Henderson County, Texas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 48213 · population 81,982 · 874 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 685 records for Henderson County, Texas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 461 days; the most frequent are hail reports (209 records). The deadliest single record is the February 15, 2021 extreme cold/wind chill, filed for the forecast zone Henderson, which covers the county: 2 deaths and $1.3 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 25 declarations naming the county since 1966, 22 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding” on May 17, 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
- 685on 461 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 438 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $41Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 38strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 25latest 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 Henderson County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 209 since 1955. 53% 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 | 209 | 121 | 1955-2026 | 0 | 0 | $656K | 108 of 254 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 209 | 151 | 1957-2025 | 0 | 10 | $16M | 53 of 254 |
| Drought | 62 | 62 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $3.1M | 148 of 254 |
| Floods | 60 | 42 | 1997-2026 | 1 | 0 | $1.9M | 103 of 254 |
| Heat | 54 | 52 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 54 of 254 |
| Tornadoes | 38 | 33 | 1952-2024 | 0 | 26 | $16M | 103 of 254 |
| Winter storms | 25 | 25 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $293K | 138 of 254 |
| Wildfires | 8 | 8 | 2011-2014 | 0 | 0 | $639K | 45 of 254 |
| Extreme cold | 7 | 7 | 2019-2026 | 2 | 0 | $1.3M | 94 of 254 |
| Heavy rain | 6 | 6 | 1997-2013 | 1 | 0 | – | 45 of 254 |
| High wind and dust storms | 3 | 3 | 2007-2012 | 0 | 0 | $29K | 135 of 254 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 2007-2011 | 0 | 2 | $14K | 73 of 254 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 1 | 2008-2008 | 0 | 0 | $137K | 84 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 Henderson County had?
NOAA records 38 tornadoes in Henderson County from 1952 to 2024, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 26 injuries recorded in the county. That is 103rd of 254 Texas counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. 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 38 tornadoes whose track touched Henderson County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 38, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 2 people, 0 of them in Henderson County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-04-29 16:29, as SPC files it | Eustace | EF4 | 21.42 mi | 2 |
| 1981-05-09 14:10, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F3 | 15 mi | 0 |
| 1979-02-23 09:35, as SPC files it | Coffee | F3 | 10.3 mi | 0 |
| 1959-11-04 01:00, as SPC files it | Brownsboro | F3 | 25.1 mi | 0 |
| 1954-05-02 15:00, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F3 | 0.1 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Texas.
Every tornado record filed for Henderson County (38)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-06-03 | Eustace, Henderson County | EFU 0.46 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-05-23 | Fincastle, Henderson County | EF1 2.69 mi x 480 yd | 0 | 6 | $282K |
| 2022-11-04 | Malakoff, Henderson County | EF2 15.05 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $3.0M |
| 2020-05-16 | Malakoff, Henderson County | EF0 1.03 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $57K |
| 2017-04-29 | Stockard, Henderson County | EF2 8.15 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 5 | $409K |
| 2017-04-29 | Payne Springs, Henderson County | EF2 7.82 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 5 | $710K |
| 2016-03-08 | Trinidad, Henderson County | EF0 5.3 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $246K |
| 2015-12-26 | Eustace, Henderson County | EF0 0.9 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 2010-01-20 | Paynor, Henderson County | EF1 3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $102K |
| 2010-01-20 | Larue, Henderson County | EF2 0.9 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $41K |
| 2006-12-29 | Poynor, Henderson County | F1 3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.9M |
| 2000-03-28 | Trinidad, Henderson County | F0 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-05-04 | Tool, Henderson County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-04-28 | Athens, Henderson County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1994-11-04 | Athens, Henderson County | F1 2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 1 | $100K |
| 1994-05-27 | Moore Station, Henderson County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1994-05-27 | Frankston, Henderson County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-05-17 | Henderson County | F1 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1981-10-13 | Henderson County | F1 6.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1981-06-10 | Henderson County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1981-05-13 | Henderson County | F1 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1981-05-09 | Henderson County | F3 5.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1981-05-09 | Henderson County | F1 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1979-04-11 | Henderson County | F2 10 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1979-02-23 | Henderson County | F3 3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1978-05-11 | Henderson County | 0 | 0 | $25K step | |
| 1977-09-26 | Henderson County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1977-03-03 | Henderson County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1972-10-22 | Henderson County | F2 1.3 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1972-10-22 | Henderson County | F2 1.3 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1971-04-28 | Henderson County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1968-12-27 | Henderson County | F0 0.2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1966-04-23 | Henderson County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1959-11-04 | Henderson County | F3 25.1 mi x 67 yd | 0 | 3 | $250K step |
| 1957-04-19 | Henderson County | 0 | 0 | $3K step | |
| 1954-05-02 | Henderson County | F3 | 0 | 4 | – |
| 1952-05-23 | Henderson County | F0 0.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 1 | $3K step |
| 1952-04-18 | Henderson County | F1 0.8 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K 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 Henderson County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 14, 2026 flash flood ($100,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | HeatHenderson County · forecast zone Henderson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-14 | Flash FloodPickins, Henderson County | 0 | 0 | $100K | |
