National Storms

Temple, TX tornado history

36 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of the center of Temple, TX from 1950 through 2025, according to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center, ranking 106th 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 May 23, 2024 (EFU, 0.0-mile path); the strongest, on May 27, 1997, was rated F3. The deadliest, on May 26, 1976, killed 2 along its path.

36tornadoes since 1950
42016–2025
F3/EF3strongest rating
3deaths
41injuries
May 23, 2024most 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: 41960s: 61970s: 61980s: 61990s: 62000s: 42010s: 02020s: 41950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020smax 6
Tornadoes within 10 miles of the center of Temple, 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 Temple, TX

DateRatingPath lengthDeaths / injuriesStarted inClosest to center
May 23, 2024EFU0.0 mi0 / 0Bell County, TX1.5 mi
May 22, 2024EF12.2 mi0 / 0Bell County, TX6.5 mi
May 22, 2024EF22.8 mi0 / 30Bell County, TX0.9 mi
May 16, 2021EF01.9 mi0 / 0Bell County, TX7.5 mi
Apr 25, 2008EF01.4 mi0 / 0Bell County, TX5.2 mi
Apr 9, 2008EF06.4 mi0 / 0Bell County, TX1.0 mi
Jan 12, 2007FU1.5 mi0 / 0Bell County, TX7.3 mi
Mar 10, 2000F00.1 mi0 / 0Bell County, TX8.0 mi
Sep 22, 1997F01.0 mi0 / 0Bell County, TX5.4 mi
May 27, 1997F31.4 mi0 / 0Bell County, TX6.6 mi
May 27, 1997F00.2 mi0 / 0Bell County, TX8.6 mi
Mar 1, 1997F12.5 mi0 / 0Bell County, TX3.3 mi
May 26, 1994F00.1 mi0 / 0Bell County, TX7.7 mi
Mar 14, 1990F39.0 mi0 / 0Bell County, TX0.8 mi
Jan 25, 1989F10.5 mi0 / 3Bell County, TX8.4 mi
Oct 1, 1988F11.0 mi0 / 0Bell County, TX8.3 mi
Nov 15, 1987F13.0 mi0 / 0Bell County, TX8.5 mi
Aug 3, 1986F00.1 mi0 / 0Bell County, TX2.3 mi
May 13, 1985F00.5 mi0 / 0Bell County, TX5.1 mi
May 9, 1981F11.0 mi0 / 0Bell County, TX1.5 mi
May 26, 1976F32.0 mi2 / 7Bell County, TX8.6 mi
May 26, 1976F20.1 mi0 / 0Bell County, TX9.3 mi
May 20, 1975F00.1 mi0 / 0Bell County, TX2.5 mi
May 23, 1973F23.3 mi0 / 0Bell County, TX3.5 mi
May 1, 1972F10.1 mi0 / 0Bell County, TX3.5 mi
Aug 26, 1971F10.1 mi0 / 0Bell County, TX6.1 mi
Aug 14, 1969F20.2 mi0 / 0Bell County, TX5.5 mi
Aug 14, 1969F20.1 mi0 / 0Bell County, TX5.5 mi
Sep 22, 1967F00.1 mi0 / 0Bell County, TX1.1 mi
Apr 12, 1967F00.5 mi0 / 0Bell County, TX4.4 mi
Apr 12, 1967F25.4 mi0 / 0Bell County, TX0.5 mi
Aug 9, 1965F20.5 mi0 / 0Bell County, TX1.9 mi
Aug 3, 1958F11.0 mi0 / 0Bell County, TX9.3 mi
Mar 21, 1956F00.1 mi0 / 0Bell County, TX9.9 mi
May 6, 1955F210.1 mi1 / 1Bell County, TX2.3 mi
Mar 21, 1955F23.6 mi0 / 0Bell County, TX5.7 mi

More: Bell County tornadoes · Texas tornado history · Temple 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 Temple

The National Weather Service mapped the path of 3 tornadoes within 10 miles of Temple in damage surveys (1 EF2, 1 EF1, 1 EF0). 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 22, 2024EF1110 mph3.5 mi100 yd0 / 023:33–23:37 UTCNWS Fort Worth
May 22, 2024EF2120 mph2.8 mi300 yd0 / 3023:21–23:26 UTCNWS Fort Worth
May 16, 2021EF075 mph1.9 mi–0 / 016:14–16:16 UTCNWS Fort Worth

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.