Hardin County, Texas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 48199 · population 56,129 · 891 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 332 records for Hardin County, Texas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 245 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (117 records). The deadliest single record is the February 6, 2018 lightning: 1 death and 1 injury. FEMA has issued 32 declarations naming the county since 1973, 29 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
- 332on 245 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 24 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $975Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 27strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 32latest 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 Hardin County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 117 since 1961. 40% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1961 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 117 | 97 | 1961-2026 | 0 | 2 | $7.5M | 112 of 254 |
| Hail | 91 | 67 | 1957-2024 | 0 | 0 | $1K | 184 of 254 |
| Floods | 56 | 46 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $739M | 96 of 254 |
| Tornadoes | 27 | 25 | 1964-2023 | 1 | 1 | $7.3M | 145 of 254 |
| Winter storms | 14 | 14 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | 182 of 254 |
| Drought | 6 | 6 | 1996-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 245 of 254 |
| Wildfires | 5 | 5 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | 81 of 254 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 4 | 4 | 2005-2020 | 0 | 0 | $217M | 37 of 254 |
| Heat | 3 | 3 | 2000-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 156 of 254 |
| High wind and dust storms | 3 | 3 | 1996-2012 | 0 | 0 | $12K | 139 of 254 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2012-2013 | 0 | 0 | – | 109 of 254 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 2008-2018 | 1 | 1 | $103K | 96 of 254 |
| Extreme cold | 1 | 1 | 2010-2010 | 0 | 0 | $68K | 214 of 254 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2016-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 142 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 Hardin County had?
NOAA records 27 tornadoes in Hardin County from 1964 to 2023, the strongest rated F2, with 1 death and 1 injury 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 30 tornadoes whose track touched Hardin County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 27: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-11-23 16:27, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F2 | 8 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Texas.
Every tornado record filed for Hardin County (27)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-05-08 | Nona, Hardin County | EF0 6.08 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $24K |
| 2018-10-31 | Silsbee, Hardin County | EF0 0.07 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2012-01-25 | Village Mills, Hardin County | EF0 2.53 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $13K |
| 2009-03-27 | Votaw, Hardin County | EF0 0.01 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-10-16 | Fletcher, Hardin County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2006-04-29 | Kountze, Hardin County | F0 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 2004-11-23 | Kountze, Hardin County | F2 3 mi x 600 yd | 1 | 0 | $781K |
| 2004-11-23 | Honey Is, Hardin County | F1 16 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.7M |
| 2002-10-28 | Lumberton, Hardin County | F1 2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $164K |
| 2001-10-12 | Sour Lake, Hardin County | F0 2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-10-12 | Lumberton, Hardin County | F0 0.5 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2001-10-11 | Saratoga, Hardin County | F0 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $17K |
| 1999-05-10 | Silsbee, Hardin County | F0 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $89K |
| 1998-10-18 | Sour Lake, Hardin County | F0 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $18K |
| 1995-01-18 | Lumberton, Hardin County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1994-11-05 | Sour Lake, Hardin County | F2 2 mi x 700 yd | 0 | 1 | $6K |
| 1979-10-22 | Hardin County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1978-08-28 | Hardin County | F1 0.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1974-10-28 | Hardin County | F2 8.4 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1973-12-19 | Hardin County | F1 0.2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1973-07-25 | Hardin County | F1 1.3 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1973-06-12 | Hardin County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1970-10-23 | Hardin County | F1 0.1 mi x 67 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1970-01-10 | Hardin County | F2 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1967-05-30 | Hardin County | F2 3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1967-03-20 | Hardin County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1964-03-19 | Hardin County | F2 0.2 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K 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 Hardin County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 16, 2026 flash flood ($2,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-16 | Flash FloodVillage Mills, Hardin County | 0 | 0 | $2K | |
| 2026-06-16 | Flash FloodBragg, Hardin County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-16 | Flash FloodFresenius, Hardin County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-14 | Thunderstorm WindAriola, Hardin County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-14 | Thunderstorm WindSilsbee, Hardin County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-02-14 | Thunderstorm WindAriola, Hardin County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindFletcher, Hardin County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2025-01-21 | Winter StormHardin County · forecast zone Hardin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2023-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindFletcher, Hardin County | 71 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-05-08 | TornadoNona, Hardin County | EF0 6.08 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $24K |
| 2023-04-15 | HailVillage Mills, Hardin County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-04-15 | HailAriola, Hardin County | 3.50 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-02-06 | LightningHoney Is, Hardin County A 22 year old male was struck by lightning while working on cattle fencing along Starlight Road near Honey Island. A 57 year old male was also hit sustaining 2nd degree burns. A nearby cow was knocked to the ground. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2004-11-23 | TornadoKountze, Hardin County A second tornado touched down in northeastern Hardin County, was was witnessed by many people. Residents could see both tornadoes on the ground for a brief time. One elderly woman was killed when several large trees fell on the mobile home she was in. Between 10 and 20 homes were damaged or destroyed, mainly near ... | F2 3 mi x 600 yd | 1 | 0 | $781K |
| 2019-10-29 | Thunderstorm WindKountze Silsbee Airport, Hardin County A thunderstorm downburst produced wind gusts of 90 to 100 mph across parts of Hardin County from Kountze to Silsbee. Damage started around the Hwy 326/ Hwy 770 intersection southwest of Kountze, where numerous trees were snapped or uprooted. Part of the roof of the Hardin County Show Barn was ripped off. In Kountze, ... | 120 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $3.5M |
| 1996-05-29 | Thunderstorm WindSour Lake, Hardin County Severe downburst winds hit the community of Sour Lake. 1 man was injured in a motel room when the ceiling and air conditioner collapsed on him. Between 20 and 30 percent of the building in Sour Lkae received some kind of damage. 5 homes were completely destoyed, 20 homes were severely damaged, and 60 homes received ... | 0 | 1 | $2.1M | |
| 1994-11-05 | TornadoSour Lake, Hardin County A tornado touched down 1.5 miles NNW of Sour Lake and moved toward the northeast for 2 miles, crossing State Highway 326 in the process. It tracked across open fields and the only damage was to trees and fencing along the path. The tornado path averaged around 50 yards wide, increasing to nearly 0.5 miles wide at one ... | F2 2 mi x 700 yd | 0 | 1 | $6K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-08-27 | Flash FloodLoeb, Hardin County | 0 | 0 | $722M | |
| 2008-09-12 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Hardin County · forecast zone Hardin | 0 | 0 | $96M | |
| 2005-09-23 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Hardin County · forecast zone Hardin | 0 | 0 | $76M | |
| 2020-08-26 | Tropical StormHardin County · forecast zone Hardin | 0 | 0 | $34M | |
| 2020-10-09 | Tropical StormHardin County · forecast zone Hardin | 0 | 0 | $11M | |
| 2019-09-18 | Flash FloodLoeb, Hardin County | 0 | 0 | $9.2M | |
| 2019-10-29 | Thunderstorm WindKountze Silsbee Airport, Hardin County | 120 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $3.5M |
| 2006-10-16 | FloodLumberton, Hardin County | 0 | 0 | $2.9M |
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: March 19, 1964 (tornado, Hardin County); October 28, 1974 (tornado, Hardin 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 Hardin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 2 | 1 | 21 | 28 | 29 | 17 | 19 |
| Hail | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 17 | 28 | 19 | 15 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 3 | 9 | 23 | 21 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 2 | 1 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 3 | 7 | 3 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
40% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1961 fell in April and May. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 31 · Feb 22 · Mar 31 · Apr 49 · May 71 · Jun 27 · Jul 13 · Aug 19 · Sep 12 · Oct 24 · Nov 16 · Dec 17 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Hardin County
FEMA's register lists 32 declarations that include Hardin County: 21 major disasters, 11 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (9) and severe storm (6).
| 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 |
| 2020-08-24 | EM-3540 | Hurricane | Tropical Storms Marco and Laura |
| 2020-03-25 | DR-4485 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3458 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017-08-25 | DR-4332 | Hurricane | Hurricane Harvey |
| 2016-06-11 | DR-4272 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2015-11-25 | DR-4245 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2015-05-29 | DR-4223 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding |
| 2011-09-09 | DR-4029 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2011-07-01 | DR-1999 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2008-09-13 | DR-1791 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ike |
| 2008-09-10 | EM-3294 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ike |
| 2008-08-29 | EM-3290 | Hurricane | Hurricane Gustav |
| 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 |
| 2002-11-05 | DR-1439 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 2001-06-09 | DR-1379 | Coastal Storm | Tx-Tropical Storm Allison-06-06-2001 |
| 1999-09-01 | EM-3142 | Fire | Extreme Fire Hazards |
| 1998-08-26 | DR-1239 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Charley |
| 1996-02-23 | EM-3117 | Fire | Extreme Fire Hazard |
| 1994-10-18 | DR-1041 | Flood | Severe Thunderstorms and Flooding |
| 1989-07-18 | DR-836 | Flood | Tropical Storm Allison |
| 1989-05-19 | DR-828 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1979-04-26 | DR-580 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1973-07-11 | DR-398 | Flood | Severe Storms & 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 Hardin County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 56 flood or flash flood records for Hardin County from 1997 to 2026, on 46 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Hardin County ranks 165th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Laura | 2020-08-26 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Imelda | 2019-09-18 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Harvey | 2017-08-27 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Ike | 2008-09-12 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Rita | 2005-09-23 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Allison | 2001-06-07 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $191 million on 2,405 claims filed in Hardin County; the most in one year was 851 in 2017. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 4 · 1979: 81 · 1980: 26 · 1981: 7 · 1982: 5 · 1983: 42 · 1984: 2 · 1985: 1 · 1986: 26 · 1987: 18 · 1989: 156 · 1990: 3 · 1991: 9 · 1992: 9 · 1993: 4 · 1994: 280 · 1995: 8 · 1996: 2 · 1997: 1 · 1998: 15 · 1999: 3 · 2000: 3 · 2001: 97 · 2002: 53 · 2003: 17 · 2004: 2 · 2005: 122 · 2006: 165 · 2007: 48 · 2008: 51 · 2009: 3 · 2011: 3 · 2012: 5 · 2013: 11 · 2014: 2 · 2015: 87 · 2016: 49 · 2017: 851 · 2018: 4 · 2019: 53 · 2020: 2 · 2021: 4 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 10 · 2024: 39 · 2025: 4 · 2026: 17; 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 Hardin County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Hardin County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $27.1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Relatively High | $1.1M | 77 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $753K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $4.9M | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $5.0M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.3M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $535K | once in about 255 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $837K | 11 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $11M | 1.3 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 Hardin 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
- Severe thunderstorm wind in TexasThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, 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 Hardin CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Hardin County's FEMA declarations (CSV)32 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis