Lubbock, TX Tornado History — 179 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Lubbock, TX had?
Lubbock has had 179 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 6 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Lubbock?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Lubbock was an EF2 on June 5, 2025.
When is tornado season in Lubbock?
May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Lubbock, with 57 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 Lubbock
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 40 total, averaging 2.0 per year over this window.
Preliminary tornado reports near Lubbock since December 29, 2025
These are 4 preliminary reports, not confirmed tornadoes. They have not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and are 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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.
Within 25 miles of Lubbock. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.
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 Lubbock
26 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Lubbock since 1950, across 1 event. 513 injuries have been reported across all events. 1970 was the deadliest year on record.
The deadliest single event was a F5 on May 11, 1970, which caused 26 fatalities along a 8.4-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Lubbock
About Tornadoes in Lubbock
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.
The scar cut across the heart of Lubbock on May 11, 1970 came from an F5 tornado that killed 26 people, injured some 500, and left a damage swath roughly 1,333 yards wide along an 8.4-mile path — a disaster that pushed engineers at Texas Tech University to pioneer modern wind-damage research. Geography helps explain what happened: Lubbock sits high on the Llano Estacado of the Texas South Plains, where the dryline sharpens on spring afternoons, moist Gulf air pools to its east, and jet-stream disturbances sweeping off the Rockies find terrain flat enough to give storms an unobstructed run.
The area's tornado history spans generations. On April 22, 1957, an F4 tracked about 15.5 miles near the city, injuring 6 people and causing roughly 2.75 million dollars in damage. Weeks later, on May 24, 1957, an F3 carved a 37.3-mile path across the South Plains. On June 6, 1989, another F3 plowed 30 miles with a funnel near 900 yards across. F3 tornadoes struck again in 2005, on May 13 and on June 9. On June 6, 2025, an EF1 traced a 2.58-mile track at the city's edge.
Grandparents, parents, and children here each carry their own storm memories, a reflection of a stable seasonal rhythm: the dryline is liveliest in late spring, when Gulf moisture surges onto the Caprock and clashing air masses breed supercells. The event listings elsewhere on this page draw on the NOAA Storm Prediction Center's database for the area and refresh as new surveys arrive.