Weather hazard
Tornado risk in Bell County
Bell County has recorded tornadoes going back to the 1880s. Spring thunderstorm season along I-35 brings real tornado risk every year.
The National Weather Service Fort Worth office tracks tornado history in Bell County back to the 1880s. Most tornadoes in the county are weak — rated F0 or F1 — but stronger ones have hit. In April 2022, an EF-3 tornado with winds around 165 mph struck the Salado and southern Bell County area. It injured 23 people and cut an eight-mile damage path. Bell County sits along the I-35 corridor, where powerful spring thunderstorms often form.
Bell County uses outdoor warning sirens. Sirens go off when the National Weather Service issues a tornado warning or when officials see a tornado on the ground. Sirens are meant for people who are outside. If you are indoors, watch for alerts on a weather radio, your cell phone, or local TV.
Know your safest shelter before a storm hits. In a house, go to an interior room on the lowest floor and stay away from windows. Find tornado siren and shelter information at bellcountyhealth.org. Historical tornado data for Bell County is at weather.gov.
Source to confirm: NWS Fort Worth – Bell County Tornado Climatology