Falls County, Texas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 48145 · population 16,926 · 765 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 429 records for Falls County, Texas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 320 days; the most frequent are hail reports (96 records). The deadliest single record is the February 11, 2021 ice storm, filed for the forecast zone Falls, which covers the county: 1 death. FEMA has issued 16 declarations naming the county since 1974, 14 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
- 429on 320 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 30 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $5.9Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 19strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 16latest 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 Falls County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 96 since 1960. 59% of its hail reports since 1960 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.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 96 | 67 | 1960-2026 | 0 | 0 | $447K | 166 of 254 |
| Drought | 89 | 89 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $3.2M | 44 of 254 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 86 | 70 | 1956-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 142 of 254 |
| Floods | 51 | 32 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $429K | 118 of 254 |
| Heat | 51 | 49 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 44 of 254 |
| Tornadoes | 19 | 16 | 1954-2024 | 0 | 0 | $266K | 184 of 254 |
| Winter storms | 19 | 19 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $48K | 152 of 254 |
| Extreme cold | 8 | 8 | 2019-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 57 of 254 |
| Heavy rain | 6 | 6 | 1997-2013 | 1 | 0 | $38K | 34 of 254 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 1997-2020 | 0 | 0 | $29K | 90 of 254 |
| High wind and dust storms | 1 | 1 | 2006-2006 | 0 | 0 | $7K | 180 of 254 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2012-2012 | 0 | 0 | $3K | 128 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 Falls County had?
NOAA records 19 tornadoes in Falls County from 1954 to 2024, the strongest rated EF1, 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 19 tornadoes whose track touched Falls County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 19, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Texas.
Every tornado record filed for Falls County (19)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-23 | Mt Rose, Falls County | EF0 13.17 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-05-23 | Dot, Falls County | EF0 18.51 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $470 |
| 2024-05-23 | Belvins, Falls County | EF1 2.33 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $188K |
| 2023-04-02 | Stranger, Falls County | EFU 0.95 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-03-21 | Rosebud, Falls County | EF0 0.39 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2010-09-08 | Perry, Falls County | EF0 0.62 mi x 115 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-03-21 | Marlin, Falls County | F0 0.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-03-30 | Reagan, Falls County | F0 0.7 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 1998-01-04 | Chilton, Falls County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-09-19 | Westphalia, Falls County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-09-15 | Westphalia, Falls County | F1 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $56K |
| 1987-06-03 | Falls County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1987-06-03 | Falls County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1986-05-17 | Falls County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1985-05-13 | Falls County | F0 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1971-11-17 | Falls County | F1 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1962-06-12 | Falls County | F1 2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1955-05-19 | Falls County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1954-06-02 | Falls 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 Falls County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 6, 2026 flash flood ($8,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | HeatFalls County · forecast zone Falls | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-14 | Flash FloodZipperlenville, Falls County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-06 | FloodTravis, Falls County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-06 | Flash FloodMarlin, Falls County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-06 | Flash FloodZipperlenville, Falls County | 0 | 0 | $8K | |
| 2026-06-06 | Flash FloodWestphalia, Falls County | 0 | 0 | $8K | |
| 2026-06-06 | Flash FloodLott, Falls County | 0 | 0 | $75K | |
| 2026-06-06 | Flash FloodPerry, Falls County | 0 | 0 | $10K | |
| 2026-06-06 | Flash FloodNorth Prairie, Falls County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-28 | HailOtto, Falls County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $13K |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtFalls County · forecast zone Falls | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-15 | DroughtFalls County · forecast zone Falls | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-02-11 | Ice StormFalls County · forecast zone Falls Freezing rain and sleet fell across Falls County. Total ice accumulations ranged up to about 1/2 inch. One fatal accident occurred: Broadcast media reported a fatal accident due to ice on the Big Creek Bridge on State Highway 7 near County Road 181 east of the city of Marlin, TX. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2016-03-09 | FloodMarlin Airport, Falls County The body of a rancher was found in flood waters along Big Creek after the creek rose up onto the rancher's property. The rancher disappeared on the evening of the 9th when we went out to move cattle out of the flood waters. His body was recovered on his property under 5 feet of water on the 11th. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2013-10-14 | Heavy RainMooreville, Falls County A 26 year old male was killed when his car lost control on a curve in a heavy downpour and slid into an oncoming tractor-trailor. The accident occurred on Highway 7 about 3 miles west of Chilton. | 1 | 0 | $38K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-04-08 | Thunderstorm WindWestphalia, Falls County | 63 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $436K |
| 2024-05-23 | TornadoBelvins, Falls County | EF1 2.33 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $188K |
| 2023-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindRosebud, Falls County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $97K |
| 2024-05-23 | HailStranger, Falls County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $94K |
| 2026-06-06 | Flash FloodLott, Falls County | 0 | 0 | $75K | |
| 2023-06-16 | HailMooreville, Falls County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $58K |
| 1996-09-15 | TornadoWestphalia, Falls County | F1 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $56K |
| 2022-04-12 | HailZipperlenville, Falls County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $50K |
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: November 17, 1971 (tornado, Falls 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 Falls 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 30 | 23 | 14 | 17 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 2 | 22 | 38 | 27 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 20 | 22 | 13 | 14 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 10 | 18 | 8 | 15 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 2 | 3 | 7 | 39 z |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
Heat in the 2020-26: 39 records against 7 in the decade before, 39 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 Falls 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?
59% of its hail reports since 1960 fell in April and May. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 27 · Feb 22 · Mar 47 · Apr 54 · May 72 · Jun 50 · Jul 29 · Aug 48 · Sep 26 · Oct 22 · Nov 14 · Dec 18 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Falls County
FEMA's register lists 16 declarations that include Falls County: 9 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (3) and fire (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-17 | DR-4781 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2023-04-21 | DR-4705 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| 2016-06-11 | DR-4272 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2008-03-14 | EM-3284 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 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 |
| 1999-09-01 | EM-3142 | Fire | Extreme Fire Hazards |
| 1998-08-26 | DR-1239 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Charley |
| 1993-09-10 | EM-3113 | Drought | Extreme Fire Hazard |
| 1974-11-30 | DR-454 | Flood | Severe 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 Falls County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 51 flood or flash flood records for Falls County from 1996 to 2026, on 32 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Falls County ranks 2400th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $178,000 on 9 claims filed in Falls County; the most in one year was 3 in 1991. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1987: 1 · 1991: 3 · 1992: 1 · 1997: 1 · 2004: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2024: 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 Falls County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Falls County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $6.0 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $1.7M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $225K | 52 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $339K | once in about 21 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $222K | 46 modeled event-days a year |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $280K | 3.6 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $305K | 16 modeled event-days a year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $635K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $30K | 2.8 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 Falls 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
- Hail in TexasThe state's hail reports, 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 Falls CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Falls County's FEMA declarations (CSV)16 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis