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.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank 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)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 2 | 21 | 64 | 39 | 40 | 37 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 2 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 45 | 26 | 27 | 9 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 2 | 18 | 39 | 26 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 9 | 20 | 9 | 6 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 2 | 3 | 5 | 31 z |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
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).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-06 | DR-4879 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2009-04-10 | FM-2815 | Fire | 617 Fire |
| 2008-03-14 | EM-3284 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2007-06-29 | DR-1709 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 1991-12-26 | DR-930 | Flood | Severe Thunderstorms |
| 1990-05-02 | DR-863 | Severe Storm | Severe 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.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $607K | once in about 250 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $272K | 5.3 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $132K | 68 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $981K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $579K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $117K | 50 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $29K | 4.1 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $165K | 1.8 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
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 Hamilton CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Hamilton County's FEMA declarations (CSV)18 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis