Hill County, Texas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 48217 · population 35,826 · 959 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 787 records for Hill County, Texas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 509 days; the most frequent are hail reports (310 records). The deadliest single record is the March 10, 1973 tornado: 6 deaths and 75 injuries. FEMA has issued 25 declarations naming the county since 1968, 23 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
- 787on 509 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 16185 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $48Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 61strongest F4
- 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 Hill County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 310 since 1955. 57% 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 | 310 | 171 | 1955-2026 | 0 | 0 | $3.7M | 64 of 254 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 159 | 116 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 11 | $2.4M | 94 of 254 |
| Drought | 87 | 86 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $3.0M | 100 of 254 |
| Floods | 62 | 44 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | $2.6M | 107 of 254 |
| Tornadoes | 61 | 47 | 1957-2025 | 13 | 165 | $33M | 58 of 254 |
| Heat | 55 | 53 | 1998-2026 | 1 | 0 | – | 60 of 254 |
| Winter storms | 30 | 30 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 8 | $963K | 123 of 254 |
| Extreme cold | 8 | 8 | 2019-2026 | 2 | 0 | $626K | 88 of 254 |
| Heavy rain | 6 | 6 | 1997-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 52 of 254 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 2003-2015 | 0 | 0 | $897K | 79 of 254 |
| Wildfires | 3 | 3 | 2011-2023 | 0 | 1 | $1.3M | 135 of 254 |
| High wind and dust storms | 2 | 1 | 2025-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 198 of 254 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2012-2012 | 0 | 0 | $13K | 161 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 Hill County had?
NOAA records 61 tornadoes in Hill County from 1957 to 2025, the strongest rated F4, with 13 deaths and 165 injuries recorded in the county. That is 58th 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 62 tornadoes whose track touched Hill County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 61: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 13 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973-03-10 06:02, as SPC files it | Mart to Hubbard | F4 | 23.3 mi | 6 |
| 1959-03-31 21:00, as SPC files it | Hillsboro | F4 | 10.4 mi | 6 |
| 1971-05-23 17:45, as SPC files it | Whitney | F3 | 7.1 mi | 1 |
| 1976-05-26 16:17, as SPC files it | Grandview | F4 | 18.8 mi | 0 |
| 1981-05-09 12:13, as SPC files it | Bynum | F3 | 5.2 mi | 0 |
| 1978-05-11 17:26, as SPC files it | Hillsboro | F3 | 7.2 mi | 0 |
| 1976-05-25 13:30, as SPC files it | Hillsboro | F3 | 0.1 mi | 0 |
| 1969-05-14 16:20, as SPC files it | Malone | F3 | 0.1 mi | 0 |
| 1965-03-16 21:00, as SPC files it | Mertens to Blooming Grove | F3 | 11.1 mi | 0 |
| 1957-05-22 21:00, as SPC files it | Malone | F3 | 4.1 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Texas.
Every tornado record filed for Hill County (61)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-04-30 | Mertens, Hill County | EFU 0.01 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-04-26 | Birome, Hill County | EF2 2 mi x 165 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-04-26 | Abbott, Hill County | EF1 2.4 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $47K |
| 2024-04-26 | Birome, Hill County | EF1 0.2 mi x 55 yd | 0 | 0 | $56K |
| 2021-05-16 | Files Vly, Hill County | EFU 0.26 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-05-03 | Brazlime, Hill County | EFU 0.01 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-05-03 | Brazlime, Hill County | EF2 3.36 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $381K |
| 2018-10-13 | Brandon, Hill County | EF0 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2018-10-13 | Chat, Hill County | EF1 1.62 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $59K |
| 2018-10-13 | Chat, Hill County | EF0 0.46 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $18K |
| 2017-01-15 | Lake Whitney, Hill County | EF1 5.8 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 2 | $349K |
| 2015-12-26 | Hillsboro Municipal Airport, Hill County | EF0 1.6 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2015-12-26 | Hubbard, Hill County | EF0 2.76 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $19K |
| 2015-05-10 | Peoria, Hill County | EF0 0.6 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-05-10 | Brandon, Hill County | EF0 1.42 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $62K |
| 2015-04-26 | Blum, Hill County | EF0 0.66 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-04-25 | Itasca, Hill County | EF0 0.71 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-05-20 | Hubbard, Hill County | EF0 0.02 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-12-29 | Blum, Hill County | F2 7.95 mi x 587 yd | 0 | 0 | $732K |
| 2001-10-12 | Abbott, Hill County | F1 0.7 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $67K |
| 2000-03-28 | Itasca, Hill County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-03-08 | Mertens, Hill County | F0 0.1 mi x 0 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-10-17 | Brandon, Hill County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-05-27 | Hubbard, Hill County | F0 0.2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-10-21 | Osceola, Hill County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1994-05-14 | Osceola, Hill County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1993-05-09 | Hillsboro, Hill County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1993-05-09 | Covington, Hill County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1993-05-09 | Mayfield, Hill County | F0 5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1990-04-27 | Hill County | F2 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1990-03-14 | Hill County | F2 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1986-04-19 | Hill County | F1 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 2 | $250K step |
| 1985-10-17 | Hill County | F2 7 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1981-10-13 | Hill County | F2 2.7 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1981-05-09 | Hill County | F3 5.2 mi x 73 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1981-05-09 | Hill County | F2 9.6 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1979-05-10 | Hill County | F1 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1979-05-10 | Hill County | F2 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1979-03-26 | Hill County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1978-05-11 | Hill County | 0 | 0 | $25K step | |
| 1976-05-26 | Hill County | F4 15 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1976-05-25 | Hill County | F3 0.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1974-10-31 | Hill County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1973-03-10 | Hill County | F4 5.9 mi x 150 yd | 6 | 75 | – |
| 1972-03-26 | Hill County | F1 0.5 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1972-03-26 | Hill County | F2 6.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 2 | $250K step |
| 1971-12-14 | Hill County | F1 0.1 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1971-05-23 | Hill County | F3 7.1 mi x 33 yd | 1 | 49 | – |
| 1971-05-23 | Hill County | F2 7.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1971-05-23 | Hill County | F2 7.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1971-02-18 | Hill County | F2 0.5 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1969-05-14 | Hill County | F3 0.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1968-05-11 | Hill County | F2 13.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1965-05-09 | Hill County | F2 0.1 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1965-03-16 | Hill County | F3 2.7 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1961-05-25 | Hill County | F0 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1960-10-13 | Hill County | F2 0.1 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1959-06-23 | Hill County | F0 1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1959-03-31 | Hill County | F4 10.4 mi x 1,760 yd | 6 | 31 | $25K step |
| 1957-05-22 | Hill County | F3 4.1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 4 | $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 Hill County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 28, 2026 thunderstorm wind.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | HeatHill County · forecast zone Hill | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-28 | Thunderstorm WindBynum, Hill County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-04-28 | HailAbbott, Hill County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-28 | HailAbbott, Hill County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-28 | HailHuron, Hill County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2026-04-28 | HailSingiser, Hill County | 3.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $17K |
| 2026-04-28 | HailItasca, Hill County | 3.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | $19K |
| 2026-04-28 | HailItasca, Hill County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $13K |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtHill County · forecast zone Hill | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-15 | DroughtHill County · forecast zone Hill | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-28 | Cold/Wind ChillHill County · forecast zone Hill | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillHill County · forecast zone Hill | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973-03-10 | TornadoHill County | F4 5.9 mi x 150 yd | 6 | 75 | – |
| 1959-03-31 | TornadoHill County | F4 10.4 mi x 1,760 yd | 6 | 31 | $25K step |
| 2021-02-15 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillHill County · forecast zone Hill Extreme cold gripped the county for several days. Overnight lows were near or below 20 degrees Fahrenheit almost all week. The period of February 15-16th was the coldest with low temperatures in the single digits and slightly below degrees Fahrenheit. The maximum temperature on the 15th was only around 15 degrees ... | 2 | 0 | $626K | |
| 1971-05-23 | TornadoHill County | F3 7.1 mi x 33 yd | 1 | 49 | – |
| 1998-06-19 | HeatHill County · forecast zone Hill A prolonged excessive heat event began across portions of north Texas in late May and continued through early September. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2010-01-07 | Winter WeatherHill County · forecast zone Hill Light icing from freezing drizzle created slick roads across the county. At least 20 vehicle and 18-wheeler accidents were reported around the county. On Spur 579 in northern Hillsboro, two cars ended on their tops after losing control on an icy spot. Four people were sent to the hospital. Several more cars slid off ... | 0 | 4 | $135K | |
| 1987-12-19 | Thunderstorm WindHill County | 0 | 4 | – | |
| 1957-05-22 | TornadoHill County | F3 4.1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 4 | $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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-03-25 | HailHillsboro, Hill County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.7M |
| 2010-09-08 | Flash FloodBlum, Hill County | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 2011-09-08 | WildfireHill County · forecast zone Hill | 0 | 1 | $1.3M | |
| 2012-04-03 | HailItasca, Hill County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
| 2003-06-11 | LightningHillsboro, Hill County | 0 | 0 | $802K | |
| 2006-12-29 | TornadoBlum, Hill County | F2 7.95 mi x 587 yd | 0 | 0 | $732K |
| 2021-02-15 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillHill County · forecast zone Hill | 2 | 0 | $626K | |
| 2010-06-10 | Flash FloodBirome, Hill County | 0 | 0 | $541K |
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 $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 26, 1976 (tornado, Hill County); May 9, 1981 (tornado, Hill 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 Hill 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 | 5 | 5 | 15 | 29 | 91 | 57 | 60 | 48 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 3 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 52 | 50 | 21 | 12 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 2 | 18 | 43 | 24 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 9 | 24 | 18 | 11 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 6 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 3 | 11 | 7 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 3 | 3 | 7 | 42 z |
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 Hill 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?
57% 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 42 · Mar 91 · Apr 160 · May 156 · Jun 75 · Jul 36 · Aug 41 · Sep 29 · Oct 54 · Nov 19 · Dec 42 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Hill County
FEMA's register lists 25 declarations that include Hill County: 16 major disasters, 8 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for severe storm (7) and fire (5).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 2019-02-25 | DR-4416 | 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 |
| 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 |
| 2000-08-26 | FM-2325 | Fire | Tx - Live Oak Loop Fire |
| 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 |
| 1973-03-12 | DR-365 | Severe Storm | High Winds, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 1968-06-10 | DR-244 | Flood | Heavy Rains & 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 Hill County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 62 flood or flash flood records for Hill County from 1997 to 2025, on 44 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Hill County ranks 1887th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $463,000 on 31 claims filed in Hill County; the most in one year was 6 in 1991. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1981: 1 · 1989: 1 · 1991: 6 · 1995: 3 · 2000: 1 · 2007: 2 · 2008: 1 · 2009: 1 · 2010: 5 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 6 · 2016: 1 · 2024: 2; 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 Hill County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Hill County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $24.7 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 | $10M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $5.5M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $821K | 40 modeled event-days a year |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $650K | 6.7 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $534K | 53 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $265K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $541K | 3.1 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $401K | once in about 403 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Hill 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 Hill CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Hill County's FEMA declarations (CSV)25 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis