Archer County, Texas

County storm and disaster record · FIPS 48009 · population 8,555 · 903 sq mi

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 859 records for Archer County, Texas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 485 days; the most frequent are hail reports (477 records). The most damaging was the April 26, 1994 tornado ($995,000 in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 21 declarations naming the county since 1989, 19 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storms” on February 19, 2021.

The record, 1950 to 2026

Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).

  • recorded, no damage figure
  • under $100,000
  • $100,000 or more
  • $1 million or more
  • $10 million or more, or a death
  • $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
  • a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
  • a year with a death
  • 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
  • 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
Storm records
859on 485 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
Deaths recorded
019 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars
$13Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
Tornadoes
31strongest F4
FEMA declarations
21latest 2021

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.

What hazards hit Archer County most?

The most frequent records are hail reports: 477 since 1955. 60% of its hail reports since 1955 fell in April and May. The rank column places the county among Texas's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.

Archer County: records by hazard, 1950 to June 30, 2026
HazardRecordsDaysFirst, lastKilledInjuredDamageRank in state
Hail 477 220 1955-2026 0 0 $1.4M 25 of 254
Severe thunderstorm wind 115 79 1957-2026 0 12 $1.8M 151 of 254
Drought 87 87 2000-2024 0 0 – 81 of 254
Heat 55 55 2006-2025 0 0 – 47 of 254
Floods 33 19 1997-2026 0 0 $31K 192 of 254
Tornadoes 31 25 1955-2026 0 5 $8.5M 148 of 254
Winter storms 26 26 1996-2026 0 2 $64K 136 of 254
High wind and dust storms 14 14 1996-2018 0 0 $128K 67 of 254
Fog, smoke and funnel clouds 8 8 1999-2007 0 0 – 37 of 254
Extreme cold 6 6 2021-2025 0 0 – 125 of 254
Wildfires 5 5 2018-2024 0 0 – 85 of 254
Lightning 2 2 2025-2025 0 0 $900K 99 of 254

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.

How many tornadoes has Archer County had?

NOAA records 31 tornadoes in Archer County from 1955 to 2026, the strongest rated F4, with 0 deaths and 5 injuries recorded in the county. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.

Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 31 tornadoes whose track touched Archer County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 31, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 42 people, 0 of them in Archer County.

The deadliest and strongest tornadoes that touched Archer County, whole tracks
DateTornadoRatingPathKilled
1979-04-10 17:50, as SPC files itWichita FallsCrossed OK, TXF446.9 mi42
1986-05-14 18:30, as SPC files itWindthorstF320 mi0
1961-04-08 15:00, as SPC files itArcherF31 mi0

Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Texas.

Every tornado record filed for Archer County (31)
Every tornado recorded in Archer County, newest first
DatePlaceCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-04-25 Scotland, Archer County EFU 0.3 mi x 50 yd 0 0 –
2026-04-25 Scotland, Archer County EFU 1.04 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $2K
2025-06-03 Archer City, Archer County EFU 0.1 mi x 50 yd 0 0 –
2024-05-25 Windthorst, Archer County EF1 1.13 mi x 200 yd 0 0 –
2017-05-19 Windthorst, Archer County EFU 0.5 mi x 50 yd 0 0 –
2015-05-19 Windthorst, Archer County EF0 0.2 mi x 30 yd 0 0 –
2015-05-16 Holliday, Archer County EF0 0.2 mi x 30 yd 0 0 –
2015-05-06 Lake Kickapoo Dam, Archer County EF2 12 mi x 400 yd 0 0 –
2005-06-04 Dundee, Archer County F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd 0 0 –
2000-05-27 Archer City, Archer County F0 1 mi x 25 yd 0 0 $4K
2000-05-27 Archer City, Archer County F0 0.2 mi x 25 yd 0 0 –
1997-08-17 Windthorst, Archer County F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd 0 0 –
1997-08-17 Windthorst, Archer County F0 0.5 mi x 75 yd 0 0 –
1994-05-29 Scotland, Archer County F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd 0 0 –
1994-04-26 Archer County F2 9.5 mi x 150 yd 0 0 $995K
1994-04-26 Anarrowene, Archer County F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd 0 0 –
1992-03-08 Archer County F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd 0 0 –
1989-03-28 Archer County F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd 0 0 –
1986-09-02 Archer County F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd 0 0 $25K step
1986-05-14 Archer County F3 11 mi x 250 yd 0 4 $2.5M step
1985-04-21 Archer County F2 2.2 mi x 300 yd 0 0 $250K step
1982-05-12 Archer County F1 0.1 mi x 7 yd 0 0 $30 step
1980-04-02 Archer County F0 0 0 –
1980-04-02 Archer County F0 0 0 –
1980-04-02 Archer County F0 0 0 –
1979-04-10 Archer County F4 1.3 mi x 880 yd 0 0 $3K step
1966-04-10 Archer County F1 2 mi x 27 yd 0 0 –
1961-04-08 Archer County F3 1 mi x 33 yd 0 1 –
1959-05-08 Archer County F0 0 0 –
1957-04-25 Archer County F0 0.1 mi x 3 yd 0 0 $30 step
1955-06-08 Archer County F1 0 0 –

A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.

When was the last damaging storm in Archer County?

The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 25, 2026 tornado ($2,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).

Numerous spotters and chasers observed a tornado east of State Highway 79 and near Coleman Road. The tornado occurred over open pastureland with the only known damage occurring to some cattle feeders near Coleman Road. Much of the tornado path is estimated.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1330694)
The 12 most recent records kept for Archer County
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-06-07 FloodArcher City, Archer County 0 0 –
2026-04-28 HailArcher City, Archer County 0.88 in hail 0 0 –
2026-04-28 HailScotland, Archer County 1.75 in hail 0 0 –
2026-04-28 HailLakeside City, Archer County 1.00 in hail 0 0 –
2026-04-25 TornadoScotland, Archer County EFU 0.3 mi x 50 yd 0 0 –
2026-04-25 TornadoScotland, Archer County EFU 1.04 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $2K
2026-04-25 HailLakeside City, Archer County 2.00 in hail 0 0 –
2026-04-25 HailLakeside City, Archer County 1.50 in hail 0 0 –
2026-04-25 HailLakeside City, Archer County 3.00 in hail 0 0 –
2026-04-25 HailHolliday, Archer County 2.00 in hail 0 0 –
2026-04-01 Thunderstorm WindMankins, Archer County 54 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-01-23 Winter StormArcher County · forecast zone Archer 0 0 –

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.

The deadliest and costliest records

Records with deaths or injuries in Archer County, most deaths first
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
1990-04-09 Thunderstorm WindArcher County 0 12 –
1986-05-14 TornadoArcher County F3 11 mi x 250 yd 0 4 $2.5M step
2008-01-03 Winter WeatherArcher County · forecast zone Archer Numerous accidents were reported as a result of icy roads. Monetary damages were estimated. 0 2 $14K
1961-04-08 TornadoArcher County F3 1 mi x 33 yd 0 1 –

A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.

The costliest records in Archer County since 1993, damage in 2025 dollars
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
1994-04-26 TornadoArcher County F2 9.5 mi x 150 yd 0 0 $995K
2025-04-26 LightningLakeside City, Archer County 0 0 $800K
2004-03-04 Thunderstorm WindLake Kickapoo, Archer County 69 kt wind 0 0 $781K
2000-05-27 HailHolliday, Archer County 1.75 in hail 0 0 $428K
2025-04-05 LightningLakeside City, Archer County 0 0 $100K
2001-05-19 HailLake Kickapoo, Archer County 2.75 in hail 0 0 $83K
2018-12-26 Thunderstorm WindLakeside City, Archer County 65 kt wind 0 0 $35K
2025-04-29 Thunderstorm WindHolliday, Archer County 65 kt wind 0 0 $15K

Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 14, 1986 (tornado, Archer County).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.

Is it getting more frequent?

Records per decade for Archer County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).

Archer County: records per decade (the 2020s to June 30, 2026)
Hazard1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020-26
Hail249371551794645
Severe thunderstorm wind1341131311717
Drought––––01458 z15
Heat––––01054
Floods––––21993
Tornadoes32186344

Drought in the 2010s: 58 records against 14 in the decade before, 58 of them forecast-zone records. Cells marked z rose mostly through zone records. The local National Weather Service office files these once per forecast zone, so a change in how it draws its zones or splits a storm into records moves this count as much as the weather does; read it beside the Archer County days with a record above.

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).

What time of year?

60% of its hail reports since 1955 fell in April and May. The two busiest months are in violet.

The values, month by month

Jan 21 · Feb 30 · Mar 57 · Apr 182 · May 206 · Jun 149 · Jul 47 · Aug 71 · Sep 34 · Oct 33 · Nov 13 · Dec 16 (records).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.

Federal disaster declarations for Archer County

FEMA's register lists 21 declarations that include Archer County: 11 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 2 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for fire (6) and severe storm (5).

Declarations including Archer County, newest first
DeclaredNumberTypeTitle
2021-02-19DR-4586Severe Ice StormSevere Winter Storms
2021-02-14EM-3554Severe Ice StormSevere Winter Storm
2020-03-25DR-4485BiologicalCovid-19 Pandemic
2020-03-13EM-3458BiologicalCovid-19
2019-02-25DR-4416FloodSevere Storms and Flooding
2015-05-29DR-4223Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding
2011-07-01DR-1999FireWildfires
2011-04-30FM-2905FireSisk Road Fire
2008-09-10EM-3294HurricaneHurricane Ike
2008-03-14EM-3284FireWildfires
2008-02-28FM-2748FireNew Archer Fire
2007-06-29DR-1709Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding
2006-01-11DR-1624FireExtreme Wildfire Threat
2005-09-24DR-1606HurricaneHurricane Rita
2005-09-21EM-3261HurricaneHurricane Rita
2005-09-02EM-3216HurricaneHurricane Katrina Evacuation
1999-09-01EM-3142FireExtreme Fire Hazards
1998-08-26DR-1239Severe StormTropical Storm Charley
1993-09-10EM-3113DroughtExtreme Fire Hazard
1990-05-02DR-863Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding
1989-05-19DR-828Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding

Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.

How many floods has Archer County had?

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 33 flood or flash flood records for Archer County from 1997 to 2026, on 19 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Archer County ranks 2020th of 2,942 U.S. counties.

The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $889,000 on 24 claims filed in Archer County; the most in one year was 8 in 2015. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.

The values, year by year

1982: 1 · 1990: 1 · 1997: 1 · 2005: 2 · 2007: 7 · 2015: 8 · 2016: 4; the other years: 0.

Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.

FEMA's modeled risk for Archer County

FEMA's National Risk Index rates Archer County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $3.9 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.

National Risk Index ratings for Archer County (December 2025 release), by FEMA's rating, then score
HazardRisk ratingExpected annual lossModeled frequency
DroughtRelatively Moderate$527K94 modeled event-days a year
WildfireRelatively Low$635Konce in about 129 years (modeled)
HailRelatively Low$242K8 a year (modeled)
Heat WaveRelatively Low$237K16 modeled event-days a year
Ice StormRelatively Low$41Kabout once a year (modeled)
TornadoRelatively Low$545Konce in about 2 years (modeled)
Strong WindRelatively Low$288K2.9 a year (modeled)
LandslideVery Low$334once in about 8 years (modeled)

Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.

Counties that share a border with Archer County

  1. Wichita County 1,595
  2. Clay County 865
  3. Archer County 859
  4. Wilbarger County 847
  5. Young County 780
  6. Jack County 623
  7. Baylor County 543
  8. Throckmorton County 501

Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.

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