The National Weather Service has released early data on the massive tornado outbreak that tore through parts of West Texas last week—and one tornado in particular nearly matched a world record.
On June 5, 2025, a supercell storm swept across Cochran, Hockley, and Lubbock counties, spawning eight confirmed tornadoes. Most were relatively minor, but one stood out in both scale and impact.
The tornado that touched down near Morton, Texas, measured a staggering 2.2 miles wide—making it the widest tornado ever recorded in Texas and potentially tying it as the eighth-largest tornado on record worldwide, if the preliminary data holds.
How It Compares to the Record Books
While this tornado was massive, it still falls short of Oklahoma’s world record. The widest tornado ever recorded occurred near El Reno, Oklahoma, in 2013, stretching an incredible 2.6 miles across. That said, even some of the top entries remain under scrutiny—particularly the largest, which was measured using radar in the atmosphere rather than on-ground damage, and another from the 1940s, recorded before scientific standards were established.
A Record-Breaking Day in Texas
This tornado is now officially Texas’s widest tornado on record, eclipsing previous state benchmarks.
Though the event was traumatic for many across West Texas, storm chasers and photographers captured the dramatic beauty of the supercell in action. Nature’s power, once again, left its mark in both destruction and awe.
The National Weather Service continues to analyze data from the outbreak and will release a full report in the coming weeks.
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