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Rochester, TX Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes

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The chance of earthquake damage in Rochester is about the same as Texas average and is much lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in Rochester is lower than Texas average and is higher than the national average.

Topics:Earthquake Index Volcano Index Tornado Index Other Weather Extremes Events Volcanos Nearby Historical Earthquake Events Historical Tornado Events

Earthquake Index, #733

Rochester, TX	0.01
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

Rochester, TX	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, #993

Rochester, TX	187.13
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 2,100 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of Rochester, TX 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:	1	Cold:	4	Dense Fog:	0	Drought:	11
Dust Storm:	1	Flood:	112	Hail:	1,371	Heat:	4	Heavy Snow:	4
High Surf:	0	Hurricane:	0	Ice Storm:	6	Landslide:	0	Strong Wind:	8
Thunderstorm Winds:	545	Tropical Storm:	0	Wildfire:	3	Winter Storm:	10	Winter Weather:	8
Other:	12

Volcanos Nearby

No volcano is found in or near Rochester, TX.

Historical Earthquake Events

No historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in or near Rochester, TX.

No historical earthquake events found in or near Rochester, TX.

Historical Tornado Events

A total of 58 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Rochester, TX.

Distance (miles)	Date	Magnitude	Start Lat/Log	End Lat/Log	Length	Width	Fatalities	Injuries	Property Damage	Crop Damage	Affected County
2.4	1953-03-13	4	33°17'N / 99°57'W	33°24'N / 99°49'W	11.20 Miles	50 Yards	12	20	2.5M	0	Haskell
4.8	1961-09-03	3	33°23'N / 99°51'W		0.70 Mile	30 Yards	0	0	250K	0	Haskell
7.3	1953-03-13	4	33°24'N / 99°49'W	33°25'N / 99°47'W	2.70 Miles	50 Yards	5	5	2.5M	0	Knox
9.9	2009-06-13	2	33°12'N / 99°57'W	33°10'N / 99°54'W	4.00 Miles	440 Yards	0	0	1.0M	0K	Haskell
		Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A National Weather Service survey team found a quarter mile wide EF2 tornado that tore the roof off of four homes and desroyed several outbuildings, irrigation sprinklers, and power poles. EPISODE NARRATIVE: On June 13, thunderstorms developed along an outflow boundary across Northwest Texas. A supercell thunderstorm moved southeast across Haskell County and produced a strong tornado. There was significant damage near Rule. Also, large hail and widespread 60 to 70 mph winds were reported with this severe storm.
10.2	1976-06-23	2	33°23'N / 99°42'W		0.80 Mile	440 Yards	0	0	25K	0	Knox
11.0	1958-11-17	2	33°19'N / 99°40'W		1.00 Mile	33 Yards	0	7	250K	0	Haskell
11.4	1962-05-26	2	33°10'N / 99°46'W		1.00 Mile	67 Yards	0	0	0K	0	Haskell
11.9	1955-05-25	2	33°25'N / 99°58'W	33°33'N / 99°50'W	11.90 Miles	300 Yards	0	0	3K	0	Knox
12.0	1991-04-24	3	33°09'N / 99°46'W	33°12'N / 99°42'W	3.50 Miles	200 Yards	0	1	250K	0	Haskell
13.4	1963-04-05	2	33°09'N / 99°44'W		1.00 Mile	33 Yards	0	0	3K	0	Haskell
14.6	1962-05-26	4	33°10'N / 99°46'W	33°10'N / 99°35'W	10.70 Miles	133 Yards	0	1	2.5M	0	Haskell
15.5	1971-05-04	2	33°25'N / 99°37'W		2.00 Miles	50 Yards	0	0	0K	0	Knox
19.9	1969-08-22	2	33°32'N / 99°38'W		0.30 Mile	67 Yards	0	0	250K	0	Knox
20.4	2003-05-03	2	33°04'N / 99°38'W	33°07'N / 99°37'W	4.00 Miles	440 Yards	0	0	10K	0	Haskell
