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The Colony, TX Tornado History — 164 Tornadoes Since 1950

Texas · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has The Colony, TX had?

The Colony has had 164 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 13 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near The Colony?

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

When is tornado season in The Colony?

April is historically the peak month for tornadoes near The Colony, 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
164
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
13
7.9% of total
Peak Month
April
38 on record
Per Year Avg
2.2
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near The Colony

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 61 total, averaging 3.0 per year over this window.

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

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 13
1960s 23
1970s 25
1980s 13
1990s 16
2000s 23
2010s 31
2020s 20

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 64
EF1 59
EF2 27
EF3 12
EF4 1
Unrated 1

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 2
Feb 1
Mar 25
Apr 38
May 35
Jun 11
Jul 7
Aug 4
Sep 11
Oct 16
Nov 4
Dec 10

Casualties on Record Near The Colony

28 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of The Colony since 1950, across 4 events. 969 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 The Colony

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
EF3 on May 25, 2024 — 47.3 mile track.
Most Recent
Unrated on August 28, 2025.

About Tornadoes in The Colony

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 The Colony, 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 spring, when the contrast between retreating winter air and advancing warmth is sharpest. 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, but the record also includes violent tornadoes at the top of it. That matters more than the raw frequency does: a single violent tornado can cause more damage and loss than decades of weaker events combined. Tornadoes in this area have caused loss of life; the casualty figures and the specific events behind them are listed above, straight from the record.

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 The Colony 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 The Colony, TX had?
Since 1950, 164 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of The Colony. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near The Colony?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of The Colony was an EF4 on December 26, 2015, which caused 10 fatalities.
When is tornado season in The Colony?
April is historically the peak month for tornadoes near The Colony, 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 The Colony been hit by an EF4 or EF5 tornado?
Within 25 miles of The Colony, there has been 0 EF5 and 1 EF4 tornado 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 The Colony?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of The Colony was an Unrated on August 28, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for The Colony?
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.

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