Texas Tornadoes

Book excerpt: Tornadoes are not just a part of Texas culture; they are a part of many towns and communities throughout the state. The more than fifteen thousand tornadoes that have touched down somewhere within the boundaries of the Lone Star State have claimed more than eighteen hundred lives since 1880. Some have left behind such destruction that just the mention of them sends shivers up spines: Waco, Wichita Falls, Saragosa, Jarrell. Texas Tornadoes details all tornadoes and outbreaks that killed ten or more, achieved a rare F5 rating, were historically important, or exhibited unusual characteristics. The accounts encompass more than eighty counties and hundreds of communities, both large and small, that endured these monsters of nature from 1854 through 2015.