Garza County, Texas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 48169 · population 5,779 · 893 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 609 records for Garza County, Texas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 460 days; the most frequent are hail reports (188 records). The deadliest single record is the February 3, 2014 winter weather, filed for the forecast zone Garza, which covers the county: 1 death and 4 injuries. FEMA has issued 17 declarations naming the county since 1992, 15 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
- 609on 460 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 314 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $78Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 25strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 17latest 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 Garza County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 188 since 1955. 60% of its hail reports since 1955 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 | 188 | 119 | 1955-2026 | 0 | 0 | $3.8M | 119 of 254 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 125 | 112 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 2 | $1.9M | 86 of 254 |
| Drought | 90 | 90 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $2.3M | 72 of 254 |
| High wind and dust storms | 76 | 70 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 1 | $421K | 23 of 254 |
| Winter storms | 53 | 53 | 1997-2026 | 2 | 11 | $500K | 46 of 254 |
| Floods | 29 | 24 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $66M | 168 of 254 |
| Tornadoes | 25 | 19 | 1954-2025 | 0 | 0 | $215K | 181 of 254 |
| Wildfires | 13 | 13 | 2008-2019 | 0 | 0 | $3.2M | 23 of 254 |
| Heavy rain | 4 | 4 | 2000-2014 | 0 | 0 | $20K | 70 of 254 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 2 | 2011-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 188 of 254 |
| Heat | 2 | 2 | 2008-2017 | 0 | 0 | – | 164 of 254 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 1 | 2007-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 90 of 254 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2007-2007 | 1 | 0 | $57K | 143 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 Garza County had?
NOAA records 25 tornadoes in Garza County from 1954 to 2025, 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 26 tornadoes whose track touched Garza County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 25: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Texas.
Every tornado record filed for Garza County (25)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-04-24 | Augustus, Garza County | EFU 1.75 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-24 | Augustus, Garza County | EFU 1.78 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-24 | Augustus, Garza County | EFU 1.84 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-24 | Augustus, Garza County | EFU 2.02 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-24 | Post, Garza County | EFU 1.16 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-05-23 | Graham Chapel, Garza County | EFU 0.38 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-04-16 | Justiceburg, Garza County | EF0 0.75 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2007-06-02 | Justiceburg, Garza County | EF0 0.75 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-05-09 | Post, Garza County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-05-27 | Garza County | F0 0.2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1982-05-16 | Garza County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1978-08-27 | Garza County | F0 2 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1978-07-03 | Garza County | F0 0.5 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1978-05-28 | Garza County | F0 9.1 mi x 90 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1976-04-14 | Garza County | F0 2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1974-11-02 | Garza County | F0 6.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1969-05-15 | Garza County | F0 0.1 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1968-05-31 | Garza County | F1 4.7 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1962-06-16 | Garza County | F2 11.9 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1961-06-05 | Garza County | F2 5.1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1961-06-05 | Garza County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1961-06-05 | Garza County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1959-05-22 | Garza County | F0 2 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1955-05-16 | Garza County | F1 4.9 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1954-04-21 | Garza County | F0 1 mi x 13 yd | 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 Garza County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 17, 2018 thunderstorm wind ($9,402 in damage in 2025 dollars).
A series of downbursts caused a swath of light to moderate damage from Post southeast to Lake Alan Henry. In Post, the metal roof to the city maintenance building was peeled back causing some water damage to the materials and electronics inside. Farther southeast near Lake Alan Henry, very minor damage to boat storage facilities was noted in addition to a damaged road sign.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 747406)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-31 | Flash FloodClose City, Garza County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-31 | Thunderstorm WindPost, Garza County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-15 | Thunderstorm WindPost, Garza County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-15 | Thunderstorm WindGraham Chapel, Garza County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-14 | Thunderstorm WindGraham Chapel, Garza County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-10 | HailJusticeburg, Garza County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-28 | HailPost, Garza County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-27 | High WindGarza County · forecast zone Garza | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-24 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillGarza County · forecast zone Garza | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-23 | Winter StormGarza County · forecast zone Garza | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-08 | Thunderstorm WindGraham Chapel, Garza County | 58 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-06 | HailPost, Garza County | 1.75 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-02-03 | Winter WeatherGarza County · forecast zone Garza Light snow and freezing drizzle occurred on the evening of the third into the morning of the fourth ahead of an upper level trough moving northeast out of northern Mexico. Abundant low level and near surface moisture contributed to freezing drizzle as well as some very light snow amounts from the far southern ... | 1 | 4 | – | |
| 2007-01-12 | Ice StormGarza County · forecast zone Garza A bitterly cold arctic air mass moved into the South Plains region of west Texas during the daytime hours on the 12th. A potent upper level system moving down from the Rockies provided the lift needed for a prolonged period of wintry precipitation which began during the evening hours of the 12th and persisted through ... | 1 | 2 | $178K | |
| 2007-12-08 | Dense FogGarza County · forecast zone Garza Fog, occasionally dense, developed rapidly over the central and western South Plains of west Texas during the late afternoon hours of the 8th...and persisted into the morning hours of the 9th. Although widespread, impacts from the fog were most severe in Garza County. A 51-year-old man from San Antonio, Texas, was ... | 1 | 0 | $57K | |
| 2014-12-30 | Winter WeatherGarza County · forecast zone Garza Following an arctic front the night prior, widespread freezing drizzle developed early on the morning of the 31st throughout much of the region before mixing with and changing to very light snow. East of the Caprock Escarpment, the duration of freezing drizzle was limited to just a couple of hours compared to nearly ... | 0 | 3 | – | |
| 2015-11-27 | Ice StormGarza County · forecast zone Garza Following a sharp cold front which ignited a few strong thunderstorms during the late afternoon hours on Thanksgiving Day, brisk northerly winds and freezing temperatures overspread the region and remained in place for nearly 48 hours. Atop this shallow layer of cold air, anomalously moist air from the Gulf of Mexico ... | 0 | 1 | $50K | |
| 2009-12-23 | Winter StormGarza County · forecast zone Garza A major winter storm brought blizzard conditions and widespread significant snow accumulations to the South Plains region of west Texas on Christmas Eve. The remnant snow pack resulted in a subsequent and rare White Christmas for much of west Texas. Widespread light rain developed over much of west Texas on the 23rd. ... | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2007-02-24 | Dust StormGarza County · forecast zone Garza A powerful storm system impacted the Southern Plains on the 24th. This system resulted in widespread severe winds and dust storm conditions. The Texas Tech University West Texas Mesonet recorded peak gusts up to 70 mph. Damage was reported over a large portion of the central South Plains and the Rolling Plains, with ... | 0 | 1 | $107K | |
| 2006-05-05 | Thunderstorm WindJusticeburg, Garza County A wet microburst produced destructive winds that spread south through a small mobile home community at Lake Alan Henry near the intersection of Farm to Market Roads 2458 and 3519. One resident of the community was injured during the storm. A National Weather Service damage survey team estimated that winds associated ... | 78 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $512K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-05-04 | FloodSouthland, Garza County | 0 | 0 | $63M | |
| 2011-02-27 | WildfireGarza County · forecast zone Garza | 0 | 0 | $2.6M | |
| 2010-07-04 | Flash FloodSouthland, Garza County | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | |
| 2005-08-27 | Thunderstorm WindPost, Garza County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
| 2002-06-04 | HailPost, Garza County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $656K |
| 2015-07-07 | FloodSouthland, Garza County | 0 | 0 | $623K | |
| 2006-05-05 | Thunderstorm WindJusticeburg, Garza County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $512K |
| 2003-06-24 | HailPost, Garza County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $481K |
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 31, 1968 (tornado, Garza 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 Garza 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 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 12 | 34 | 80 | 32 | 15 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 46 | 29 | 32 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 10 | 24 | 49 | 7 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 4 | 24 | 19 | 29 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 17 | 25 | 10 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 11 | 8 | 8 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
60% of its hail reports since 1955 fell in April and May. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 29 · Feb 35 · Mar 44 · Apr 100 · May 127 · Jun 110 · Jul 33 · Aug 35 · Sep 24 · Oct 27 · Nov 22 · Dec 23 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Garza County
FEMA's register lists 17 declarations that include Garza County: 10 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for fire (4) and hurricane (4).
| 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 |
| 2020-03-25 | DR-4485 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3458 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2015-05-29 | DR-4223 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding |
| 2011-07-01 | DR-1999 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2010-08-03 | DR-1931 | Hurricane | Hurricane Alex |
| 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 |
| 2001-01-08 | DR-1356 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Ice Storm |
| 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 |
| 1992-09-09 | DR-960 | Severe Storm | Excessive Rain & Hail |
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 Garza County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 29 flood or flash flood records for Garza County from 1996 to 2026, on 24 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Garza County ranks 2830th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Alex | 2010-07-04 | 2 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $12,000 on 1 claim filed in Garza 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 Garza County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Garza County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $4.7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively High | $2.3M | 75 modeled event-days a year |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $542K | 4.9 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $388K | once in about 183 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $287K | 2.1 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $535K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $24K | 6.4 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $17K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | $149K | about once 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 Garza 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 Garza CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Garza County's FEMA declarations (CSV)17 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis