National Storms

Abilene, TX tornado history

38 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of the center of Abilene, TX from 1950 through 2025, according to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center, ranking 91st of 534 Texas cities with a tornado on record. 3 were rated F3/EF3 or stronger by the National Weather Service. The most recent was on March 18, 2020 (EF2, 5.4-mile path); the strongest, on May 26, 1976, was rated F3. SPC also logged 1 preliminary tornado report within 10 miles of the center of Abilene, TX in 2026.

38tornadoes since 1950
42016–2025
F3/EF3strongest rating
0deaths
9injuries
Mar 18, 2020most recent
Rating: 012345 unknown or preliminaryLines run from the start to the end point of each path; dots mark where each tornado touched down.

Dashed circle: 10 miles from the city's Census center point. A tornado counts when its recorded path passes inside the circle. Paths run straight from start to end point, as SPC records them.

1950s: 51960s: 71970s: 71980s: 41990s: 52000s: 62010s: 22020s: 21950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020smax 7
Tornadoes within 10 miles of the center of Abilene, TX, by decade

Source: National Storms (nationalstorms.com), CC BY 4.0, data from NOAA Storm Prediction Center storm reports.

Every tornado within 10 miles of the center of Abilene, TX

DateRatingPath lengthDeaths / injuriesStarted inClosest to center
Mar 10, 2026Prelim. report––Taylor County, TX9.7 mi
Mar 18, 2020EF25.4 mi0 / 0Jones County, TX6.6 mi
Mar 18, 2020EF10.2 mi0 / 0Taylor County, TX7.5 mi
May 17, 2019EF18.7 mi0 / 0Taylor County, TX2.5 mi
May 17, 2019EF25.0 mi0 / 0Taylor County, TX1.3 mi
Apr 9, 2008EF00.1 mi0 / 0Taylor County, TX6.6 mi
May 5, 2006F00.2 mi0 / 0Jones County, TX8.2 mi
Mar 4, 2004F112.0 mi0 / 0Taylor County, TX9.3 mi
May 15, 2003F00.3 mi0 / 0Jones County, TX8.0 mi
Jun 13, 2002F00.5 mi0 / 0Taylor County, TX7.7 mi
May 7, 2002F00.2 mi0 / 0Taylor County, TX0.6 mi
May 25, 1994F00.1 mi0 / 0Callahan County, TX10.0 mi
May 11, 1994F00.1 mi0 / 0Taylor County, TX7.5 mi
Apr 13, 1993F15.0 mi0 / 0Taylor County, TX9.4 mi
Mar 21, 1991F00.2 mi0 / 0Taylor County, TX9.6 mi
Apr 5, 1990F20.2 mi0 / 0Taylor County, TX0.6 mi
May 13, 1989F10.2 mi0 / 0Callahan County, TX8.6 mi
May 28, 1987F00.2 mi0 / 0Jones County, TX8.0 mi
Jun 16, 1986F00.2 mi0 / 0Taylor County, TX5.2 mi
May 30, 1983F10.1 mi0 / 0Taylor County, TX4.2 mi
Jun 25, 1979F00.1 mi0 / 0Taylor County, TX9.2 mi
Jul 3, 1978F20.1 mi0 / 0Taylor County, TX7.9 mi
May 26, 1976F31.0 mi0 / 0Jones County, TX6.8 mi
May 25, 1976F320.3 mi0 / 1Jones County, TX8.7 mi
Apr 15, 1976F00.1 mi0 / 0Jones County, TX7.7 mi
Apr 15, 1976F00.1 mi0 / 0Jones County, TX7.7 mi
Mar 9, 1973F20.1 mi0 / 1Taylor County, TX8.6 mi
May 4, 1969F00.1 mi0 / 0Taylor County, TX9.5 mi
May 4, 1969F00.1 mi0 / 0Taylor County, TX9.5 mi
May 4, 1969F00.1 mi0 / 0Taylor County, TX9.5 mi
May 4, 1969F00.1 mi0 / 0Taylor County, TX9.5 mi
May 15, 1965F39.3 mi0 / 2Jones County, TX0.5 mi
Jul 14, 1962F00.8 mi0 / 0Taylor County, TX8.1 mi
Jul 14, 1962F11.0 mi0 / 5Taylor County, TX8.1 mi
May 10, 1959F14.7 mi0 / 0Taylor County, TX8.9 mi
May 10, 1959F14.1 mi0 / 0Taylor County, TX2.2 mi
Aug 12, 1957F20.5 mi0 / 0Jones County, TX9.3 mi
Jun 16, 1955F10.1 mi0 / 0Taylor County, TX6.5 mi
Apr 22, 1955F00.1 mi0 / 0Jones County, TX9.5 mi

More: Taylor County tornadoes · Texas tornado history · Abilene hail history · Texas damaging wind

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center (SPC) Severe Weather Database (SVRGIS) tornado file, 1950–2025, and SPC preliminary storm reports for 2026 (data through November 6, 2026). Ratings are the ones the National Weather Service assigned: Fujita (F) scale before Feb 1, 2007, Enhanced Fujita (EF) after. Paths are drawn as straight lines from the start to the end point SPC records; real paths curve. City and county boundaries: US Census Bureau.

NWS Damage Survey Paths Near Abilene

The National Weather Service mapped the path of 2 tornadoes within 10 miles of Abilene in damage surveys (1 EF2, 1 EF1). On the map, those paths follow the survey, colored by the EF rating of each stretch, instead of a straight line from start to end.

DateRatingPeak windPath lengthMax widthDeaths / injuriesOn the groundSurveyed by
May 17, 2019EF1100 mph9.0 mi550 yd0 / 010:56–11:18 UTCNWS San Angelo
May 17, 2019EF2125 mph5.2 mi388 yd0 / 010:43–10:53 UTCNWS San Angelo

Source: NOAA National Weather Service Damage Assessment Toolkit (DAT): the tornado paths and EF-rating zones NWS survey teams mapped after each storm. Survey data are preliminary and can be revised; NOAA's official record is Storm Data (NCEI). Paths are simplified to about 30 m. Times are when the tornado was on the ground, in UTC.