		Brief Description: Spotters watched a large one quarter mile wide tornado that moved across the northeast portion of lake Stamford. This tornado came within yards of hitting the lake Stamford power plant, however it did knock down 11 transmission poles coming out of the power plant and eight distribution poles. This tornado was also filmed by a weather broadcaster from a local Abilene television station. An isolated severe thunderstorm formed along the dry line in the late afternoon in Dickens County. This thunderstorm split into two different cells with one going northeast into Oklahoma and the other moving almost due east across Stonewall, Haskell and Eastern Throckmorton Counties. As the thunderstorm was over eastern Stonewall County, it begin to take on tornadic radar signatures and continued to intensify as it moved into Haskell County. During it's two hour trek across Haskell County, it produced at least four tornadoes. Right after the storm crossed over into Throckmorton County it weakened rapidly and eventually dissipated over the southeastern portion of Throckmorton County.
21.1	2004-03-04	2	33°05'N / 99°37'W	33°05'N / 99°37'W	1.00 Mile	440 Yards	0	0	100K	0	Haskell
		Brief Description: Numerous manufactured homes were damaged or destroyed by the tornado along Lake Stamford. A strong upper level disturbance combined with a strong surface low pressure system moving across West Central Texas produced a significant squall line that moved through the entire San Angelo county warning area. This squall line was accompanied by 60 to 80 MPH winds which produced widespread damage, especially across the Big Country. Embedded within the squall line, were several Supercell thunderstorms which produced nine tornadoes within the San Angelo county warning area.
24.0	1982-05-30	2	33°00'N / 99°58'W	32°57'N / 99°56'W	3.00 Miles	100 Yards	0	0	250K	0	Haskell
24.4	2005-05-13	3	33°38'N / 99°38'W	33°29'N / 99°28'W	16.00 Miles	1000 Yards	0	0	0	0	Knox
		Brief Description: The tornado began in Knox County and traveled just over 16 miles, eventually moving into Baylor County for less than a half a mile before dissipating 3.3 miles SW of Bomarton. The storm was being seeded by precipitation from another supercell just to its southwest and the tornado was apparently rain-wrapped throughout its duration. However mobile research radars, Doppler on Wheels (DOW), were able to track this tornado. The initial path of the tornado was to the south-southwest crossing U.S. Highway 82. The tornado then generally moved to the southeast for the rest of its life. This tornado moved through sparsely populated areas with no reported damage. Preliminary analysis of data from the Doppler On Wheels indicated a maximum wind velocity of 79 m/s (about 177 mph) at 30 m above ground level which was measured at 1829 CST when the tornado was in open country about 6 miles south of Vera.
26.0	1982-05-30	2	32°57'N / 99°56'W	32°56'N / 99°54'W	2.00 Miles	100 Yards	0	0	250K	0	Jones
26.1	1955-04-05	2	32°56'N / 99°48'W	32°57'N / 99°46'W	2.70 Miles	67 Yards	0	3	250K	0	Jones
27.5	1955-04-05	2	32°57'N / 99°46'W	32°59'N / 99°29'W	16.60 Miles	67 Yards	0	0	250K	0	Haskell
27.6	1957-08-12	2	33°26'N / 99°24'W		0.40 Mile	100 Yards	0	0	25K	0	Baylor
27.6	1958-08-20	2	33°38'N / 99°34'W		1.00 Mile	50 Yards	0	1	3K	0	Knox
27.8	1954-06-01	2	33°38'N / 99°35'W	33°39'N / 99°34'W	1.90 Miles	133 Yards	0	0	0K	0	Knox
