DeWitt County, Texas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 48123 · population 19,811 · 909 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 372 records for DeWitt County, Texas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 298 days; the most frequent are floods and flash floods (124 records). The most damaging was the October 18, 1998 flood ($55.2 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 22 declarations naming the county since 1967, 20 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Beryl” on July 9, 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
- 372on 298 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 01,120 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $109Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 15strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 22latest 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 DeWitt County most?
The most frequent records are floods and flash floods: 124 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | 124 | 101 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 1,120 | $76M | 24 of 254 |
| Drought | 75 | 75 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 116 of 254 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 69 | 56 | 1958-2026 | 0 | 0 | $15M | 189 of 254 |
| Hail | 64 | 47 | 1961-2026 | 0 | 0 | $14M | 220 of 254 |
| Tornadoes | 15 | 12 | 1960-2009 | 0 | 0 | $354K | 212 of 254 |
| Winter storms | 12 | 12 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 196 of 254 |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 2020-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 147 of 254 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 2 | 2021-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 190 of 254 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 2 | 2 | 2003-2017 | 0 | 0 | $3.9M | 61 of 254 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 2009-2023 | 0 | 0 | $76K | 100 of 254 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2005-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 111 of 254 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2017-2017 | 0 | 0 | – | 188 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 DeWitt County had?
NOAA records 15 tornadoes in DeWitt County from 1960 to 2009, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 0 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 15 tornadoes whose track touched DeWitt County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 15, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Texas.
Every tornado record filed for DeWitt County (15)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-04-27 | Little St Louis, DeWitt County | EF0 0.05 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $69K |
| 2004-11-23 | Yorktown, DeWitt County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-11-23 | Cuero, DeWitt County | F1 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-09-20 | Cuero, DeWitt County | F1 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $19K |
| 1993-05-18 | Meyersville, DeWitt County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 1993-05-18 | Cuero, DeWitt County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1983-05-03 | DeWitt County | F0 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1978-04-23 | DeWitt County | F1 0.1 mi x 13 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1972-07-30 | DeWitt County | F0 0.5 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1970-08-03 | DeWitt County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1969-05-16 | DeWitt County | F1 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1969-04-11 | DeWitt County | F2 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1967-09-20 | DeWitt County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1967-09-20 | DeWitt County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1960-06-25 | DeWitt County | F0 0.4 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K 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 DeWitt County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the February 14, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($2,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtDeWitt County · forecast zone De Witt | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtDeWitt County · forecast zone De Witt | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtDeWitt County · forecast zone De Witt | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtDeWitt County · forecast zone De Witt | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-14 | Thunderstorm WindNordheim, DeWitt County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-02-14 | HailCuero, DeWitt County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-14 | HailLindenau, DeWitt County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-14 | HailLittle St Louis, DeWitt County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtDeWitt County · forecast zone De Witt | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormDeWitt County · forecast zone De Witt | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-01 | DroughtDeWitt County · forecast zone De Witt | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-16 | DroughtDeWitt County · forecast zone De Witt | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-10-18 | Flash FloodCountywide, DeWitt County The Great October FloodIn advance of a very slow-moving upper level trough of low pressure over West Texas, a cold front drifted slowly southeastward into West Central Texas during the evening of Friday, October 16th. Deep moisture was in place across South Central Texas as the two systems approached, being fed at the ... | 0 | 500 | $11M | |
| 1998-10-18 | FloodDeWitt County · forecast zone De Witt Flooding along the Guadalupe RiverThe Guadalupe River at New Braunfels crested at 35.1 feet, with flood stage at 7 feet. This was over three feet higher than the disastrous flood of May 12, 1972. Homes were destroyed, moved downstream, or severely damaged from just below Sattler, near the Bear Creek confluence, across ... | 0 | 500 | $55M | |