| 2026-06-14 | Flash FloodAthens, Henderson County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtHenderson County · forecast zone Henderson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-24 | HailLoper, Henderson County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtHenderson County · forecast zone Henderson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-29 | HailLarue, Henderson County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-04-29 | HailNew York, Henderson County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-29 | HailBaxter, Henderson County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-29 | HailCrescent Hgts, Henderson County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2026-04-29 | HailAthens, Henderson County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2026-04-29 | HailAley, Henderson County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $7K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-02-15 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillHenderson County · forecast zone Henderson Extreme cold gripped the county for several days. Overnight lows were near or below 25 degrees Fahrenheit almost all week. The period of February 15-16th was the coldest with low temperatures between 10 and -5 degrees Fahrenheit. The maximum temperature on the 15th was only in the teens. Wind chill values during the ... | 2 | 0 | $1.3M | |
| 2015-05-11 | FloodCross Rds, Henderson County Numerous roads remained flooded after 3-6+ inches of rain fall in the county. Many creeks and streams were also overflowing and flooding surrounding areas. A motorcyclist drowned after driving into a low water crossing on FM 59 between Athens and Cross Roads. FM 317 was washed out approximately three miles east of SH ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2013-06-06 | Heavy RainLoper, Henderson County Heavy rainfall contributed to a collission of a tractor trailer rig and a pickup truck on Loop 7 in Athens. A passenger in the pickup was killed in the accident. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-05-23 | TornadoFincastle, Henderson County An EF-1 tornado with estimated maximum winds near 105 mph touched down near an inlet area of Lake Palestine west of Boles Road just southwest of Coffee City. This tornado largely stayed over the water as a waterspout, and it briefly came ashore across the Lake Palestine Resort just west of Highway 155. Numerous trees ... | EF1 2.69 mi x 480 yd | 0 | 6 | $282K |
| 2017-04-29 | TornadoPayne Springs, Henderson County A National Weather Service damage survey crew found the start of tornado number three began in Henderson County, approximately 3 miles due south of Eustace. This tornado eventually moved into Van Zandt County, where the storm produced EF4 damage. In Henderson County, several homes suffered EF2 damage, along with a ... | EF2 7.82 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 5 | $710K |
| 2017-04-29 | TornadoStockard, Henderson County This tornado developed northeast of Log Cabin with the first visible damage associated to snapped trees. As the tornado moved north/northeast, a tall communications tower was snapped in half. Eventually, the tornado crossed paths with several homes which led to complete destruction and many debarked trees. The damage ... | EF2 8.15 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 5 | $409K |
| 1997-03-02 | Thunderstorm WindEustace, Henderson County Four mobile homes were rolled with several injuries occurring to the occupants. | 0 | 5 | $368K | |
| 1954-05-02 | TornadoHenderson County | F3 | 0 | 4 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-03-02 | Thunderstorm WindTool, Henderson County | 0 | 0 | $5.5M | |
| 1997-03-02 | Thunderstorm WindPayne Springs, Henderson County | 0 | 0 | $3.1M | |
| 2022-11-04 | TornadoMalakoff, Henderson County | EF2 15.05 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $3.0M |
| 1997-03-02 | Thunderstorm WindPayne Springs, Henderson County | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | |
| 2007-07-06 | Flash FloodMalakoff, Henderson County | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | |
| 1993-02-25 | Thunderstorm WindGun Barrel City, Henderson County | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | |
| 1997-03-02 | Thunderstorm WindTool, Henderson County | 0 | 0 | $735K | |
| 2017-04-29 | TornadoPayne Springs, Henderson County | EF2 7.82 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 5 | $710K |
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: November 4, 1959 (tornado, Henderson County); October 22, 1972 (tornado, Henderson County); April 23, 1966 (tornado, Henderson 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 Henderson 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 | 0 | 4 | 19 | 59 | 30 | 41 | 54 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 2 | 14 | 21 | 70 | 53 | 32 | 16 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 2 | 14 | 26 | 20 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 16 | 24 | 13 | 7 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 2 | 3 | 7 | 42 z |
| Tornadoes | 5 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 4 |
Heat in the 2020-26: 42 records against 7 in the decade before, 42 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 Henderson 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?
53% of its hail reports since 1955 fell in April and May. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 42 · Feb 49 · Mar 64 · Apr 127 · May 116 · Jun 71 · Jul 46 · Aug 43 · Sep 29 · Oct 47 · Nov 19 · Dec 32 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Henderson County
FEMA's register lists 25 declarations that include Henderson County: 16 major disasters, 9 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (6) and flood (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-17 | DR-4781 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2016-03-19 | DR-4266 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2016-02-09 | DR-4255 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter 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 |
| 2008-09-10 | EM-3294 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ike |
| 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 |
| 2003-02-01 | EM-3171 | Other | Loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia |
| 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 |
| 1989-05-19 | DR-828 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1966-05-12 | DR-218 | 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 Henderson County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 60 flood or flash flood records for Henderson County from 1997 to 2026, on 42 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Henderson County ranks 1360th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $3.4 million on 90 claims filed in Henderson County; the most in one year was 20 in 2015. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1980: 2 · 1991: 3 · 1995: 1 · 1998: 1 · 1999: 1 · 2000: 1 · 2001: 2 · 2002: 1 · 2004: 1 · 2005: 1 · 2006: 1 · 2007: 6 · 2008: 2 · 2009: 1 · 2010: 4 · 2012: 7 · 2013: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 20 · 2016: 7 · 2017: 3 · 2018: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2021: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2024: 4 · 2025: 3 · 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 Henderson County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Henderson County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $37.4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $14M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively High | $7.0M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $1.4M | 3.6 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $607K | 57 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $347K | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.7M | 16 modeled event-days a year |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $839K | 4.5 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $84K | 3.2 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 Henderson 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 Henderson CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Henderson County's FEMA declarations (CSV)25 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis