Freestone County, Texas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 48161 · population 19,384 · 878 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 391 records for Freestone County, Texas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 299 days; the most frequent are hail reports (95 records). The deadliest single record is the February 15, 2021 extreme cold/wind chill, filed for the forecast zone Freestone, which covers the county: 1 death and $152,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 20 declarations naming the county since 1965, 17 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
- 391on 299 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 25 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $8.8Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 15strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 20latest 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 Freestone County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 95 since 1973. 73% of its hail reports since 1973 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 | 95 | 69 | 1973-2026 | 0 | 0 | $225K | 181 of 254 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 72 | 60 | 1955-2025 | 0 | 2 | $982K | 178 of 254 |
| Drought | 68 | 67 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $3.0M | 136 of 254 |
| Floods | 55 | 35 | 1998-2026 | 1 | 0 | $2.8M | 123 of 254 |
| Heat | 49 | 47 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 64 of 254 |
| Winter storms | 19 | 19 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 2 | $44K | 162 of 254 |
| Tornadoes | 15 | 10 | 1957-2024 | 0 | 0 | $97K | 219 of 254 |
| Extreme cold | 7 | 7 | 2019-2026 | 1 | 0 | $152K | 95 of 254 |
| Heavy rain | 6 | 6 | 1997-2007 | 0 | 0 | $57K | 46 of 254 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 1999-2012 | 0 | 1 | $19K | 94 of 254 |
| High wind and dust storms | 1 | 1 | 2009-2009 | 0 | 0 | $4K | 188 of 254 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 1 | 2008-2008 | 0 | 0 | $41K | 85 of 254 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 184 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 Freestone County had?
NOAA records 15 tornadoes in Freestone County from 1957 to 2024, 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 Freestone 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 Freestone County (15)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-12-24 | Freestone County | EF0 0.51 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $47K |
| 2024-04-28 | Dew, Freestone County | EF0 0.91 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 2024-04-28 | Dew, Freestone County | EF0 1.25 mi x 90 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-10-13 | Donie, Freestone County | EF0 4.14 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-05-25 | Kirvin, Freestone County | EF0 0.33 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2011-04-25 | Simsboro, Freestone County | EF0 3.48 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-04-25 | Wortham, Freestone County | EF0 0.82 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-03-30 | Teague, Freestone County | F0 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 1996-04-28 | Young, Freestone County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-04-28 | Fairfield, Freestone County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1994-11-04 | Teague, Freestone County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1993-04-14 | Teague, Freestone County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 1957-04-24 | Freestone County | F2 4.1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1957-04-24 | Freestone County | F1 0.5 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1957-04-24 | Freestone County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $30 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 Freestone County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 20, 2026 flash flood ($20,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-20 | Flash FloodSimsboro, Freestone County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-20 | Flash FloodDew, Freestone County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-20 | Flash FloodFreestone County | 0 | 0 | $20K | |
| 2026-06-18 | HeatFreestone County · forecast zone Freestone | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtFreestone County · forecast zone Freestone | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-29 | HailFairfield, Freestone County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2026-04-29 | HailStewards Mill, Freestone County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtFreestone County · forecast zone Freestone | 0 | 0 | $10K | |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtFreestone County · forecast zone Freestone | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormFreestone County · forecast zone Freestone | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillFreestone County · forecast zone Freestone | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-24 | HailWortham, Freestone County | 0.75 in hail | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-02-15 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillFreestone County · forecast zone Freestone Extreme cold gripped the county for several days. Overnight lows were near or below 25 degrees Fahrenheit almost all week. The period of February 15-16th was the coldest with low temperatures between 5 and -4 degrees Fahrenheit. The maximum temperature on the 15th was only in the teens. Wind chill values during the ... | 1 | 0 | $152K | |
| 2006-12-29 | Flash FloodKirvin, Freestone County A car stalled in rising flood waters Friday night as heavy rains accompanied thunderstorms. The passengers all managed to get out of the car but were immediately swept away. The woman who was driving and her daughter made it to safety, but the other passenger, a small boy, was not found until several days later. | 1 | 0 | $18K | |
| 2009-01-27 | Ice StormFreestone County · forecast zone Freestone Several wrecks occurred along I-45 due to icy conditions. One person involved in a tractor-trailer accident was injured (indirect). Another wreck involved a truck hauling radioactive material, which slid on ice, hit a guardrail, and caught on fire. This caused I-45 to be shut down for some time. | 0 | 2 | $28K | |
| 1992-08-02 | Thunderstorm WindFreestone County | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 1999-03-27 | LightningFairfield, Freestone County An eight year old girl was injured by lightning. | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-04-28 | Flash FloodWortham, Freestone County | 0 | 0 | $2.1M | |
| 2011-09-04 | WildfireFreestone County · forecast zone Freestone | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 2015-10-24 | Flash FloodDonie, Freestone County | 0 | 0 | $311K | |
| 2021-02-15 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillFreestone County · forecast zone Freestone | 1 | 0 | $152K | |
| 2011-04-25 | HailFairfield, Freestone County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $105K |
| 2024-12-24 | TornadoFreestone County | EF0 0.51 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $47K |
| 2026-06-20 | Flash FloodFreestone County | 0 | 0 | $20K | |
| 1995-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindFairfield, Freestone County | 0 | 0 | $19K |
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: April 24, 1957 (tornado, Freestone 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 Freestone 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 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 30 | 15 | 17 | 18 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 26 | 21 | 5 | 6 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 2 | 14 | 36 | 16 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 9 | 18 | 13 | 15 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 2 | 3 | 7 | 37 z |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 9 | 3 | 4 |
Heat in the 2020-26: 37 records against 7 in the decade before, 37 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 Freestone 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?
73% of its hail reports since 1973 fell in April and May. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 33 · Feb 20 · Mar 23 · Apr 72 · May 65 · Jun 34 · Jul 31 · Aug 33 · Sep 18 · Oct 24 · Nov 16 · Dec 22 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Freestone County
FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Freestone County: 12 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (4) and flood (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-07-09 | DR-4798 | Hurricane | Hurricane Beryl |
| 2024-05-17 | DR-4781 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2013-12-20 | DR-4159 | Severe Storm | 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 |
| 2003-02-01 | EM-3171 | Other | Loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia |
| 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 |
| 1991-12-26 | DR-930 | Flood | Severe Thunderstorms |
| 1990-05-02 | DR-863 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1966-05-12 | DR-218 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1965-06-19 | DR-199 | Tornado | 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 Freestone County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 55 flood or flash flood records for Freestone County from 1998 to 2026, on 35 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Freestone County ranks 2155th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $587,000 on 17 claims filed in Freestone County; the most in one year was 4 in 2019. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 2 · 1983: 1 · 1986: 1 · 2004: 1 · 2007: 1 · 2008: 1 · 2013: 3 · 2015: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2019: 4 · 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 Freestone County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Freestone County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $13.4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $5.0M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $2.0M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $356K | 35 modeled event-days a year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $149K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $240K | 57 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $485K | once in about 25 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $123K | once in about 557 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $286K | 15 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Freestone 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 Freestone CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Freestone County's FEMA declarations (CSV)20 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis