Midland
Population 147,615 (2025)
82 tornadoes have tracked within 25 miles of Midland since 1950, 3 of them rated EF3 or F3 or stronger; the most recent was on May 30, 2024.
Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed
- Tornado damage paths within 25 miles since 195082
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger1
- Wildfire burn scars within 25 miles since 198421
At a glance
Tornado paths within 25 miles, tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles and wildfire perimeters within 25 miles of the city centre. Storm events, flood insurance claims and disaster declarations are for Midland County. Earthquakes within 50 miles, volcanoes within 100 miles and smoke days are measured from the city centre; river and tide gauges, tsunami and landslide records and the drought index are for Midland County.
Strongest tornado
EF3
May 20, 2019, 5.8 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
TS
Tropical storm (unnamed), 1942, 31.9 miles away
Tornadoes
About one tornado a year since 1950, 3 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
May 20, 2019
EF3, 5.8 mile path
225 yards wide.
Most recent
Thursday, May 30, 2024
EFU, 0.1 mile path
2 years ago.
Every recorded tornado
| May 30, 2024 | EFU | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 30, 2024 | EF2 | 10.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 20, 2019 | EF2 | 6.6 | 2 | 0 |
| May 20, 2019 | EF3 | 5.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 16, 2016 | EF0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 18, 2012 | EF2 | 1.0 | 3 | 0 |
| Sep 1, 2010 | EF0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 14, 2010 | EF0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 16, 2009 | EF1 | 7.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 11, 2009 | EF0 | 0.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 26, 2005 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 5, 2004 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 5, 2004 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 5, 2004 | F0 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 8, 2003 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 27, 2002 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 27, 2002 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 24, 2000 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 1, 1999 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 13, 1999 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 5, 1995 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 25, 1994 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 11, 1992 | F0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 27, 1991 | F0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 27, 1991 | F2 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 27, 1991 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 8, 1989 | F1 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 8, 1989 | F0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 8, 1989 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 2, 1989 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 10, 1989 | F0 | 7.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 10, 1989 | F0 | 18.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 6, 1989 | F1 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 4, 1989 | F0 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 4, 1989 | F1 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 4, 1989 | F1 | 8.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 3, 1989 | F0 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 11, 1989 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 16, 1988 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 27, 1987 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 27, 1987 | F0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 26, 1987 | F1 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 26, 1987 | F0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 15, 1986 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 18, 1986 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 2, 1986 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 24, 1986 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 1, 1985 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 25, 1985 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 24, 1985 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 30, 1983 | F0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 25, 1983 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 21, 1982 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 5, 1982 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 4, 1981 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 28, 1981 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 20, 1980 | F1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 20, 1979 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 17, 1979 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 19, 1979 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 26, 1977 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 19, 1977 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 19, 1977 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 26, 1976 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 28, 1976 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 28, 1975 | F0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 4, 1974 | F1 | 3.8 | 1 | 0 |
| May 12, 1973 | F2 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 29, 1972 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 3, 1969 | F2 | 14.9 | 0 | 0 |
| May 5, 1969 | F0 | 4.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 10, 1969 | F0 | 28.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 14, 1968 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 26, 1967 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 15, 1965 | F3 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 18, 1964 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 1, 1962 | F1 | 3.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 24, 1962 | F1 | 4.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 21, 1961 | F2 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 24, 1957 | F2 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 24, 1957 | F3 | 1.5 | 1 | 0 |
| Apr 22, 1957 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond this area.
- Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.
Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
1 passed within 50 miles since 1851; none at hurricane strength.
Strongest within 50 miles
August 31, 1942
Unnamed storm, Tropical storm
31.9 miles at closest approach, winds near 40 mph.
Most recent
August 31, 1942
Unnamed storm, Tropical storm
31.9 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
| Unnamed | 1942 | 31.9 | Tropical storm |
- Tropical storms and hurricanes (34 kt or more, still tropical) at closest approach. Post-tropical remnants with gale-force winds are listed but not counted. Direct: track within 50 miles; near: within 100 miles. Distance is measured to the county boundary for counties and to the city centre for cities, using positions interpolated hourly between HURDAT2 fixes.
National Hurricane Center HURDAT2, 1851 to 2025.
Wildfire and smoke
21 large fires burned within 25 miles since 1984.
Largest
February 27, 2011
Tom Fire, 64,840 acres
19.7 miles from the city centre.
Most recent
May 24, 2011
Ceed Fire
5,750 acres in total.
Every large fire
| Ceed Fire | 2011 | 3.5 | 5,750 |
| Derick Fire | 2011 | 13.1 | 27,796 |
| Hickman | 2011 | 5.1 | 14,850 |
| Turner | 2011 | 16.0 | 2,391 |
| Waymon | 2011 | 22.2 | 1,489 |
| Bates Field Fire | 2011 | 16.0 | 3,188 |
| Koch | 2011 | 21.9 | 1,246 |
| Tom | 2011 | 19.7 | 64,840 |
| Unnamed | 2008 | 18.3 | 2,347 |
| Dynamite | 2008 | 5.7 | 1,857 |
| Maybee Ranch | 2008 | 13.6 | 1,945 |
| Price | 2008 | 8.3 | 2,021 |
| Goldsmith | 2008 | 24.1 | 2,041 |
| Parker | 2008 | 23.4 | 6,848 |
| North | 2008 | 7.3 | 6,113 |
| Unnamed | 2008 | 22.2 | 2,738 |
| Unnamed | 2008 | 15.3 | 2,618 |
| Chevron | 2008 | 3.7 | 7,744 |
| Hwy 349 | 2006 | 10.6 | 2,270 |
| Unnamed | 1994 | 8.8 | 8,273 |
| Unnamed | 1994 | 24.6 | 1,799 |
- Large fires mapped by the Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity program since 1984: 1,000 acres or more in the West, 500 or more in the East. Prescribed burns are excluded. Acres here are the part of each perimeter inside this place.
Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (USGS and U.S. Forest Service), 1984 to 2026.
Smoke overhead
Smokiest year
2021: 23 days
Heavy smoke on 6 days in 2020, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
8.1 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
1 day
Medium or heavy smoke. 7 so far in 2026.
- A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.
NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Floods and flood insurance
145 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, with $1.6 million paid.
Flood insurance figures are for Midland County, the county that contains Midland.
Most claims in one year
2010: 23 claims
$485,000 paid.
2nd most
1993: 21 claims
$157,000 paid.
3rd most
2007: 17 claims
$177,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 79705 | 60 | $606,000 |
| 79701 | 43 | $503,000 |
| 79707 | 16 | $115,000 |
| 79706 | 9 | $82,000 |
| 79703 | 8 | $64,000 |
| 79765 | 6 | $205,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flash Flood211
- Heavy Rain6
- Flood3
1 death recorded in flood events since 1996.
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).
OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.
Drought
In severe drought or worse for 265 of 1,581 months since 1895 (17%); the longest spell lasted 58 months.
The drought index is for Midland County, the county that contains Midland.
265
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
110
Months in extreme drought
17%
Share of all months, severe or worse
16
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
August 2011
−6.05, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
58 months
December 2021 to September 2026.
Latest month
September 2026
−5.88, extreme drought
- The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.
NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.
Earthquakes
9 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles since 1900; the largest was magnitude 5.2 in 2022.
142
Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973
9
Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900
2
Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900
Largest within 50 miles
December 16, 2022
Range Hill, Texas; 11.6 miles away, 5.1 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
October 17, 2026
Magnitude 3.1
8 km NW of Stanton, Texas; 17.8 miles away.
Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles
| Feb 28, 2025 | 4.8 | 26.3 |
| Sep 16, 2024 | 5.1 | 26.9 |
| Apr 10, 2024 | 4.4 | 26.7 |
| Nov 23, 2023 | 4.2 | 27.1 |
| Nov 4, 2023 | 4.1 | 25.8 |
| Nov 4, 2023 | 4.1 | 25.9 |
| Dec 16, 2022 | 5.2 | 11.6 |
| Dec 27, 2021 | 4.6 | 26.8 |
| Dec 31, 2020 | 4.0 | 26.4 |
- Earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more in the USGS Comprehensive Catalog since 1900. Within 50 miles means the epicentre lies within 50 miles of the city centre.
- Small earthquakes were under-recorded before the modern seismic networks of the 1970s and are still missed in remote areas, so early decades read low. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them and mix scales (moment, local and body-wave).
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, 1900 to present, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Severe weather and other events
1,118 events in the National Weather Service record for Midland County, 842 of them since 1996.
335
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
55
Hail, 2 inches or larger
243
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
38
Winter weather events since 1996
1
Heat events since 1996
0
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
May 24, 2022
4.00 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
April 22, 2025
112 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 4 | 1 |
| Dust storms and dust devils | 5 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Apr 11, 2009Hail$161 million
National Weather Service narrative
Numerous roofs throughout Midland, TX were damaged during this event. A local newspaper clipping with a quote from a major roofing company estimated 40 to 50 percent of the homes in Midland needed to be re-roofed. The average cost to replace a shingled roof is anywhere from $8-$10K. This resulted in an estimated $160 million in roof damage. In addition to homes being damaged, multiple vehicles also received damage from the hail. According to local dent repair shops and car dealers across the area, an estimated 800 vehicles had to be repaired resulting in $1.2 million in damage. A Midland woman was also struck in the stomach by a hail stone, after it broke through her dining room…
- Apr 13, 1999Hail$8.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
This convection developed along the dryline near the Ector/Crane County Line and slowly evolved at first, but suddenly intensified as it approached the city of Midland. The storm's updraft passed south of Midland, so the city only received hail on the extreme south side of town. The storm then spun up rotation while south of the city and became a classic supercell.As the storm approached State Highway 349 damaging winds and hail combined with battering effects. A two mile wide area of wind-driven hail pounded residences and farm equipment for about a 5 mile stretch at least as far as State Highway 158. Hail grew up to about golfball size and winds peaked at approximately 80 mph.…
- Apr 13, 1999Thunderstorm Wind$3.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
This convection developed along the dryline near the Ector/Crane County Line and slowly evolved at first, but suddenly intensified as it approached the city of Midland. The storm's updraft passed south of Midland, so the city only received hail on the extreme south side of town. The storm then spun up rotation while south of the city and became a classic supercell.As the storm approached State Highway 349 damaging winds and hail combined with battering effects. A two mile wide area of wind-driven hail pounded residences and farm equipment for about a 5 mile stretch at least as far as State Highway 158. Hail grew up to about golfball size and winds peaked at approximately 80 mph.…
- Apr 9, 2011Wildfire, Midland$2.7 million
National Weather Service narrative
A fire, known as the Hickman Fire, started in Midland County and burned 16,500 acres. Thirty-four homes and 5 outbuildings were destroyed. Five hundred people were evacuated.
- Sep 28, 2012Flash Flood$1.5 million
National Weather Service narrative
Heavy rain developed and moved over Midland County and produced widespread flooding in the City of Midland. There were numerous reports of stalled vehicles and about 120 water rescues among Midland and Odessa. Some vehicles were reported to be fully submerged. The cost of damage for the flooding in Midland is estimated to be around one and a half million dollars which is a very rough estimate. There were no injuries reported.
- Jun 5, 2013Thunderstorm Wind$1.5 million
National Weather Service narrative
A thunderstorm moved over Midland County and produced wind damage at Midland International Airport. The winds damaged three new airport hangars by blowing off metal roof panels and unhinging hangar doors. The cost of damage is a very rough estimate.
- Jun 5, 2009Thunderstorm Wind$450,000
National Weather Service narrative
Damage was done to a 24 story building near downtown Midland, TX. Large wood panels, each weighing between 200 to 300 pounds 4'x4'x1', were torn off the outside of the structure near the 6th and 7th floors. This has required the building to be re-engineered, with the removal of an additional 150 panels from the structure. The time of this report was estimated.
- Jul 28, 2002Thunderstorm Wind$250,000
National Weather Service narrative
A survey of the damage area southeast of Midland indicated that a microburst caused this event. Based on damage patterns, it is evident that the impact point from the microburst was west of Farm to Market Road 1213, north of County Road 150, east of County Road 1160, and south of County Road 144. The worst of the damaged appeared to be south of County Road 144 and also along County Road 150. Estimated wind speeds of 80-100 mph occurred with the microburst.Three mobile homes in the Valley View area were destroyed, while other homes sustained roof and window damage. One horse was also killed by flying debris. A center pivot irrigation system was destroyed as it was blown out of a…
- May 20, 2019Tornado$250,000
National Weather Service narrative
A thunderstorm moved across Midland County and produced a tornado 21 miles southeast of the City of Midland. This tornado was first viewed from near the intersection of Farm to Market Road 1787 and State Highway 349, looking southeastward. Primary indications are that the tornado developed 21 miles southeast of the City of Midland, in open fields south of County Road 300 and east of State Highway 349. The tornado moved northeastward, snapping power poles along County Road 300, and produced significant damage along County Road 1160 and Farm to Market Road 1379. The snapped power poles, the damage to two RVs along County Road 1160, and the damage to manufactured trailers along FM…
- May 30, 2024Hail$250,000
National Weather Service narrative
Numerous reports of damage were received in the Legends Park Subdivision. Cars had broken windows and heavy dents. Solar panels were damaged. Roofs and windows of homes were also damaged. This was caused by a combination of large hail and damaging winds. Time is estimated from radar. Hail size is approximate, and property damage cost is estimated.
- Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.
Weather records
From Midland Odessa, 7.2 miles from the city centre, with records from 1930.
- All-time high
- 116°FJun 27, 1994
- All-time low
- −11°F2 times, most recently Feb 2, 1985
- Warmest night
- 85°FJul 14, 2020
- Coldest day
- 12°FFeb 1, 1985
- Wettest day
- 5.32 inAug 24, 1934
- Snowiest day
- 10.6 inJan 9, 2012
- Hottest year
- 2025mean 67.6°F
- Coldest year
- 1932mean 61.0°F
- Wettest year
- 198632.13 in
- Driest year
- 19514.60 in
- Snowiest season
- 19.5 in2011-12
Median first snow
December 18
Earliest: October 27, 2020
Median last snow
February 5
Latest: April 7, 1983
11 of 77 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Midland Odessa (USW00023023), 2,962 ft elevation, 7.2 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1930 to October 27, 2026; 100.0% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.
NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.
Federal disaster declarations
19 since 1953. The most recent: Severe Winter Storms, February 19, 2021.
Declarations for Midland County.
| Feb 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586-TX |
| Feb 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554-TX |
| Mar 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4485-TX |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3458-TX |
| Jul 1, 2011 | Fire | DR-1999-TX |
| May 24, 2011 | Fire | FM-2910-TX |
| Apr 9, 2011 | Fire | FM-2886-TX |
| Apr 3, 2011 | Fire | FM-2881-TX |
| Mar 20, 2009 | Fire | FM-2800-TX |
| May 1, 2008 | Fire | FM-2764-TX |
| Mar 14, 2008 | Fire | EM-3284-TX |
| Jan 11, 2006 | Fire | DR-1624-TX |
| Sep 24, 2005 | Hurricane | DR-1606-TX |
| Sep 21, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3261-TX |
| Sep 2, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3216-TX |
| Sep 1, 1999 | Fire | EM-3142-TX |
| Aug 26, 1998 | Severe Storm | DR-1239-TX |
| Sep 10, 1993 | Drought | EM-3113-TX |
| Sep 9, 1992 | Severe Storm | DR-960-TX |
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).
OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.
Sources and vintage
Every number on this page comes from these public records.
- Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
- Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
- Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
- Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
- Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
- Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USW00023023.
- River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
- Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.
Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.