NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit West, TX
Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.
Data: NOAA NHC HURDAT2 and NOAA SPC tornado and hail reports, through 2025 · Updated
9 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of West, Texas since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Alicia in 1983. Since 1950, 113 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 12 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 9
- Tornadoes
- 113
- EF3 or stronger
- 12
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
129 deaths in all
What the records show for West
None of the 9 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed West; the strongest was an unnamed storm in 1900, a tropical storm with 64 mph winds when its centre passed 15 miles away. The record near West begins with an unnamed storm in 1871; the most recent system was Alicia in 1983, a tropical storm 30 miles away. The 1900s and the 1940s were the busiest decades, with 2 systems each. None of the 9 systems has come since 2000. Of the 753 Texas cities on this site, 51% have more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than West. The highest rating among the 113 tornadoes within 25 miles is F5, reached 2 times; the most recent, on May 6, 1973, came within 16 miles. The deadliest, an F5 on May 11, 1953, killed 114 people. Of the 113, 8 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 36 have come since 2000. May has had the most tornadoes, 30. The most recent tornado was on June 11, 2025. West has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 56% of the 753 Texas cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 66 times since 1955, with stones up to 4.5 inches (grapefruit size). Of the 753 Texas cities, 57% have more hail reports within 10 miles than West.
Compare West's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near West
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | AliciaAug 19 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1961 | CarlaSep 12 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormAug 29 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1943 | Unnamed 1943 stormJul 29 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 18 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 27 | overhead | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1900 | Unnamed 1900 stormSep 9 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1897 | Unnamed 1897 stormSep 13 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormJun 5 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in West: a hurricane's worst winds sit within a few dozen miles of its centre, and inland cities are usually past that.
Tornadoes within 25 miles of West
By decade
- 2020s14
- 2010s12
- 2000s10(1 EF3+)
- 1990s18
- 1980s13(1 EF3+)
- 1970s27(5 EF3+)
- 1960s10(2 EF3+)
- 1950s9(3 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 11, 1953 | F5 | 9 mi | 20.9 mi | 114 / 597 |
| May 6, 1973 | F5 | 16 mi | 10.6 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 10, 1973 | F4 | 16 mi | 23.3 mi | 6 / 77 |
| Mar 31, 1959 | F4 | 9 mi | 10.4 mi | 6 / 31 |
| May 12, 2000 | F3 | 19 mi | 7 mi | 2 / 0 |
| May 23, 1971 | F3 | 14 mi | 7.1 mi | 1 / 49 |
| May 9, 1981 | F3 | 13 mi | 5.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 11, 1978 | F3 | 13 mi | 7.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 25, 1976 | F3 | 15 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 14, 1969 | F3 | 15 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 16, 1965 | F3 | 18 mi | 11.1 mi | 0 / 1 |
| May 22, 1957 | F3 | 10 mi | 4.1 mi | 0 / 4 |
The strongest 12 of 113, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in West
The Storm Prediction Center has 66 hail reports within 10 miles of West since 1955, made on 44 separate days. Of these, 47 were 1 inch across or larger, and 6 reached 2 inches. The largest, 4.5 inches (grapefruit size), fell on June 7, 1989. The most recent report is from November 24, 2025. April has the most reports, 26.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in West
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Waco Regional Airport, TX, 14 miles southwest of West at 500 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 97°F and low of 74°F; January is the coolest, at 59°F and 36°F. May and October are the wettest at 4.4 inches of precipitation on average and July the driest at 1.8 inches; the year adds up to 36.5 inches over 49 days with at least a tenth of an inch. Highs reach 90°F on about 115 days a year, almost all from April to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 34 nights a year. Snowfall averages 0.7 inches a year, most of it in February. That 36.5 inches is more than at 173 of the 312 Texas stations used on this site (55%). Axtell, 11 miles southeast, has its own station (Waco Dam, TX): 37.6 inches a year, 1.1 more than here, and a July average high of 95°F against 97°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59 | 36 | 2.6 | 4 | 0.0 |
| Feb | 63 | 40 | 2.7 | 4 | 0.4 |
| Mar | 70 | 47 | 3.3 | 5 | 0.1 |
| Apr | 78 | 55 | 3.3 | 4 | 0.1 |
| May | 85 | 63 | 4.4 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 93 | 71 | 3.4 | 4 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 97 | 74 | 1.8 | 3 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 97 | 74 | 2.1 | 3 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 91 | 67 | 2.9 | 4 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 81 | 56 | 4.4 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 69 | 46 | 2.7 | 4 | 0.1 |
| Dec | 60 | 38 | 2.9 | 4 | 0.0 |
| Year | 79 | 56 | 36.5 | 49 | 0.7 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Waco Regional Airport, TX (500 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals. Normals describe the station; the farther a place is from it, and the bigger the difference in height, the more its weather can differ.
Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near West
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 37 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of West: 25 thunderstorm wind reports, 9 flash floods, 1 flood, 1 heavy rain event and 1 lightning strike. They killed 0 people and injured 5, and the NWS estimated $1.0 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 75 mph, on October 1, 2009. June has had the most flash floods, 5 of 9. Of the 745 Texas cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 176 have had fewer than West.
August 18, 2012: heavy rain event 3 miles from the centre of West — 5 injured, $65,000 damage.
NWS: “Scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms throughout the day produced rain-slicked roads across the area. According to the Texas Department of Public Service in McLennan County, 13 minor accidents were reported along I-35 in the county.”
June 10, 2010: flash flood 6 miles from the centre of West — $400,000 damage.
NWS: “Numerous reports of flash flooding were reported in the southeastern portions of the county. A vehicle was overtaken with water on Farm-to-Market Road 308 near the town of Bynum.”
October 12, 2001: thunderstorm wind 6 miles from the centre of West — $150,000 damage.
NWS: “At least 60 homes were damaged by thunderstorm winds. Trees and powerlines were also blown down.”
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, events whose starting point is on record, 1996 to June 30, 2026. Damage is the NWS estimate in the dollars of the year, not insured losses, and NWS notes that some reports are unverified.
Flood insurance claims, disaster declarations and FEMA risk ratings
McLennan County, which includes West, has been named in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1973, 13 of them major disasters (by incident: 6 severe storms, 5 hurricanes, 4 fires, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Winter Storms, on February 19, 2021. FEMA's National Risk Index gives McLennan County a Relatively Moderate rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Very High for lightning; Relatively High for tornadoes; Relatively Moderate for hail, inland flooding, strong wind and heat waves; Relatively Low for hurricanes. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $84.5 million a year, the 23rd highest of 254 Texas counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $29.3 million (35%), is from inland flooding.
Claims: FEMA, OpenFEMA Dataset FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims – v3, summed over ZIP codes; payments in the dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. Declarations: Disaster Declarations Summaries – v2, by county. Retrieved October 25, 2026. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
Risk ratings: FEMA, National Risk Index county table, December 2025 (v1.20), retrieved October 26, 2026; ratings compare counties nationwide, are meant for planning and are no substitute for a local risk assessment. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
West in the notable storm records: The May 11, 1953 F5 Tornado in Texas, near Waco
What counts as a pass, the distances and the sources: how this storm history is built.
Cities near West
- Elm Mott, TX7 mi
- Axtell, TX11 mi
- China Spring, TX16 mi
- Waco, TX16 mi
- Hillsboro, TX16 mi
- Hubbard, TX16 mi
- Robinson, TX19 mi
- Whitney, TX21 mi
- Mart, TX22 mi
- Dawson, TX23 mi
- Riesel, TX23 mi
- Hewitt, TX24 mi
All Texas cities →All hurricanes since 1851 →Compare West with another place →