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Midland, TX Tornado History — 80 Tornadoes Since 1950

Texas · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Midland, TX had?

Midland has had 80 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 3 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Midland?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Midland was an EF2 on May 30, 2024.

When is tornado season in Midland?

May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Midland, with 31 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
80
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
3
3.8% of total
Peak Month
May
31 on record
Per Year Avg
1.1
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Midland

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 12 total, averaging 0.6 per year over this window.

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

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 2
1960s 9
1970s 11
1980s 30
1990s 8
2000s 10
2010s 6
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 50
EF1 17
EF2 9
EF3 3
Unrated 1

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 0
Feb 0
Mar 3
Apr 8
May 31
Jun 17
Jul 3
Aug 6
Sep 8
Oct 4
Nov 0
Dec 0

Have any tornadoes near Midland been fatal?

No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Midland from any of the 80 tornadoes since 1950, though 6 injuries have been reported. NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.

Notable Tornadoes Near Midland

Costliest Tornado
EF2 on March 18, 2012 — $1.0M in reported property damage.
Widest Tornado
EF2 on May 30, 2024 — 1,700 yards wide.
Longest Path
F0 on April 10, 1969 — 28.0 mile track.
Most Recent
EF2 on May 30, 2024.

About Tornadoes in Midland

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.

Tornado weather around Midland, Texas comes in bursts: whole springs can pass quietly over the Permian Basin, then a sharply unstable afternoon delivers a flurry of warnings before sunset. Geography sets that rhythm. The city sits on flat, elevated plains where bone-dry air off the Chihuahuan Desert and the Mexican Plateau collides with Gulf moisture streaming west across Texas. That boundary, the dryline, often stalls near the Midland-Odessa corridor, and when strong jet-stream winds ride overhead, rotating storms can erupt along it in less than an hour.

Records from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center show what those afternoons can do. An F3 tornado tore through the area on May 16, 1965. Decades later, an EF2 moved across town on March 19, 2012, injuring three people, and an EF3 carved a track of nearly six miles on May 20, 2019. May 30, 2024 brought tornadoes in close succession: an EF2 that stayed on the ground for roughly ten miles and a separate EF3 nearby.

Late spring is the season to watch here, when Gulf moisture reaches farthest west and dryline days stack up; by midsummer that moisture usually retreats and the quiet stretches return. For the current picture, the event list, ratings breakdown and maps elsewhere on this page draw on live data and refresh as new storm surveys arrive.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Midland, TX had?
Since 1950, 80 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Midland. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
When is tornado season in Midland?
May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Midland, with 31 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 Midland?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Midland was an EF2 on May 30, 2024.
How do I get tornado warnings for Midland?
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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