Palestine, TX Tornado History — 62 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Palestine, TX had?
Palestine has had 62 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 8 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Palestine?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Palestine was an EF0 on May 6, 2025.
When is tornado season in Palestine?
April is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Palestine, with 15 on record. April through June account for 34 of the 62 tornadoes on record near Palestine.
At a Glance
Recent Tornado Activity Near Palestine
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 7 total, averaging 0.3 per year over this window.
What storm spotters reported near Palestine
One local storm report has been filed within 25 miles of Palestine and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on May 6, 2025 and the most recent on May 6, 2025. It is already counted in the Palestine totals above; quoted below is the narrative the reporting office filed at the time.
*** 1 INJ *** An EF-0 tornado started west of the town of Frankston... close to Hwy 175 and Anderson CR 303. Initially the tornado damaged trees at a few homes along Hw (FWD)
Source: National Weather Service and trained-spotter local storm reports, relayed by the NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
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 Palestine
6 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Palestine since 1950, across 3 events. 181 injuries have been reported across all events. 1987 was the deadliest year on record near Palestine.
The deadliest single event was an F3 on November 15, 1987, which caused 4 fatalities along a 33.0-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Palestine
What the record shows near Palestine
The 1990s were the busiest decade near Palestine, with 15 of the 62 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 2 so far. The Palestine record runs from the 1950s to today.
Of the tornadoes rated near Palestine, 44 reached EF0 or EF1 and 18 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Palestine is rated EF3, of which 8 are logged.
Across the last 20 years Palestine has averaged 0.3 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 7 in total. 2010 was the busiest of them with 3, and 15 of those years passed with none at all.