Delta County, Texas

County storm and disaster record · FIPS 48119 · population 5,227 · 257 sq mi

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 360 records for Delta County, Texas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 292 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (88 records). The deadliest single record is the June 2, 1954 tornado: 1 death and 8 injuries. FEMA has issued 18 declarations naming the county since 1966, 16 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding” on May 17, 2024.

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
360on 292 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
Deaths recorded
219 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars
$5.3Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
Tornadoes
7strongest F3
FEMA declarations
18latest 2024

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 Delta County most?

The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 88 since 1960. 48% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1960 fell in May and June. 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.

Delta County: records by hazard, 1950 to June 30, 2026
HazardRecordsDaysFirst, lastKilledInjuredDamageRank in state
Severe thunderstorm wind 88 69 1960-2024 0 7 $842K 20 of 254
Drought 77 77 1996-2026 0 0 $2.8M 5 of 254
Hail 75 56 1968-2026 0 0 $312K 31 of 254
Heat 51 49 1998-2026 0 0 – 9 of 254
Floods 27 20 1996-2025 0 0 $115K 46 of 254
Winter storms 24 24 1996-2026 0 0 $120K 12 of 254
Tornadoes 7 6 1954-2020 2 12 $924K 171 of 254
Extreme cold 6 6 2019-2026 0 0 $157K 22 of 254
Heavy rain 5 5 1997-1998 0 0 – 6 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 Delta County had?

NOAA records 7 tornadoes in Delta County from 1954 to 2020, the strongest rated F3, with 2 deaths and 12 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 8 tornadoes whose track touched Delta County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 7: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 2 people.

The deadliest and strongest tornadoes that touched Delta County, whole tracks
DateTornadoRatingPathKilled
1957-04-02 19:51, as SPC files itRoxtonF20.1 mi1
1954-06-02 17:30, as SPC files itCooperF25.9 mi1
1964-04-22 20:00, as SPC files itPecan GapF35.9 mi0

Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Texas.

Every tornado record filed for Delta County (7)
Every tornado recorded in Delta County, newest first
DatePlaceCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2020-01-10 Cooper, Delta County EF0 0.45 mi x 150 yd 0 0 $23K
2020-01-10 Enloe, Delta County EF0 0.14 mi x 100 yd 0 0 $6K
2003-05-24 Klondike, Delta County F1 3 mi x 100 yd 0 0 $120K
1977-04-18 Delta County F2 0 0 –
1964-04-22 Delta County F3 5.9 mi x 50 yd 0 2 $25K step
1957-04-02 Delta County F2 1 2 $25K step
1954-06-02 Delta County F2 5.9 mi x 1,000 yd 1 8 $25K step

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 Delta County?

The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 27, 2026 hail ($7,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).

The 12 most recent records kept for Delta County
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-06-18 HeatDelta County · forecast zone Delta 0 0 –
2026-06-01 DroughtDelta County · forecast zone Delta 0 0 –
2026-05-01 DroughtDelta County · forecast zone Delta 0 0 –
2026-04-27 HailHorton, Delta County 1.75 in hail 0 0 $7K
2026-04-01 DroughtDelta County · forecast zone Delta 0 0 $10K
2026-03-01 DroughtDelta County · forecast zone Delta 0 0 –
2026-02-01 DroughtDelta County · forecast zone Delta 0 0 –
2026-01-24 Extreme Cold/Wind ChillDelta County · forecast zone Delta 0 0 –
2026-01-24 Winter StormDelta County · forecast zone Delta 0 0 –
2025-11-04 DroughtDelta County · forecast zone Delta 0 0 –
2025-08-15 HeatDelta County · forecast zone Delta 0 0 –
2025-08-06 HeatDelta County · forecast zone Delta 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 Delta County, most deaths first
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
1954-06-02 TornadoDelta County F2 5.9 mi x 1,000 yd 1 8 $25K step
1957-04-02 TornadoDelta County F2 1 2 $25K step
2024-05-09 Thunderstorm WindEnloe, Delta County Thunderstorm wind damage due to 80 mph winds was observed across northern Delta County from the Enloe area to the Lake Creek area. The damage started along FM 128, extending east to just past a warehouse business near FM 1335 and Hwy 19. Damage consisted of notable tree damage and structural damage to house roofs and ... 70 kt wind 0 7 $141K
1964-04-22 TornadoDelta County F3 5.9 mi x 50 yd 0 2 $25K step

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 Delta County since 1993, damage in 2025 dollars
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2006-10-01 DroughtDelta County · forecast zone Delta 0 0 $1.5M
2008-05-10 Thunderstorm WindCooper, Delta County 70 kt wind 0 0 $206K
2024-05-09 Thunderstorm WindEnloe, Delta County 70 kt wind 0 7 $141K
2003-05-24 TornadoKlondike, Delta County F1 3 mi x 100 yd 0 0 $120K
1996-04-19 HailKlondike, Delta County 2.75 in hail 0 0 $94K
2012-03-08 Thunderstorm WindLake Creek, Delta County 65 kt wind 0 0 $64K
2020-01-10 TornadoEnloe, Delta County EF0 0.14 mi x 100 yd 0 0 $6K
2025-01-30 Flash FloodEnloe, Delta County 0 0 $2K

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 $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: June 2, 1954 (tornado, Delta County, 1 killed); April 2, 1957 (tornado, Delta County, 1 killed); April 22, 1964 (tornado, Delta 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 Delta 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).

Delta County: records per decade (the 2020s to June 30, 2026)
Hazard1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020-26
Severe thunderstorm wind02117391757
Drought––––2203619
Hail0106451166
Heat––––23640 z
Floods––––81054
Winter storms––––51054

Heat in the 2020-26: 40 records against 6 in the decade before, 40 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 Delta 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?

48% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1960 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.

The values, month by month

Jan 25 · Feb 28 · Mar 24 · Apr 48 · May 48 · Jun 42 · Jul 33 · Aug 36 · Sep 17 · Oct 17 · Nov 23 · Dec 19 (records).

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

Federal disaster declarations for Delta County

FEMA's register lists 18 declarations that include Delta County: 12 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (4) and flood (3).

Declarations including Delta County, newest first
DeclaredNumberTypeTitle
2024-05-17DR-4781FloodSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding
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
2016-02-09DR-4255Severe StormSevere Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding
2015-05-29DR-4223Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding
2008-03-14EM-3284FireWildfires
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
2001-01-08DR-1356Severe Ice StormSevere Winter Ice Storm
1999-09-01EM-3142FireExtreme Fire Hazards
1998-08-26DR-1239Severe StormTropical Storm Charley
1972-01-27DR-320FloodHeavy Rains & Flooding
1966-05-12DR-218FloodSevere Storms & 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 Delta County had?

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 27 flood or flash flood records for Delta County from 1996 to 2025, on 20 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Delta County ranks 2830th of 2,942 U.S. counties.

The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $2,841 on 1 claim filed in Delta County; the most in one year was 1 in 2002. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.

The values, year by year

2002: 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 Delta County

FEMA's National Risk Index rates Delta County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $4.1 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 Delta County (December 2025 release), by FEMA's rating, then score
HazardRisk ratingExpected annual lossModeled frequency
Ice StormRelatively Moderate$414K1.2 a year (modeled)
DroughtRelatively Moderate$833K37 modeled event-days a year
TornadoRelatively Low$1.1Monce in about 5 years (modeled)
HailRelatively Low$202K5.7 a year (modeled)
HurricaneVery Low$30Konce in about 58 years (modeled)
WildfireVery Low$23Konce in about 836 years (modeled)
Heat WaveVery Low$174K16 modeled event-days a year
EarthquakeVery Low$39Konce in about 833 years (modeled)

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

Counties that share a border with Delta County

  1. Hunt County 876
  2. Fannin County 804
  3. Lamar County 765
  4. Hopkins County 754
  5. Red River County 646
  6. Franklin County 438
  7. Delta County 360

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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