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Donna, TX Tornado History — 63 Tornadoes Since 1950

Texas · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Donna, TX had?

Donna has had 63 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 2 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Donna?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Donna was an EF0 on March 27, 2025.

When is tornado season in Donna?

September is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Donna, with 22 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

Tornadoes Since 1950
63
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
2
3.2% of total
Peak Month
September
22 on record
Per Year Avg
0.8
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Donna

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 10 total, averaging 0.5 per year over this window.

2026 0+1 prelim
2025 1
2024 2
2023 1
2022 0
2021 0
2020 0
2019 0
2018 0
2017 0
2016 0
2015 0
2014 0
2013 0
2012 1
2011 1
2010 0
2009 0
2008 1
2007 3

Striped bars mark preliminary reports not yet confirmed by NWS survey — excluded from the confirmed counts.

Preliminary tornado reports near Donna since December 29, 2025

These is a preliminary report, not confirmed tornadoes. It has not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and is not counted in the confirmed totals above.

Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete. Ratings are omitted until a survey assigns one.

Confirmed records above are complete through December 29, 2025. NOAA publishes the confirmed archive annually, so tornadoes after that date appear here first and move into the totals above once finalized.

Preliminary March 8, 2026
Lyford, Willacy County, TX

Within 25 miles of Donna. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 4
1960s 7
1970s 5
1980s 13
1990s 7
2000s 21
2010s 2
2020s 4

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.

EF0 40
EF1 16
EF2 2
EF3 2
Unrated 3

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 0
Feb 1
Mar 2
Apr 5
May 8
Jun 5
Jul 7
Aug 9
Sep 22
Oct 2
Nov 1
Dec 1

Have any tornadoes near Donna been fatal?

No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Donna from any of the 63 tornadoes since 1950, though 24 injuries have been reported. NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.

Notable Tornadoes Near Donna

Costliest Tornado
F1 on September 16, 1988 — est. ~$2.8M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
F3 on March 15, 1983 — 900 yards wide.
Longest Path
F2 on April 26, 1967 — 40.2 mile track.
Most Recent
EF0 on March 27, 2025.

About Tornadoes in Donna

This overview was written July 27, 2026. The tornado counts and notable-event figures elsewhere on this page reflect the latest data and may differ from this summary.

The Donna, Texas area sits within a part of the country where tornadoes are a recurring part of the climate rather than a rare anomaly. The tornado history summarized on this page is drawn from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center's severe weather database, which covers the area within the search radius shown above. The counts, ratings and individual events listed on this page are generated directly from that database and update as it is revised, so they always reflect the current record rather than a snapshot frozen at the time this summary was written.

Activity in this area concentrates most heavily in the autumn months, as the jet stream returns south and frontal systems sharpen again. The underlying setup is a familiar one: Gulf moisture, dry air spilling off the higher terrain to the west, and a strong upper-level jet converge over the Plains. The resulting supercells are often discrete and visible for long distances, though that visibility should never be relied on as a substitute for a warning.

Tornado intensity is described using the Enhanced Fujita scale, which runs from EF0 for the weakest tornadoes to EF5 for the most extreme, and which rates a tornado by the damage it leaves behind rather than by wind speed measured directly. Most tornadoes in the area have been at the weaker end of the scale, though the record includes strong tornadoes capable of significant structural damage. A weak rating is a statement about observed damage, not a guarantee about the next storm.

One caveat is worth carrying into any look at the numbers above: the modern record begins in 1950, and reported tornado counts have risen over the decades in large part because detection and reporting have improved. Doppler radar, storm spotter networks, mobile phones and denser development all mean that tornadoes which would once have gone unrecorded are now documented. A rising count does not by itself prove that more tornadoes are forming. The practical takeaway for Donna residents is unchanged: know where your safe room is, keep a way to receive warnings that will wake you at night, and treat every warning as though it applies to you, because the record here shows that it can.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Donna, TX had?
Since 1950, 63 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Donna. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
When is tornado season in Donna?
September is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Donna, with 22 tornadoes on record. Tornadoes can occur any time of year, but spring months (April–June) generally see the highest activity across most of the central and southern United States.
When was the most recent tornado near Donna?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Donna was an EF0 on March 27, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Donna?
Vortex delivers real-time tornado warnings, severe thunderstorm alerts, and SPC outlook updates for any US location via push notification and phone call. Alerts are sourced directly from the National Weather Service and updated within seconds of issuance.

Official Resources

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