27.9	1990-05-14	2	32°56'N / 100°01'W		2.00 Miles	100 Yards	0	2	250K	0	Jones
29.8	1990-05-14	3	32°53'N / 99°53'W		0.20 Mile	10 Yards	0	2	0K	0	Jones
30.2	1961-05-07	3	32°56'N / 99°35'W	32°58'N / 99°33'W	3.60 Miles	133 Yards	0	0	250K	0	Shackelford
30.7	1962-04-26	2	32°52'N / 99°43'W	32°55'N / 99°40'W	4.70 Miles	440 Yards	0	0	25K	0	Jones
30.9	1990-05-14	2	32°53'N / 100°00'W		0.20 Mile	10 Yards	0	2	0K	0	Jones
31.9	1987-05-28	2	33°33'N / 100°25'W	33°33'N / 100°15'W	13.00 Miles	100 Yards	0	0	0K	0	King
32.1	1971-07-06	2	33°36'N / 99°25'W		0.30 Mile	10 Yards	0	1	25K	0	Baylor
32.3	1962-05-25	3	32°50'N / 100°00'W	32°53'N / 99°58'W	4.10 Miles	67 Yards	1	1	25K	0	Jones
32.8	1957-10-07	2	33°37'N / 99°25'W		2.00 Miles	33 Yards	0	0	3K	0	Baylor
33.4	2002-04-07	2	33°11'N / 99°20'W	33°14'N / 99°15'W	7.00 Miles	1500 Yards	0	0	10K	0	Throckmorton
		Brief Description: Immediately after the first tornado dissipated, a second larger, more stable multiple vortex tornado developed. Tracking along a 7 mile long path across western Throckmorton County, this tornado would reach over three quarters of a mile wide. Fortunately, the tornado tracked largely over open county and damage was minimal for a tornado of this size. Partially buried fence posts were torn out of the ground and disappeared, while a 300 yard path was swept clean and a large mesquite tree was ripped out of the ground. Severe thunderstorms rolled across much of West Central Texas during the afternoon and evening hours of the 7th. Two supercells produced a total of 5 tornadoes, 3 across the northern Big Country in Throckmorton County and 2 more across the Northern Edwards Plateau in Crockett County. Although one of the tornadoes in Throckmorton was about three quarters of a mile wide and stayed on the ground for 16 minutes, it fortunately crossed open farmland, striking no homes were causing no injuries. Damage was more extensive with the southern supercell, with tennis ball size hail causing tens of thousands of dollars of damage to several ranch houses in eastern Crockett County. Other storms produced hail up to golf ball size across parts of the Concho Valley and Heartland.
33.8	1994-02-19	2	32°55'N / 99°31'W		0.10 Mile	10 Yards	0	0	0	0	Shackelford
		Brief Description: A brief tornado formed in open country on the Nail Ranch.
33.8	1991-05-02	2	32°53'N / 100°08'W		0.20 Mile	10 Yards	0	0	25K	0	Jones
34.2	1990-05-14	2	32°50'N / 100°00'W		0.20 Mile	10 Yards	0	3	0K	0	Jones
35.0	1976-04-15	2	33°26'N / 99°16'W		0.10 Mile	33 Yards	0	0	0K	0	Baylor
37.5	1980-08-23	2	32°55'N / 99°26'W	32°52'N / 99°28'W	4.30 Miles	73 Yards	0	0	250K	0	Palo Pinto
38.5	1967-04-12	2	33°50'N / 100°06'W		2.00 Miles	50 Yards	0	0	0K	0	Cottle
39.2	1969-06-19	2	32°47'N / 99°37'W		0.10 Mile	10 Yards	0	0	25K	0	Jones
39.4	1976-04-17	2	33°52'N / 99°50'W	33°54'N / 99°47'W	3.80 Miles	150 Yards	0	0	0K	0	Foard
39.7	1955-04-05	2	32°59'N / 99°29'W	33°02'N / 99°04'W	24.40 Miles	67 Yards	0	3	250K	0	Throckmorton
42.9	1989-05-15	2	33°40'N / 100°23'W	33°45'N / 100°29'W	7.00 Miles	90 Yards	0	0	25K	0	King
43.4	1979-04-10	2	33°37'N / 99°18'W	33°42'N / 99°09'W	10.40 Miles	300 Yards	0	0	25K	0	Baylor
43.4	1971-05-31	2	33°50'N / 100°17'W		2.00 Miles	67 Yards	0	0	3K	0	Cottle
44.5	1976-04-17	3	33°52'N / 99°30'W	33°59'N / 99°43'W	14.70 Miles	150 Yards	0	1	250K	0	Foard
45.0	1979-04-10	2	33°51'N / 99°48'W	34°02'N / 99°29'W	22.10 Miles	33 Yards	0	1	250K	0	Foard
