Lubbock Is Still Tornado Country

Believe it or not, tornados are a threat in the Hub City.

The question, "Does Lubbock get tornadoes?" is frequently asked online. It's my guess the question is asked by people considering moving here for employment or school. Of course, the town was ripped apart on May 11th, 1970, and I don't know how people can imagine something like that is a "one and done".

The short answer is, YES, we do get tornadoes. In fact, last year there were eighteen tornadoes in Lubbock County last year. There were four in 2020, and in 2019 there were twenty-three.

We were spared the death and the major destruction of 1970, but severe weather around here is still very much a problem. We have still had problems with flooding, hail and of course, high winds.

I guess the threat of tornadoes in general tends to frighten some people more than they should. Yes, we get them, and no there is not often damage, but yes, that could change at any minute. I guess what I'm getting to is, you should always respect the threat if nothing else.

Tornado "season" in Lubbock is generally April through June, but as we saw with tornadoes in the Dallas-Fort Worth area this week, tornadoes are going to do their thing whenever they want.

I will tell potential visitors, students, and potential residents that we do not live under constant fear here and that in almost all cases we have plenty of warning when severe weather is on the way.  Just as some folks across the U.S. have to deal with blizzards, earthquakes, or even tidal waves, it's all about being vigilant and having a plan when a natural disaster is possible.