Austin, TX Tornado History — 120 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Austin, TX had?
Austin has had 120 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 6 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Austin?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Austin was an EF1 on April 28, 2024.
When is tornado season in Austin?
May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Austin, with 32 on record. Spring through early summer (April–June) generally sees the highest activity across most of the central and southern United States.
At a Glance
Recent Tornado Activity Near Austin
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 21 total, averaging 1.1 per year over this window.
Tornadoes by Decade
Tornadoes by Enhanced Fujita Rating
F0–F5 ratings (pre-2007) are grouped with their EF equivalents. The Enhanced Fujita scale replaced the original Fujita scale in February 2007.
Tornadoes by Month
Casualties on Record Near Austin
3 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Austin since 1950, across 3 events. 78 injuries have been reported across all events. 1997 was the deadliest year on record.
The deadliest single event was a F4 on May 27, 1997, which caused 1 fatality along a 5.6-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Austin
About Tornadoes in Austin
This overview was written August 10, 2026. The tornado counts and notable-event figures elsewhere on this page reflect the latest data and may differ from this summary.
May 27, 1997 stands apart in Austin's tornado history: that afternoon an F4 carved a 5.6-mile path through the area, killing 1 person and injuring 5, while a companion F3 injured 15 along a 9.2-mile track. Days like that follow a seasonal rhythm central Texas residents learn early. Each spring, humid Gulf air rides north over the Balcones Escarpment while the dryline sharpens out west, and when a vigorous upper-level trough swings across the state, the ingredients for rotating thunderstorms line up over the Hill Country. Tornado weather around Austin concentrates in the spring months, fades under the capping heat of high summer, and can flare again when late-autumn or winter systems dig south with the jet stream.
The longer history, drawn from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center's severe weather database, bears out that rhythm. An F3 on April 30, 1954 tracked 139.9 miles and injured 6 people, and another spring F3 struck on April 7, 1980, killing 1 and injuring 5. The cool season contributes as well: on December 10, 1985, an F1 that injured 1 person and an F2 that injured 2 crossed the area on the same day. Events spanning the 1950s to the 2020s appear in the list elsewhere on this page.