April 3, 195710:50 AM GMT-6F0Dallas0.110$50 to $500
April 2, 19574:30 PM GMT-6F3Dallas tornado17.210010200$500,000 to $5 million
March 2, 195210:00 PM GMT-6F0Dallas0.210$500 to $5,000

Nearby

Warnings in force in Dallas CountyThe forecast for Dallas CountyThe live radar over Dallas CountyEvery county in 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.