Deaf Smith County Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes
Hot Texas Rankings
The chance of earthquake damage in Deaf Smith County is about the same as Texas average and is much lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in Deaf Smith County is lower than Texas average and is higher than the national average.
Earthquake Index, #74
| Deaf Smith County | 0.02 |
| Texas | 0.04 |
| U.S. | 1.81 |
The earthquake index value is calculated based on historical earthquake events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the earthquake level in a region. A higher earthquake index value means a higher chance of an earthquake.
Volcano Index, #1
| Deaf Smith County | 0.0000 |
| Texas | 0.0000 |
| U.S. | 0.0023 |
The volcano index value is calculated based on the currently known volcanoes using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the possibility of a region being affected by a possible volcano eruption. A higher volcano index value means a higher chance of being affected.
Tornado Index, #97
| Deaf Smith County | 177.12 |
| Texas | 208.58 |
| U.S. | 136.45 |
The tornado index value is calculated based on historical tornado events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the tornado level in a region. A higher tornado index value means a higher chance of tornado events.
Other Weather Extremes Events
A total of 8,896 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of Deaf Smith County were recorded from 1950 to 2010. The following is a break down of these events:
| Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count |
| Avalanche: | 0 | Blizzard: | 3 | Cold: | 1 | Dense Fog: | 0 | Drought: | 43 |
| Dust Storm: | 0 | Flood: | 359 | Hail: | 6,152 | Heat: | 7 | Heavy Snow: | 37 |
| High Surf: | 0 | Hurricane: | 0 | Ice Storm: | 4 | Landslide: | 0 | Strong Wind: | 78 |
| Thunderstorm Winds: | 2,042 | Tropical Storm: | 0 | Wildfire: | 13 | Winter Storm: | 18 | Winter Weather: | 1 |
| Other: | 138 | ||||||||
Volcanos Nearby
No volcano is found in or near Deaf Smith County.
Historical Earthquake Events
No historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in or near Deaf Smith County.
No historical earthquake events found in or near Deaf Smith County.
Historical Tornado Events
A total of 44 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Deaf Smith County.
| Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Start Lat/Log | End Lat/Log | Length | Width | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage | Crop Damage | Affected County |
| 6.8 | 1996-05-25 | 2 | 35°03'N / 102°40'W | 35°01'N / 102°38'W | 3.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 150K | 0 | Deaf Smith |
| Brief Description: This tornado blew the roof and some exterior walls of a brick veneer home down and destroyed the adjacent barn. Two other homes were seriously damaged. Two farm hands rode out the storm in the brick veneer home without injuries. The track is an estimate. | |||||||||||
| 12.1 | 1957-05-24 | 2 | 34°26'N / 102°53'W | 35°11'N / 102°03'W | 70.10 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Parmer |
| 14.1 | 1967-06-01 | 2 | 34°56'N / 102°24'W | 34°56'N / 102°19'W | 4.70 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Deaf Smith |
| 17.4 | 1971-04-19 | 3 | 34°49'N / 102°22'W | 34°52'N / 102°17'W | 6.10 Miles | 133 Yards | 0 | 24 | 0K | 0 | Deaf Smith |
| 22.1 | 1960-04-12 | 2 | 34°38'N / 102°43'W | 1.00 Mile | 67 Yards | 0 | 3 | 3K | 0 | Parmer | |
| 22.1 | 1960-10-11 | 3 | 34°38'N / 102°43'W | 1.00 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 1 | 250K | 0 | Parmer | |
| 28.4 | 1966-05-28 | 2 | 34°34'N / 102°24'W | 1.50 Miles | 67 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Castro | |
| 28.8 | 1967-03-19 | 2 | 34°32'N / 102°43'W | 0.60 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Parmer | |
| 30.1 | 1964-06-11 | 2 | 35°11'N / 103°03'W | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Quay | |||
| 33.5 | 1982-05-09 | 3 | 35°09'N / 102°05'W | 35°11'N / 102°05'W | 2.00 Miles | 40 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Randall |
| 33.6 | 1980-07-27 | 2 | 34°33'N / 102°18'W | 34°31'N / 102°16'W | 3.00 Miles | 40 Yards | 0 | 1 | 0K | 0 | Castro |
| 35.1 | 1982-05-09 | 3 | 35°11'N / 102°05'W | 35°17'N / 102°07'W | 6.20 Miles | 40 Yards | 0 | 1 | 2.5M | 0 | Potter |
| 35.1 | 1991-05-10 | 2 | 34°25'N / 102°40'W | 34°27'N / 102°37'W | 3.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 1 | 250K | 0 | Parmer |
| 36.2 | 1969-05-16 | 2 | 34°25'N / 102°36'W | 0.10 Mile | 20 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Parmer | |
| 36.3 | 1970-04-17 | 4 | 34°23'N / 102°37'W | 34°27'N / 102°31'W | 7.40 Miles | 880 Yards | 1 | 3 | 2.5M | 0 | Parmer |
| 36.7 | 1989-05-16 | 2 | 35°09'N / 102°04'W | 35°04'N / 101°55'W | 10.00 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Randall |
| 37.1 | 1964-06-11 | 2 | 34°23'N / 103°03'W | 34°34'N / 102°49'W | 18.30 Miles | 67 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Parmer |
| 38.2 | 1972-08-06 | 2 | 34°44'N / 101°59'W | 1.00 Mile | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Swisher | |
| 39.1 | 1962-06-14 | 2 | 34°58'N / 101°55'W | 1.40 Miles | 67 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Randall | |
| 39.5 | 1992-03-27 | 2 | 34°24'N / 103°02'W | 34°30'N / 102°54'W | 10.00 Miles | 60 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Parmer |
| 39.8 | 1962-06-24 | 2 | 35°14'N / 102°00'W | 1.50 Miles | 27 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Potter | |
| 40.4 | 1965-05-04 | 2 | 35°12'N / 101°58'W | 1.00 Mile | 20 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Potter | |
| 41.3 | 1964-06-12 | 2 | 34°23'N / 103°02'W | 34°28'N / 102°55'W | 8.80 Miles | 27 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Parmer |
| 43.0 | 2002-05-05 | 2 | 34°44'N / 101°56'W | 34°44'N / 101°51'W | 5.00 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Swisher |
| Brief Description: A large tornado developed west of town. It moved eastward across open country and thus the storm survey team, made up of both NWS personnel and a Texas Tech University wind engineer, could only find damage to power poles and to fence posts. Based on storm chaser video, the large tornado weakened and finally dissipated just west of Happy. | |||||||||||
| 43.6 | 1960-04-12 | 3 | 34°21'N / 102°18'W | 34°24'N / 102°14'W | 5.20 Miles | 100 Yards | 3 | 32 | 250K | 0 | Castro |
| 44.9 | 1971-06-05 | 2 | 35°05'N / 101°50'W | 0.30 Mile | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Randall | |
| 45.1 | 1973-03-23 | 2 | 35°13'N / 101°53'W | 2.00 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Potter | |
| 45.5 | 1964-06-12 | 2 | 34°23'N / 103°02'W | 2.00 Miles | 27 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Parmer | |
| 45.8 | 1970-04-17 | 4 | 34°27'N / 102°31'W | 35°22'N / 101°05'W | 103.0 Miles | 880 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Randall |
| 45.8 | 1957-05-24 | 2 | 34°26'N / 103°33'W | 34°46'N / 103°03'W | 36.50 Miles | 37 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Curry |
| 45.8 | 1987-05-25 | 2 | 34°59'N / 101°48'W | 2.00 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Randall | |
| 46.6 | 2002-05-05 | 2 | 34°44'N / 101°51'W | 34°44'N / 101°48'W | 3.00 Miles | 150 Yards | 2 | 4 | 4.0M | 0 | Swisher |
| Brief Description: Storm chaser video indicated that shortly after the large tornado dissipated, another tornado developed just west of town. This tornado tore a 150-yard wide path across the southern part of town. Fifteen homes were destroyed, including at least ten mobile homes, another seventeen received major damage, and eighteen others received minor damage. The storm survey team estimated wind speeds associated with the damage to be in the 115 to 130 mph range. Two fatalities occurred in a mobile home on the southeast side of town; the mobile home was rolled about 50 yards and destroyed. Four injuries also occurred in mobile homes that were in the same area. The church on the west side of town lost 120 feet of its roof and 30 vehicles, including two tractor trailers, were damaged or destroyed. Seventy five utility and telephone poles were snapped. The tornado crossed I-27 and continued to produce significant damage east of town as it struck a home two miles east of Happy on Farm-to-Market Road 1075. Before crossing into southern Randall County about three miles east of Happy, the tornado produced major damage to a second home on Farm-to-Market Road 1075. M37MH, F35MH | |||||||||||
| 46.8 | 1964-06-11 | 2 | 34°24'N / 103°08'W | 34°23'N / 103°03'W | 4.90 Miles | 67 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Curry |
| 47.1 | 1971-10-17 | 2 | 34°19'N / 102°12'W | 34°24'N / 102°09'W | 6.40 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 4 | 2.5M | 0 | Castro |
| 47.7 | 1989-06-03 | 2 | 34°13'N / 102°42'W | 34°17'N / 102°33'W | 8.00 Miles | 880 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Bailey |
| 47.7 | 1971-04-18 | 2 | 34°15'N / 102°40'W | 34°15'N / 102°36'W | 4.30 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Bailey |
| 47.7 | 1971-04-18 | 2 | 34°15'N / 102°40'W | 34°15'N / 102°36'W | 4.30 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Bailey |
| 48.1 | 1988-09-14 | 2 | 35°12'N / 101°49'W | 0.70 Mile | 173 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Randall | |
| 48.2 | 1967-06-15 | 2 | 35°07'N / 101°47'W | 0.10 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Randall | |
| 49.0 | 1972-06-21 | 2 | 35°12'N / 101°50'W | 35°12'N / 101°46'W | 4.10 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 5 | 2.5M | 0 | Potter |
| 49.2 | 1963-05-21 | 3 | 34°17'N / 103°03'W | 34°20'N / 102°58'W | 5.90 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Bailey |
| 49.3 | 2002-05-05 | 2 | 34°45'N / 101°48'W | 34°49'N / 101°43'W | 2.00 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 0 | 40K | 0 | Randall |
| Brief Description: A damage assessment was made on this tornado. This tornado began in Lubbock's County Warning Area in Swisher county. After the tornado tore through the community of Happy Texas, it moved east northeast and entered the extreme southern sections of Randall county. Two homes received moderate damage from the tornado in Randall county. No injuries or deaths occurred in Randall county. Severe thunderstorms raked across much of the Texas panhandle during the late afternoon and into the evening hours. Large hail and damaging winds along with several tornadoes occurred with these storms with the extreme southern Texas panhandle being hit hardest. No fatalities or injuries occured from the severe weather...although damage was reported from the high winds and large hail. | |||||||||||
| 49.4 | 2007-04-21 | 2 | 34°27'N / 101°59'W | 34°27'N / 101°58'W | 1.00 Mile | 1230 Yards | 0 | 0 | 30K | 0K | Swisher |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A large and long-tracked tornado cut a path of damage twenty-nine miles in length and at times nearly three-quarters of a mile wide across portions of Lamb, Hale, Castro and Swisher Counties between 17:57 and 18:36 CST on the 21st. Total damages from the tornado were estimated to exceed $1.2 million, and one person was injured. The tornado was in the final stages of its life cycle as it crossed into extreme southwestern Swisher County at 18:33 CST. Storm chasers documented an extended rope-out phase before the tornado finally dissipated over cotton fields in southwestern Swisher County at 18:36 CST. Reports in local newspapers indicated that at least one center pivot irrigation system was heavily damaged west of Kress. Damage caused by the tornado east of Olton (Lamb County) supported an EF-2 rating with winds estimated between 110 and 120 mph. EPISODE NARRATIVE: An outbreak of severe weather impacted much of the central U.S. from Minnesota to Texas during the late afternoon and evening hours of the 21st. The west Texas South Plains and the extreme southern Texas Panhandle were affected by a series of significant tornadoes. At least five tornadoes were spawned by a single cyclic supercell thunderstorm that resulted in more than $3.5 million in damages. The most severely impacted communities included Olton (Lamb County) and Tulia (Swisher County). Both of these west Texas towns were impacted by EF-2 tornadoes that destroyed property and injured four people, and more than 14,000 customers were without electrical power throughout the night. The tornado outbreak was caused by a potent storm system that progressed east over the Four Corners region of the western U.S. on the 21st. A potent upper level jet stream spread over the Southern Plains of the U.S., and helped to create a favorable environment for supercell thunderstorms and tornadoes along a dryline that was stretched across west Texas. | |||||||||||
| 49.8 | 1980-05-28 | 3 | 34°31'N / 101°56'W | 34°33'N / 101°50'W | 6.10 Miles | 2333 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Swisher |
* The information on this page is based on the global volcano database, the U.S. earthquake database of 1638-1985, and the U.S. Tornado and Weather Extremes database of 1950-2010.