Brooks County, Texas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 48047 · population 7,053 · 943 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 458 records for Brooks County, Texas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 406 days; the most frequent are drought records (195 records). 369 of them are forecast-zone records, which the National Weather Service files once per zone: a county covered by several zones receives each one, so a single storm can add several records on the same day. The deadliest single record is the February 14, 2021 frost/freeze, filed for the forecast zone Brooks, which covers the county: 1 death. FEMA has issued 23 declarations naming the county since 1967, 21 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
- 458on 406 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 23 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $15Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 5strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 23latest 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 Brooks County most?
The most frequent records are drought records: 195 since 1996. 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.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | 195 | 191 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 11 of 254 |
| Extreme cold | 80 | 72 | 2008-2026 | 2 | 0 | – | 2 of 254 |
| Heat | 54 | 53 | 2019-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 57 of 254 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 33 | 29 | 1960-2022 | 0 | 0 | $128K | 230 of 254 |
| Hail | 29 | 21 | 1998-2023 | 0 | 0 | $9.4M | 249 of 254 |
| Wildfires | 28 | 23 | 2008-2023 | 0 | 1 | $2.6M | 11 of 254 |
| Floods | 17 | 15 | 1997-2018 | 0 | 0 | $2.5M | 216 of 254 |
| Heavy rain | 6 | 6 | 2007-2017 | 0 | 0 | – | 51 of 254 |
| Winter storms | 6 | 6 | 2004-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 232 of 254 |
| Tornadoes | 5 | 5 | 1950-1976 | 0 | 2 | $37K | 234 of 254 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 4 | 4 | 2008-2023 | 0 | 0 | $19K | 39 of 254 |
| High wind and dust storms | 1 | 1 | 2008-2008 | 0 | 0 | – | 196 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 Brooks County had?
NOAA records 5 tornadoes in Brooks County from 1950 to 1976, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 2 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 5 tornadoes whose track touched Brooks County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 5, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Texas.
Every tornado record filed for Brooks County (5)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976-07-08 | Brooks County | F1 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1971-09-11 | Brooks County | F1 0.3 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1970-08-24 | Brooks County | F1 0.5 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1961-06-14 | Brooks County | F0 0.2 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1950-01-26 | Brooks County | F2 4.7 mi x 133 yd | 0 | 2 | – |
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 Brooks County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 4, 2022 wildfire ($807,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
The event known as the Miller Fire was estimated to have started around 2:30PM CST near the Brooks County Rest Area just south of Falfurrias. The fire started because of a car running into a tree along US-281, where it then burst into flames. Strong and gusty south to southeast winds then pushed the wildfire from the west side of US-281 north to Baluarte Creek Road and County Road 303, where it eventually damaged or destroyed six homes along Sunrise Road. There were also at least ten cars either damaged or destroyed due to the fire. This wildfire consumed a total of 271 acres and was contained at 7:54PM CST. A Spot Request submitted by the Texas A&M Fire Service on March 4th and social media pictures from a US Border Patrol Chief were used as a guide for the ignition time and very rapid spread that followed. Dollar damages are estimated.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1002489)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-19 | Excessive HeatBrooks County · forecast zone Brooks | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-19 | HeatBrooks County · forecast zone Brooks | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-18 | Excessive HeatBrooks County · forecast zone Brooks | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-17 | HeatBrooks County · forecast zone Brooks | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtBrooks County · forecast zone Brooks | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-21 | DroughtBrooks County · forecast zone Brooks | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-14 | DroughtBrooks County · forecast zone Brooks | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-07 | DroughtBrooks County · forecast zone Brooks | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtBrooks County · forecast zone Brooks | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-24 | DroughtBrooks County · forecast zone Brooks | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-03 | DroughtBrooks County · forecast zone Brooks | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtBrooks County · forecast zone Brooks | 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
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-02-14 | Frost/FreezeBrooks County · forecast zone Brooks Temperatures fell below freezing around 3:30 PM on February 14th, and did not rise above freezing until around 2:30 PM on the 16th. Low temperatures at the Brooks County Airport bottomed out at 15 degrees on the morning of the 15th, and 19 degrees on the morning of the 16th. The high temperature on the 15th only rose ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2017-12-07 | Cold/Wind ChillBrooks County · forecast zone Brooks US Border Patrol reported the death of an undocumented immigrant near Falfurrias, TX, during the afternoon of December 7, due to hypothermia, as indicated by medical staff who discovered the body. The sharp change of the season's first significant cold front after a record-shattering warm January through November ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1950-01-26 | TornadoBrooks County | F2 4.7 mi x 133 yd | 0 | 2 | – |
| 2008-03-19 | WildfireBrooks County · forecast zone Brooks The Encino Fire, which began during the morning of the 19th when north winds ratcheted up above 25 mph and humidity remained near or just below 35 percent, quickly grew to 2525 acres during the day in an area located near Lucero Rd on the east side of Federal Highway 281. The fire destroyed one outbuilding. Resources ... | 0 | 1 | $7K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-04-04 | HailFalfurrias, Brooks County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $3.1M |
| 2003-10-13 | FloodBrooks County · forecast zone Brooks | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | |
| 2008-03-18 | WildfireBrooks County · forecast zone Brooks | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 2022-03-04 | WildfireBrooks County · forecast zone Brooks | 0 | 0 | $807K | |
| 2011-06-18 | WildfireBrooks County · forecast zone Brooks | 0 | 0 | $335K | |
| 2008-03-19 | WildfireBrooks County · forecast zone Brooks | 0 | 1 | $7K |
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 $3K, in the dollars of the day) holds: August 24, 1970 (tornado, Brooks County); September 11, 1971 (tornado, Brooks 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 Brooks 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).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 1 | 59 | 78 | 57 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 0 | 4 | 38 | 38 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 1 | 53 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 1 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 10 | 1 |
| Wildfires | – | – | – | – | 0 | 7 | 9 | 12 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
Records by month in Brooks County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 57 · Feb 43 · Mar 44 · Apr 49 · May 66 · Jun 52 · Jul 26 · Aug 30 · Sep 23 · Oct 13 · Nov 16 · Dec 39 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Brooks County
FEMA's register lists 23 declarations that include Brooks County: 11 major disasters, 10 emergencies and 2 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (12) and fire (5).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-02-19 | DR-4586 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021-02-14 | EM-3554 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020-07-26 | EM-3530 | Hurricane | Hurricane Hanna |
| 2020-03-25 | DR-4485 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3458 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2011-07-01 | DR-1999 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2010-06-29 | EM-3313 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Alex |
| 2008-09-10 | EM-3294 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ike |
| 2008-08-29 | EM-3290 | Hurricane | Hurricane Gustav |
| 2008-07-24 | DR-1780 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dolly |
| 2008-03-19 | FM-2754 | Fire | Burns Ranch Fire |
| 2008-03-19 | FM-2755 | Fire | Encino Fire |
| 2008-03-14 | EM-3284 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2007-08-18 | EM-3277 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dean |
| 2006-01-11 | DR-1624 | Fire | Extreme Wildfire Threat |
| 2005-09-24 | DR-1606 | Hurricane | Hurricane Rita |
| 2005-09-21 | EM-3261 | Hurricane | Hurricane Rita |
| 2005-09-02 | EM-3216 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1999-08-22 | DR-1287 | Hurricane | Hurricane Bret |
| 1998-08-26 | DR-1239 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Charley |
| 1980-08-11 | DR-627 | Hurricane | Hurricane Allen |
| 1971-09-18 | DR-313 | Flood | Heavy Rains, High Winds & Flooding |
| 1967-09-28 | DR-232 | Hurricane | Hurricane Beulah |
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 Brooks County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 17 flood or flash flood records for Brooks County from 1997 to 2018, on 15 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Brooks County ranks 984th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.2 million on 185 claims filed in Brooks County; the most in one year was 66 in 1982. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 3 · 1979: 3 · 1980: 10 · 1981: 23 · 1982: 66 · 1983: 2 · 1984: 4 · 1985: 1 · 1987: 2 · 1989: 3 · 1990: 3 · 1995: 1 · 1999: 7 · 2000: 4 · 2001: 1 · 2004: 23 · 2006: 1 · 2007: 1 · 2008: 1 · 2010: 12 · 2012: 11 · 2015: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2021: 1; 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 Brooks County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Brooks County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $13.5 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.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $10M | 2.6 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $1.4M | once in about 8 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $248K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $18K | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $52K | once in about 222 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $100K | 7.4 modeled event-days a year |
| Drought | Very Low | $9K | 100 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Very Low | $155K | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Brooks County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in TexasEvery Texas tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Drought in TexasThe state's drought records, by county, year and month
- The Texas recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Brooks CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Brooks County's FEMA declarations (CSV)23 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis