Hamilton County, Texas

County storm and disaster record · FIPS 48193 · population 8,208 · 836 sq mi

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 564 records for Hamilton County, Texas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 382 days; the most frequent are hail reports (204 records). The most damaging was the April 26, 1994 hail ($10.0 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 18 declarations naming the county since 1990, 16 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding” on July 6, 2025.

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
564on 382 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
Deaths recorded
011 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars
$30Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
Tornadoes
26strongest F2
FEMA declarations
18latest 2025

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 Hamilton County most?

The most frequent records are hail reports: 204 since 1968. 60% of its hail reports since 1968 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.

Hamilton County: records by hazard, 1950 to June 30, 2026
HazardRecordsDaysFirst, lastKilledInjuredDamageRank in state
Hail 204 121 1968-2026 0 0 $11M 103 of 254
Severe thunderstorm wind 124 88 1956-2026 0 1 $2.3M 115 of 254
Drought 85 85 1996-2023 0 0 $1.7M 70 of 254
Floods 44 32 1996-2025 0 0 $12M 127 of 254
Heat 41 39 1998-2026 0 0 – 76 of 254
Tornadoes 26 21 1954-2021 0 10 $2.8M 165 of 254
Winter storms 23 23 1996-2026 0 0 $782K 143 of 254
Extreme cold 8 8 2019-2026 0 0 – 70 of 254
Heavy rain 5 5 1997-2007 0 0 – 54 of 254
High wind and dust storms 2 2 1996-2025 0 0 $4K 154 of 254
Wildfires 2 2 2008-2011 0 0 $79K 152 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 Hamilton County had?

NOAA records 26 tornadoes in Hamilton County from 1954 to 2021, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 10 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 Hamilton County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 26, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.

Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Texas.

Every tornado record filed for Hamilton County (26)
Every tornado recorded in Hamilton County, newest first
DatePlaceCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2021-03-24 Aleman, Hamilton County EFU 0.95 mi x 50 yd 0 0 –
2015-05-10 Shive, Hamilton County EF1 5.1 mi x 105 yd 0 0 $125K
2013-05-15 Evant, Hamilton County EF0 1.04 mi x 40 yd 0 0 $25K
2013-05-15 Evant, Hamilton County EF0 0.21 mi x 30 yd 0 0 $13K
2002-03-30 Hico, Hamilton County F0 2.5 mi x 100 yd 0 0 $123K
2002-03-30 Carlton, Hamilton County F0 1.2 mi x 40 yd 0 0 $8K
1998-01-05 Hico, Hamilton County F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd 0 0 –
1996-10-21 Hamilton County F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd 0 0 –
1994-06-09 Hamilton County F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd 0 0 –
1991-04-28 Hamilton County F2 0.2 mi x 10 yd 0 0 $250K step
1991-04-28 Hamilton County F1 0.2 mi x 10 yd 0 0 $250K step
1989-06-07 Hamilton County F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd 0 0 –
1989-05-02 Hamilton County F1 0.2 mi x 10 yd 0 0 –
1987-05-27 Hamilton County F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd 0 4 –
1987-05-27 Hamilton County F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd 0 0 –
1982-05-12 Hamilton County F1 4 mi x 73 yd 0 0 $25K step
1981-06-15 Hamilton County F1 0 0 –
1981-06-15 Hamilton County F1 0 0 –
1980-05-07 Hamilton County F0 0 0 –
1979-04-11 Hamilton County F2 9 mi x 200 yd 0 3 $250K step
1979-03-31 Hamilton County F1 0 0 –
1978-04-30 Hamilton County F1 0 0 –
1971-04-16 Hamilton County F1 0.2 mi x 17 yd 0 0 $3K step
1964-04-24 Hamilton County F1 0.5 mi x 67 yd 0 3 $3K step
1955-08-29 Hamilton County F1 0.3 mi x 17 yd 0 0 $250 step
1954-04-30 Hamilton County F1 6.1 mi x 880 yd 0 0 $25K 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 Hamilton County?

The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 6, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).

The 12 most recent records kept for Hamilton County
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-06-18 HeatHamilton County · forecast zone Hamilton 0 0 –
2026-06-06 Thunderstorm WindOlin, Hamilton County 48 kt wind 0 0 $5K
2026-05-10 Thunderstorm WindHamilton County 52 kt wind 0 0 $5K
2026-05-10 Thunderstorm WindHamilton County 56 kt wind 0 0 $7K
2026-05-10 Thunderstorm WindHamilton Municipal Airport, Hamilton County 51 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-05-10 HailHamilton County 2.75 in hail 0 0 $15K
2026-05-10 HailWhiteway, Hamilton County 2.75 in hail 0 0 $15K
2026-05-10 HailLanham, Hamilton County 4.50 in hail 0 0 $21K
2026-05-10 HailLanham, Hamilton County 2.00 in hail 0 0 $9K
2026-05-10 HailLanham, Hamilton County 1.50 in hail 0 0 –
2026-05-10 HailCarlton, Hamilton County 1.50 in hail 0 0 –
2026-04-29 HailHamilton County 1.50 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

Records with deaths or injuries in Hamilton County, most deaths first
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
1987-05-27 TornadoHamilton County F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd 0 4 –
1979-04-11 TornadoHamilton County F2 9 mi x 200 yd 0 3 $250K step
1964-04-24 TornadoHamilton County F1 0.5 mi x 67 yd 0 3 $3K step
2007-05-02 Thunderstorm WindHico, Hamilton County Numerous trees down across the county; two trailers were damaged with one person trapped inside. 50 kt wind 0 1 $43K

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.

The costliest records in Hamilton County since 1993, damage in 2025 dollars
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
1994-04-26 HailHamilton County 0.00 in hail 0 0 $10.0M
1997-02-20 Flash FloodHamilton County 0 0 $4.2M
2007-06-26 Flash FloodHico, Hamilton County 0 0 $2.8M
2007-06-27 Flash FloodHamilton County 0 0 $854K
2007-07-08 Flash FloodCarlton, Hamilton County 0 0 $854K
2011-04-10 Thunderstorm WindIndian Gap, Hamilton County 65 kt wind 0 0 $722K
2011-04-10 HailHamilton County 1.75 in hail 0 0 $328K
2011-04-10 Thunderstorm WindHamilton Municipal Airport, Hamilton County 56 kt wind 0 0 $262K

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: April 11, 1979 (tornado, Hamilton County); April 28, 1991 (tornado, Hamilton County); April 28, 1991 (tornado, Hamilton 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 Hamilton 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).

Hamilton County: records per decade (the 2020s to June 30, 2026)
Hazard1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020-26
Hail0122164394037
Severe thunderstorm wind212124526279
Drought––––2183926
Floods––––92096
Heat––––23531 z
Tornadoes21485231

Heat in the 2020-26: 31 records against 5 in the decade before, 31 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 Hamilton 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?

60% of its hail reports since 1968 fell in April and May. The two busiest months are in violet.

The values, month by month

Jan 36 · Feb 33 · Mar 57 · Apr 89 · May 120 · Jun 76 · Jul 31 · Aug 42 · Sep 18 · Oct 30 · Nov 13 · Dec 19 (records).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.

Federal disaster declarations for Hamilton County

FEMA's register lists 18 declarations that include Hamilton County: 10 major disasters, 7 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for fire (4) and flood (3).

Declarations including Hamilton County, newest first
DeclaredNumberTypeTitle
2025-07-06DR-4879FloodSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding
2024-05-17DR-4781FloodSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding
2021-02-19DR-4586Severe Ice StormSevere Winter Storms
2021-02-14EM-3554Severe Ice StormSevere Winter Storm
2020-03-25DR-4485BiologicalCovid-19 Pandemic
2020-03-13EM-3458BiologicalCovid-19
2009-04-10FM-2815Fire617 Fire
2008-03-14EM-3284FireWildfires
2007-06-29DR-1709Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding
2006-01-11DR-1624FireExtreme Wildfire Threat
2005-09-24DR-1606HurricaneHurricane Rita
2005-09-21EM-3261HurricaneHurricane Rita
2005-09-02EM-3216HurricaneHurricane Katrina Evacuation
1999-09-01EM-3142FireExtreme Fire Hazards
1998-08-26DR-1239Severe StormTropical Storm Charley
1993-09-10EM-3113DroughtExtreme Fire Hazard
1991-12-26DR-930FloodSevere Thunderstorms
1990-05-02DR-863Severe StormSevere Storms, 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 Hamilton County had?

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 44 flood or flash flood records for Hamilton County from 1996 to 2025, on 32 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Hamilton County ranks 2756th of 2,942 U.S. counties.

The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $5,523 on 2 claims filed in Hamilton County; the most in one year was 1 in 2012. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.

The values, year by year

2012: 1 · 2013: 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 Hamilton County

FEMA's National Risk Index rates Hamilton County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $4.9 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.

National Risk Index ratings for Hamilton County (December 2025 release), by FEMA's rating, then score
HazardRisk ratingExpected annual lossModeled frequency
WildfireRelatively Low$607Konce in about 250 years (modeled)
HailRelatively Low$272K5.3 a year (modeled)
DroughtRelatively Low$132K68 modeled event-days a year
TornadoRelatively Low$981Konce in about 2 years (modeled)
Cold WaveRelatively Low$579Kabout once a year (modeled)
LightningRelatively Low$117K50 a year (modeled)
Winter WeatherRelatively Low$29K4.1 a year (modeled)
Strong WindRelatively Low$165K1.8 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 Hamilton County

  1. Erath County 734
  2. Coryell County 669
  3. Bosque County 650
  4. Comanche County 636
  5. Hamilton County 564
  6. Lampasas County 430
  7. Mills County 389

Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.

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