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Plano, TX Tornado History — 168 Tornadoes Since 1950

Texas · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Plano, TX had?

Plano has had 168 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 13 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Plano?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Plano was an Unrated on August 28, 2025.

When is tornado season in Plano?

April is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Plano, with 38 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
168
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
13
7.7% of total
Peak Month
April
38 on record
Per Year Avg
2.2
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Plano

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 59 total, averaging 3.0 per year over this window.

2026 0
2025 4
2024 3
2023 2
2022 5
2021 3
2020 1
2019 8
2018 0
2017 1
2016 2
2015 7
2014 2
2013 0
2012 7
2011 3
2010 2
2009 3
2008 1
2007 5

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 13
1960s 19
1970s 32
1980s 14
1990s 21
2000s 19
2010s 32
2020s 18

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 69
EF1 59
EF2 26
EF3 11
EF4 2
Unrated 1

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 2
Feb 1
Mar 25
Apr 38
May 34
Jun 7
Jul 9
Aug 5
Sep 11
Oct 19
Nov 3
Dec 14

Casualties on Record Near Plano

26 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Plano since 1950, across 5 events. 1,084 injuries have been reported across all events. 2015 was the deadliest year on record.

The deadliest single event was an EF4 on December 26, 2015, which caused 10 fatalities along a 13.0-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near Plano

Deadliest Tornado
EF4 on December 26, 2015 — 10 fatalities, 13.0 mi path, 550 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
EF3 on October 20, 2019 — $1.6B in reported property damage.
Widest Tornado
F1 on December 14, 1971 — 1,760 yards wide.
Longest Path
F3 on October 12, 1969 — 45.9 mile track.
Most Recent
Unrated on August 28, 2025.

About Tornadoes in Plano

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.

North central Texas sits where humid Gulf air streaming up the Blackland Prairie collides with drier air surging east off the high plains, and Plano's tornado history reads like a chronicle of those collisions. An F3 tore a 17.2-mile path through the area on April 2, 1957, killing 10 people and injuring 200. Long-track F3s followed on October 4, 1959 and October 12, 1969, the latter traveling 45.9 miles. On April 26, 1994, an F4 roughly 800 yards wide killed 3 people and injured 48. The modern era brought EF3 and EF2 tornadoes on April 3, 2012, an EF4 on December 27, 2015 that killed 10 and injured 468, and an EF3 up to 1,300 yards wide on October 21, 2019 that caused about 1.55 billion dollars in damage. An EF2 crossed the area again on December 13, 2022.

The pattern preserved in the NOAA Storm Prediction Center database reflects durable spring dynamics: a vigorous jet stream overhead, a sharpening dryline to the west, and deep Gulf moisture pooling across Collin County give April and May storms here ready rotation. Yet the outbreaks of December 2015 and October 2019 show that cool-season storm systems, driven by potent upper-level troughs, can strike with comparable intensity. The event list elsewhere on this page traces that full span.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Plano, TX had?
Since 1950, 168 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Plano. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Plano?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Plano was an EF4 on December 26, 2015, which caused 10 fatalities.
When is tornado season in Plano?
April is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Plano, with 38 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.
Has Plano been hit by an EF4 or EF5 tornado?
Within 25 miles of Plano, there have been 0 EF5 and 2 EF4 tornadoes recorded since 1950. EF4 and EF5 tornadoes are the most destructive ratings on the Enhanced Fujita scale, with winds above 166 mph.
When was the most recent tornado near Plano?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Plano was an Unrated on August 28, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Plano?
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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