SPC Tornado Database · NWS Storm Events
The May 11, 1953 F5 Tornado in Texas, near Waco
The Waco tornado in the federal records: its 21-mile path, the toll, the 5 tornadoes of that day and the cities nearby.
Data: NOAA NHC HURDAT2 and NOAA SPC tornado and hail reports, through 2025 · Updated
On May 11, 1953 an F5 tornado in Texas killed 114 people and injured 597, the 3rd deadliest of the 73,458 tornadoes in the SPC record since 1950. Its path was 20.9 miles long and up to 583 yards wide. It came within 1 miles of Waco, TX, and within 25 miles of 22 cities on this site. It was one of 5 tornadoes recorded that day in 2 states, 2 of them EF3 or stronger, which together killed 127.
- Rating
- F5
- Killed / injured
- 114 / 597
- Path
- 21 mi
- Tornadoes that day
- 5
583 yd wide
127 deaths in all
Cities within 25 miles of the path
| City | Distance from the path |
|---|---|
| Waco, TX | 1 mi |
| Axtell, TX | 2 mi |
| Robinson, TX | 3 mi |
| Elm Mott, TX | 5 mi |
| Hewitt, TX | 7 mi |
| Hubbard, TX | 8 mi |
| West, TX | 9 mi |
| Lorena, TX | 11 mi |
| Mart, TX | 13 mi |
| Riesel, TX | 13 mi |
| China Spring, TX | 13 mi |
| Dawson, TX | 14 mi |
The nearest 12 of 22. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (path from start to end point).
More notable storms
- The May 22, 2011 EF5 Tornado in Missouri, near Joplin
- The June 8, 1953 F5 Tornado in Michigan, near Flushing
- The June 9, 1953 F4 Tornado in Massachusetts, near Framingham
- The May 25, 1955 F5 Tornado in Oklahoma, near Arkansas City, KS
- The April 27, 2011 EF5 Tornado in Alabama, near Madison
- The December 10, 2021 EF4 Tornado in Tennessee, near Mayfield, KY
- The May 20, 2013 EF5 Tornado in Oklahoma, near Moore
Why these storms and how each figure is counted: methodology.