Gillespie County, Texas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 48171 · population 26,686 · 1,058 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 568 records for Gillespie County, Texas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 379 days; the most frequent are hail reports (235 records). The deadliest single record is the November 5, 2000 flash flood: 1 death, 1 injury and $17,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 20 declarations naming the county since 1991, 18 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding” on September 1, 2026.
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
- 568on 379 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 414 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $19Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 17strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 20latest 2026
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 Gillespie County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 235 since 1957. 72% of its hail reports since 1957 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 | 235 | 105 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 0 | $7.8M | 155 of 254 |
| Drought | 101 | 101 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 85 of 254 |
| Floods | 101 | 89 | 1996-2026 | 4 | 9 | $2.4M | 37 of 254 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 56 | 50 | 1956-2025 | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | 207 of 254 |
| Winter storms | 40 | 40 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $675K | 101 of 254 |
| Tornadoes | 17 | 14 | 1962-2020 | 0 | 5 | $5.3M | 211 of 254 |
| Extreme cold | 8 | 8 | 2021-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 105 of 254 |
| Wildfires | 5 | 5 | 2018-2025 | 0 | 0 | $453K | 105 of 254 |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 2018-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 152 of 254 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2023-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 165 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 Gillespie County had?
NOAA records 17 tornadoes in Gillespie County from 1962 to 2020, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 5 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 18 tornadoes whose track touched Gillespie County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 17: 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.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-10-12 20:30, as SPC files it | Stonewall | F3 | 2.5 mi | 0 |
| 1999-05-11 19:20, as SPC files it | Harper | F3 | 3.5 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Texas.
Every tornado record filed for Gillespie County (17)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-12 | Fredericksburg, Gillespie County | EF1 11.56 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $114K |
| 2015-05-25 | Coin City, Gillespie County | EF1 2.39 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-05-01 | Harper, Gillespie County | EF0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-11-16 | Fredericksburg, Gillespie County | F0 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-11-16 | Willow City, Gillespie County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-10-12 | Stonewall, Gillespie County | F3 2.5 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 5 | $1.8M |
| 1999-05-11 | Harper, Gillespie County | F3 3.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.9M |
| 1989-05-17 | Gillespie County | F2 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1976-05-23 | Gillespie County | F1 3.8 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1976-05-23 | Gillespie County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1973-01-20 | Gillespie County | F1 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1972-08-23 | Gillespie County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1972-05-16 | Gillespie County | F1 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1970-05-15 | Gillespie County | F2 0.5 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1965-05-16 | Gillespie County | F2 0.2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1962-05-28 | Gillespie County | F2 5.1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1962-05-28 | Gillespie County | F1 4.3 mi x 27 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 Gillespie County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 26, 2025 hail ($2,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
A thunderstorm produced three inch diameter hail west of Fredericksburg. The hail broke some windows.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1264508)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-26 | FloodDoss, Gillespie County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-26 | HailStonewall, Gillespie County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-26 | HailFredericksburg, Gillespie County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-06 | HailWillow City, Gillespie County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-06 | HailWillow City, Gillespie County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-06 | HailWillow City, Gillespie County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-06 | HailWillow City, Gillespie County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-06 | HailEckert, Gillespie County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-06 | HailEckert, Gillespie County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-06 | HailWillow City, Gillespie County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-06 | HailDoss, Gillespie County | 0.88 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-26 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillGillespie County · forecast zone Gillespie | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-11-05 | Flash FloodSouth Portion, Gillespie County Heavy rain developed along a cold front moving eastward across South Central Texas during the late afternoon and evening. General rainfall of 2 to 3 inches, with isolated totals to near 5 inches, were reported from Burnet to Llano to Leakey to Garner Park and back through Bandera and Fredericksbug to Burnet. Soils ... | 1 | 1 | $17K | |
| 2000-11-02 | Flash FloodSouth Portion, Gillespie County Widespread heavy rainfall from very slow-moving thunderstorms produced generalized 2 to 3 inch amounts from Fredericksburg to Austin to Lexington to Seguin, San Antonio, Bandera, Kerrville and back to Fredericksburg. Isolated rain totals of up to 6 inches were reported between San Antonio and Boerne, with 5 inch ... | 1 | 1 | $17K | |
| 2020-03-21 | Flash FloodMorris Ranch, Gillespie County At 9:26 p.m. CDT Saturday, March 21, the Gillespie County Sheriff's Office and Fredericksburg Fire EMS responded to a report of a vehicle that had been swept away by fast-moving water at the Pedernales River crossing on Alfred Petsch Road. Upon arrival, it was determined that there had been four occupants in a ... | 1 | 0 | $11K | |
| 2007-05-24 | Flash FloodFredericksburg, Gillespie County Continued periods of showers and thunderstorms through the nighttime hours produced general 3 to 4 inch rain amounts over much of Gillespie County. Amounts as high as 6 inches were reported near Willow City and also southwest of Fredericksburg. Most rural roads were closed through both the late evening and in the ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2001-11-15 | Flash FloodCountywide, Gillespie County Along the edge of the Hill Country, rainfall began in the early morning hours, and by 0500 to 0600 CST, average accumulations were in the 2 to 3 inch range and still increasing. By sunrise, totals were up to 4 inches in many locations, with heavy rain continuing into the mid-morning. Widespread flash flooding ... | 0 | 5 | $133K | |
| 2001-10-12 | TornadoStonewall, Gillespie County The strongest of the Friday night tornadoes struck the town of Stonewall. This tornado, rated F3 on the Fujita Scale, was preceded by brief gusty winds of 30 to 40 miles per hour, very heavy rainfall and spotty .5-inch hail. The tornado formed around 830 pm CST near the intersection of Hahn Road and SH290. It moved ... | F3 2.5 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 5 | $1.8M |
| 1996-12-15 | Flash FloodCentral Portion, Gillespie County Almost 5 inches of rain fell across much of Gillespie County late on the evening of the 14th and through the early morning of the 15th. This rainfall caused flash flooding along the Pedernales River as well as across much of central Gillespie County. A deputy sheriff was trapped in his vehicle by rapidly rising water ... | 0 | 1 | $94K | |
| 1996-10-28 | Flash FloodCountywide, Gillespie County Additional heavy rainfall of 3 to 5 inches across the county caused the very rapid redevelopment of widespread flash flooding across the county. Most roads were closed through the early morning hours. Rainfall totals from the evening of the 27th through the morning of the 28th were generally 5 to 8 inches with up to ... | 0 | 1 | $113K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-04-18 | HailHarper, Gillespie County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $7.3M |
| 1999-05-11 | TornadoHarper, Gillespie County | F3 3.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.9M |
| 2001-10-12 | TornadoStonewall, Gillespie County | F3 2.5 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 5 | $1.8M |
| 2012-03-19 | Flash FloodTivydale, Gillespie County | 0 | 0 | $643K | |
| 2023-02-01 | Winter StormGillespie County · forecast zone Gillespie | 0 | 0 | $484K | |
| 2005-06-01 | Thunderstorm WindDoss, Gillespie County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $453K |
| 2018-03-14 | WildfireGillespie County · forecast zone Gillespie | 0 | 0 | $353K | |
| 2005-03-07 | HailFredericksburg, Gillespie County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | $302K |
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 $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 23, 1976 (tornado, Gillespie 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 Gillespie 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 | 2 | 7 | 15 | 18 | 21 | 39 | 62 | 71 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 6 | 5 | 51 z | 39 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 17 | 55 | 19 | 10 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 5 | 16 z | 14 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
Drought in the 2010s: 51 records against 5 in the decade before, 51 of them forecast-zone records. Winter storms in the 2010s: 16 records against 5 in the decade before, 16 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 Gillespie 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?
72% of its hail reports since 1957 fell in April and May. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 31 · Feb 40 · Mar 51 · Apr 91 · May 161 · Jun 53 · Jul 33 · Aug 20 · Sep 25 · Oct 29 · Nov 21 · Dec 13 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Gillespie County
FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Gillespie County: 11 major disasters, 8 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for flood (5) and fire (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-01 | DR-4935 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2026-07-18 | EM-3649 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2025-03-15 | FM-5570 | Fire | Crabapple Fire |
| 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 |
| 2015-05-29 | DR-4223 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds 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 |
| 2002-07-04 | DR-1425 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1999-09-01 | EM-3142 | Fire | Extreme Fire Hazards |
| 1998-08-26 | DR-1239 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Charley |
| 1997-07-07 | DR-1179 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1993-09-10 | EM-3113 | Drought | Extreme Fire Hazard |
| 1991-12-26 | DR-930 | Flood | Severe Thunderstorms |
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 Gillespie County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 101 flood or flash flood records for Gillespie County from 1996 to 2026, on 89 days, with 4 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Gillespie County ranks 2105th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm Erin | 2007-08-16 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $738,000 on 19 claims filed in Gillespie County; the most in one year was 6 in 2026. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1980: 1 · 1994: 1 · 1995: 1 · 2000: 1 · 2002: 3 · 2006: 1 · 2007: 1 · 2009: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2018: 2 · 2026: 6; 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 Gillespie County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Gillespie County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $17.0 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $925K | 3.7 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $851K | 131 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $143K | 4.3 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $2.2M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $347K | 46 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $548K | once in about 543 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $10M | 3 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $745K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Gillespie 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 Gillespie CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Gillespie County's FEMA declarations (CSV)20 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis