Tornadoes · United States · Texas
Tornadoes in Parmer County, Texas
56 tornadoes have crossed Parmer County since 1950, 62nd of the 254 counties in Texas with a tornado on record, an average of one every 1.4 years. They have killed 1 person and injured 30. 1 was 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
- 56
- Deaths
- 1
- Injuries
- 30
- F4 and above
- 1
- Worst on record
- F4, April 17, 1970
The deadliest in Parmer County
The strongest
- F4, Parmer, Randall, Armstrong and Carson counties, TexasApril 17, 1970
- F3, Parmer County, TexasJune 2, 1995
- F3, Bailey and Parmer counties, TexasMay 21, 1963
- F3, Parmer County, TexasOctober 11, 1960
- F2, Parmer, Randall, Potter and Delta counties, TexasMay 24, 1957
- F2, Parmer and Castro counties, TexasJune 17, 1980
- F2, Curry and Parmer counties, New Mexico and TexasJune 11, 1964
- F2, Parmer County, TexasMarch 27, 1992
- F2, Parmer County, TexasJune 12, 1964
- F2, Bailey, Parmer, Lamb and Castro counties, TexasApril 18, 1971
Every year with a tornado
The 26 years of the 76 in the record with a tornado in Parmer County. Each year links to every tornado in Texas that year.
Every tornado that crossed Parmer County
56 tornadoes, newest first. 1 of them touched down in a neighboring state and ran in, so the record files it under that state rather than Texas.
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 26, 2019 | 9:11 PM CDT | EF0 | Bailey | 5.0 | 50 | $50,000 | ||
| April 14, 2017 | 5:59 PM CDT | Unrated | Parmer | 3.1 | 50 | |||
| April 17, 2007 | 2:00 PM CDT | EF0 | Parmer | 2.8 | 50 | |||
| March 23, 2007 | 9:38 PM CDT | EF0 | Parmer | 1.8 | 40 | $75,000 | ||
| March 23, 2007 | 8:59 PM CDT | EF0 | Parmer | 1.0 | 50 | |||
| June 3, 2003 | 7:31 PM CDT | F0 | Parmer | 0.1 | 30 | |||
| June 3, 2003 | 7:25 PM CDT | F0 | Parmer | 0.1 | 30 | |||
| June 3, 2003 | 7:25 PM CDT | F1 | Parmer | 0.3 | 40 | |||
| June 3, 2003 | 7:24 PM CDT | F0 | Parmer | 0.1 | 30 | |||
| June 3, 2003 | 7:18 PM CDT | F0 | Parmer | 0.5 | 30 | |||
| May 12, 2001 | 3:25 PM CDT | F0 | Parmer | 0.1 | 30 | |||
| May 25, 1996 | 4:55 PM CDT | F0 | Parmer | 0.1 | 10 | |||
| June 2, 1995 | 6:35 PM CDT | F3 | Parmer | 10.0 | 500 | 12 | $5 million to $50 million | |
| May 17, 1995 | 1:55 AM CDT | F1 | Parmer | 0.3 | 73 | $50,000 to $500,000 | ||
| May 26, 1994 | 6:32 PM CDT | F0 | Parmer | 2.0 | 100 | |||
| June 27, 1992 | 11:23 PM CDT | F0 | Parmer | 0.1 | 10 | |||
| June 27, 1992 | 11:08 PM CDT | F0 | Parmer | 0.5 | 23 | |||
| June 27, 1992 | 10:32 PM CDT | F1 | Parmer | 1.0 | 23 | $50,000 to $500,000 | ||
| June 27, 1992 | 8:55 PM CDT | F0 | Parmer | 0.5 | 20 | |||
| March 27, 1992 | 7:20 PM CST | F1 | Parmer | 0.5 | 50 | $50,000 to $500,000 | ||
| March 27, 1992 | 6:35 PM CST | F2 | Parmer | 10.0 | 60 | $500,000 to $5 million | ||
| May 10, 1991 | 7:48 PM CDT | F1 | Parmer | 0.5 | 60 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| May 10, 1991 | 7:43 PM CDT | F0 | Parmer | 0.1 | 20 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| May 10, 1991 | 7:42 PM CDT | F2 | Parmer | 3.0 | 100 | 1 | $50,000 to $500,000 | |
| May 10, 1991 | 7:38 PM CDT | F0 | Parmer | 1.0 | 30 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| May 10, 1991 | 7:38 PM CDT | F0 | Parmer | 1.0 | 30 | |||
| May 10, 1991 | 6:35 PM CDT | F0 | Parmer | 0.6 | 30 | |||
| May 30, 1988 | 9:55 PM CDT | F0 | Parmer | 2.0 | 70 | |||
| July 2, 1987 | 6:15 PM CDT | F1 | Parmer | 2.0 | 100 | |||
| May 29, 1987 | 5:40 PM CDT | F0 | Parmer | 1.0 | 60 | |||
| June 8, 1983 | 7:34 PM CDT | F0 | Parmer | 0.3 | 60 | under $50 | ||
| June 7, 1983 | 11:45 PM CDT | F1 | Parmer | 0.3 | 60 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| July 4, 1980 | 12:20 AM CDT | F0 | Parmer | 0.1 | 10 | under $50 | ||
| June 17, 1980 | 9:00 PM CDT | F2 | Parmer | 45.0 | 200 | $50,000 to $500,000 | ||
| February 7, 1980 | 6:00 PM CST | F1 | Parmer | 31.1 | 10 | $50,000 to $500,000 | ||
| May 31, 1978 | 4:50 PM CDT | F0 | Parmer | 1.0 | 30 | |||
| May 5, 1976 | 2:20 PM CDT | F0 | Parmer | 2.0 | 30 | |||
| April 18, 1971 | 8:45 PM CST | F2 | Bailey | 4.3 | 200 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| April 18, 1971 | 8:45 PM CST | F2 | Bailey | 4.3 | 200 | |||
| April 18, 1971 | 8:45 PM CST | F1 | Bailey | 4.3 | 200 | |||
| April 18, 1971 | 8:45 PM CST | F1 | Bailey | 4.3 | 200 | |||
| April 18, 1971 | 8:45 PM CST | F1 | Bailey | 4.3 | 200 | |||
| April 17, 1970 | 10:30 PM CST | F4 | Parmer | 130.0 | 880 | 1 | 13 | $500,000 to $5 million |
| May 24, 1969 | 7:00 PM GMT-5 | F0 | Parmer | 0.1 | 33 | |||
| May 16, 1969 | 7:30 PM GMT-5 | F2 | Parmer | 0.1 | 20 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| March 19, 1967 | 6:00 PM GMT-6 | F2 | Parmer | 0.6 | 33 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| June 9, 1965 | 6:00 PM GMT-5 | F1 | Parmer | 1.5 | 33 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| June 13, 1964 | 7:45 PM GMT-5 | F1 | Parmer | 1.5 | 50 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| June 12, 1964 | 6:00 PM GMT-5 | F2 | Parmer | 2.0 | 27 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| June 12, 1964 | 6:00 PM GMT-5 | F2 | Parmer | 8.8 | 27 | under $50 | ||
| June 11, 1964 | 5:30 PM GMT-5 | F2 | Curry to TX | 23.2 | 67 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| May 21, 1963 | 7:11 PM GMT-5 | F3 | Bailey | 5.9 | 50 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| October 11, 1960 | 5:47 PM GMT-5 | F3 | Parmer | 1.0 | 100 | 1 | $50,000 to $500,000 | |
| April 12, 1960 | 5:30 PM GMT-6 | F2 | Parmer | 1.0 | 67 | 3 | $500 to $5,000 | |
| May 24, 1957 | 11:45 AM GMT-5 | F2 | Parmer | 70.1 | 33 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| June 18, 1955 | 8:05 PM GMT-5 | F0 | Parmer | 0.1 | 10 |
Nearby
Warnings in force in Parmer CountyThe forecast for Parmer CountyThe live radar over Parmer 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.