46.5	1957-04-20	2	33°48'N / 100°25'W		0.40 Mile	100 Yards	0	0	3K	0	King
46.8	1991-04-24	2	33°18'N / 100°45'W	33°18'N / 100°35'W	12.10 Miles	350 Yards	0	0	25K	0	Kent
46.9	1994-08-17	2	33°59'N / 99°43'W		2.00 Miles	40 Yards	0	0	500K	0	Foard
47.0	2005-06-12	2	33°15'N / 100°39'W	33°14'N / 100°41'W	2.00 Miles	1200 Yards	0	0	150K	15K	Kent
		Brief Description: The National Weather Service in Lubbock, TX conducted a damage survey in Kent County, approximately 8 miles to the northeast of Clairemont. In collaboration with the Center for Severe Weather Research in Boulder, CO and Texas Tech University meteorologists assessing the tornadoes across the county with Doppler-On-Wheels (DOW) data, a better understanding of the wind fields and tornado timing was achieved. The area of assessed damage was bounded by a triangle comprised of FM2320 to the south, FM1228 to the east, and CR112 to the west. There was a damage path characterized by tree damage across the zone. The path of the damage was oriented from a northeast-east to southwest-west direction. DOW data confirmed the large, wedge tornado initially propagated to the east and northeast, became nearly stationary, then rotate southward around the west side of the parent mesocyclone. The tornado moved to the southwest, then south and crossed FM1228 from the north/northeast to the south/southwest. The path of the tornado was between 0.6 to 0.7 miles wide. In assessing the damage, a circulatory patter was evident in a wheat field owned by a private farmer, with all of the wheat laying down to the south. Along this quadrant of the circulation, large farm equipment (tractors and cotton trailers) were tossed and mangled. An 80,000 lb box car was shaken by the tornado and the associated strong wind but was not moved from its location, however the contents inside were disturbed. The farm vehicles were tossed briefly a few times as there were scar marks and impact marks in the field as the equipment was blown to the south. The front-end of one tractor was snapped off after the second impact with the ground, as the vehicle was likely too heavy to remain airborne and was dragged and rolled by the tornadic wind and circulation. On the east side of the circulation, there were tree branches not grown in that immediate area that were stripped clean of bark. A cotton trailer (lighter than the other equipment) was lifted from its original location and was tossed to the north and mangled upon impact. The equipment was tossed approximately 3/10 of a mile within the circulation. It was evident from the damage pattern and debris, the circulation was multi-vortex in nature. The DOW measured wind speeds ranging from 45, 65 and 90 meters per second at various stages of the tornado life cycle at heights between 3 and 50 meters above ground level.
47.1	1967-04-12	2	32°43'N / 100°15'W		0.20 Mile	40 Yards	0	0	0K	0	Fisher
47.4	1980-04-02	4	33°36'N / 99°11'W	33°41'N / 99°05'W	8.40 Miles	250 Yards	0	0	0K	0	Baylor
47.7	1967-04-12	2	32°51'N / 100°28'W		0.30 Mile	200 Yards	0	0	0K	0	Fisher
48.2	1954-06-01	3	34°01'N / 100°18'W	33°52'N / 100°09'W	13.40 Miles	267 Yards	1	14	2.5M	0	Cottle
48.4	1962-06-07	2	32°54'N / 100°32'W	32°52'N / 100°30'W	3.60 Miles	200 Yards	0	0	0K	0	Fisher
48.9	1965-08-31	2	32°45'N / 100°22'W		2.00 Miles	20 Yards	0	0	0K	0	Fisher
49.0	1969-05-06	2	32°37'N / 99°42'W		0.10 Mile	50 Yards	0	0	3K	0	Jones

* 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.