| 1998-10-17 | Flash FloodCountywide, DeWitt County The Great October FloodIn advance of a very slow-moving upper level trough of low pressure over West Texas, a cold front drifted slowly southeastward into West Central Texas during the evening of Friday, October 16th. Deep moisture was in place across South Central Texas as the two systems approached, being fed at the ... | 0 | 50 | $1.9M | |
| 1998-10-17 | FloodDeWitt County · forecast zone De Witt Sandies Creek in Dewitt County crested at 28.6 feet, with flood stage at 21 feet. Flow just barely topped the two- foot high railing at the bridge near Westhoff. | 0 | 50 | $1.9M | |
| 2001-08-31 | Flash FloodCountywide, DeWitt County As the showers and thunderstorms continued moving southeastward, they entered Lavaca and DeWitt Counties just after midnight. Falling over soils that remained saturated from the extreme rainfall of the past two days, rain accumulations averaged almost three inches, with amounts over 6 inches in southern Gonzales ... | 0 | 20 | $583K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-10-18 | FloodDeWitt County · forecast zone De Witt | 0 | 500 | $55M | |
| 1994-04-15 | HailCountywide, DeWitt County | 0.88 in hail | 0 | 0 | $11M |
| 1994-04-15 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, DeWitt County | 0 | 0 | $11M | |
| 1998-10-18 | Flash FloodCountywide, DeWitt County | 0 | 500 | $11M | |
| 2003-07-15 | Tropical StormDeWitt County · forecast zone De Witt | 0 | 0 | $3.8M | |
| 2017-08-28 | FloodLindenau, DeWitt County | 0 | 0 | $3.6M | |
| 1998-10-17 | Flash FloodCountywide, DeWitt County | 0 | 50 | $1.9M | |
| 1997-04-10 | Flash FloodCountywide, DeWitt County | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
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: May 16, 1969 (tornado, DeWitt 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 DeWitt 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 28 | 74 | 13 | 9 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 5 | 3 | 36 | 31 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 2 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 20 | 16 | 15 | 1 |
| Hail | 0 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 24 | 6 | 4 | 12 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 |
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 DeWitt County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 15 · Feb 28 · Mar 26 · Apr 52 · May 64 · Jun 38 · Jul 33 · Aug 27 · Sep 21 · Oct 25 · Nov 29 · Dec 14 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for DeWitt County
FEMA's register lists 22 declarations that include DeWitt County: 14 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (9) and flood (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-07-09 | DR-4798 | Hurricane | Hurricane Beryl |
| 2021-02-19 | DR-4586 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021-02-14 | EM-3554 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020-03-25 | DR-4485 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3458 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017-08-25 | DR-4332 | Hurricane | Hurricane Harvey |
| 2015-05-29 | DR-4223 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding |
| 2008-09-10 | EM-3294 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ike |
| 2008-08-29 | EM-3290 | Hurricane | Hurricane Gustav |
| 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 |
| 2003-07-17 | DR-1479 | Hurricane | Hurricane Claudette |
| 2002-07-04 | DR-1425 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1999-09-01 | EM-3142 | Fire | Extreme Fire Hazards |
| 1998-10-21 | DR-1257 | Flood | Tx-Flooding 10/18/98 |
| 1998-08-26 | DR-1239 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Charley |
| 1994-10-18 | DR-1041 | Flood | Severe Thunderstorms and Flooding |
| 1993-09-10 | EM-3113 | Drought | Extreme Fire Hazard |
| 1991-12-26 | DR-930 | Flood | Severe Thunderstorms |
| 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 DeWitt County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 124 flood or flash flood records for DeWitt County from 1996 to 2025, on 101 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), DeWitt County ranks 881st of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Harvey | 2017-08-28 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Claudette | 2003-07-15 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $5.9 million on 227 claims filed in DeWitt County; the most in one year was 57 in 1998. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1980: 3 · 1981: 1 · 1987: 27 · 1991: 21 · 1992: 5 · 1993: 2 · 1994: 7 · 1997: 6 · 1998: 57 · 2001: 3 · 2002: 23 · 2004: 24 · 2007: 4 · 2009: 6 · 2010: 2 · 2012: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 3 · 2017: 27 · 2021: 2 · 2023: 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 DeWitt County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates DeWitt County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $31.4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $4.8M | once in about 9 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $22M | 3.6 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.5M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $357K | 59 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $1.6M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $227K | 54 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $88K | once in about 863 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $303K | 1.7 a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with DeWitt 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
- Floods in TexasThe state's floods and flash floods, 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 DeWitt CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download DeWitt County's FEMA declarations (CSV)22 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis