Hopkins County, Texas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 48223 · population 36,691 · 767 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 754 records for Hopkins County, Texas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 467 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (230 records). The deadliest single record is the February 15, 2021 extreme cold/wind chill, filed for the forecast zone Hopkins, which covers the county: 1 death and $3.2 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 21 declarations naming the county since 1974, 19 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
- 754on 467 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 317 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $66Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 35strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 21latest 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 Hopkins County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 230 since 1956. 44% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 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 | 230 | 162 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 0 | $32M | 38 of 254 |
| Hail | 182 | 120 | 1957-2025 | 0 | 3 | $813K | 89 of 254 |
| Drought | 113 | 81 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $3.4M | 64 of 254 |
| Floods | 59 | 40 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 0 | $717K | 95 of 254 |
| Heat | 56 | 48 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 46 of 254 |
| Winter storms | 54 | 35 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 1 | $3.6M | 75 of 254 |
| Tornadoes | 35 | 29 | 1955-2023 | 0 | 6 | $22M | 101 of 254 |
| Heavy rain | 12 | 7 | 1997-2014 | 0 | 6 | $134K | 22 of 254 |
| Extreme cold | 6 | 6 | 2019-2026 | 1 | 0 | $3.2M | 98 of 254 |
| High wind and dust storms | 3 | 3 | 2006-2012 | 0 | 0 | $62K | 127 of 254 |
| Wildfires | 2 | 2 | 2011-2016 | 0 | 0 | $40K | 148 of 254 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 1 | 2005-2005 | 0 | 0 | $30K | 80 of 254 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2010-2010 | 0 | 1 | $338K | 116 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 Hopkins County had?
NOAA records 35 tornadoes in Hopkins County from 1955 to 2023, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 6 injuries recorded in the county. That is 101st 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 36 tornadoes whose track touched Hopkins County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 35: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969-05-14 14:00, as SPC files it | Como | F3 | 0.5 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Texas.
Every tornado record filed for Hopkins County (35)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-03-02 | Blackoak, Hopkins County | EF1 8.15 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-11-04 | Bonanza, Hopkins County | EF1 1.95 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-11-04 | Greenview, Hopkins County | EF2 2.9 mi x 160 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
| 2018-01-21 | Pickton, Hopkins County | EF0 0.25 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2017-04-29 | Miller Grove, Hopkins County | EF0 8.57 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $24K |
| 2015-12-26 | Arbala, Hopkins County | EF0 0.36 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-04-03 | Cold Ran, Hopkins County | EF0 0.56 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 1 | $530K |
| 2012-04-03 | Sulphur Spgs Municipal Ar, Hopkins County | EF0 0.58 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2012-04-03 | Pickton, Hopkins County | EF0 0.54 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $13K |
| 2012-04-03 | Greenview, Hopkins County | EF0 0.12 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-01-20 | Sulphur Spgs, Hopkins County | EF0 1.35 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
| 2010-01-20 | Greenview, Hopkins County | EF0 5.42 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $135K |
| 2008-03-18 | Posey, Hopkins County | EF1 2.69 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | $343K |
| 2000-04-23 | Tira, Hopkins County | F0 4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 2 | $43K |
| 1998-10-02 | Cumby, Hopkins County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $9K |
| 1995-04-19 | Sulphur Springs, Hopkins County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-05-11 | Hopkins County | F2 4 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1990-04-05 | Hopkins County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1986-02-05 | Hopkins County | F1 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1984-10-18 | Hopkins County | F1 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1980-10-16 | Hopkins County | F2 2.7 mi x 77 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1979-04-11 | Hopkins County | F2 8.3 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1977-06-12 | Hopkins County | F1 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1974-10-31 | Hopkins County | F2 4.7 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 1 | $2.5M step |
| 1973-03-10 | Hopkins County | F2 0.5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1971-12-14 | Hopkins County | F2 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1969-05-14 | Hopkins County | F3 0.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1962-03-24 | Hopkins County | F2 2 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1961-08-29 | Hopkins County | F1 0.2 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1961-03-26 | Hopkins County | F2 3.8 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1961-03-26 | Hopkins County | F2 4.7 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1961-03-26 | Hopkins County | F2 0.8 mi x 280 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1960-05-04 | Hopkins County | F1 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1960-01-14 | Hopkins County | F2 0.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 1 | $3K step |
| 1955-04-06 | Hopkins County | F2 9.8 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
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 Hopkins County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 1, 2026 drought ($100,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | HeatHopkins County · forecast zone Hopkins | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtHopkins County · forecast zone Hopkins | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtHopkins County · forecast zone Hopkins | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-24 | Thunderstorm WindMahoney, Hopkins County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-24 | Thunderstorm WindNelta, Hopkins County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-24 | Thunderstorm WindTira, Hopkins County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtHopkins County · forecast zone Hopkins | 0 | 0 | $100K | |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtHopkins County · forecast zone Hopkins | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtHopkins County · forecast zone Hopkins | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillHopkins County · forecast zone Hopkins | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormHopkins County · forecast zone Hopkins | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-15 | HeatHopkins County · forecast zone Hopkins | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-02-15 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillHopkins County · forecast zone Hopkins Extreme cold gripped the county for several days. Overnight lows were below 20 degrees Fahrenheit for most of the week. The period of February 15-16th was the coldest with low temperatures in the single digits and even slightly below zero degrees Fahrenheit. The maximum temperature on the 15th was only in the lower ... | 1 | 0 | $3.2M | |
| 2012-01-25 | FloodSulphur Bluff, Hopkins County Nearly 20 hours of continuous rain resulted in nuisance and low-lying flooding across Hopkins County. The county received between 2 to 4 inches of rainfall. The local newspaper reported several county roads were covered with water but these roads typically flood with heavy rain. The roads include: CRs 1119, 1157, ... | 1 | 0 | $4K | |
| 2011-02-01 | Ice StormHopkins County · forecast zone Hopkins Heavy rain fell across the county followed by heavy sleet and then light snow. As temperatures fell behind the cold front, the water began to freeze on the roads. A few reports of a .25-.30 inch of ice and sleet were reported in the Cumby area. The sleet and ice made travel treacherous around the county. Most of the ... | 1 | 0 | $197K | |
| 2014-11-23 | Heavy RainSulphur Spgs, Hopkins County A tour bus, carrying seven people, lost control and hit a bridge pillar on Interstate 30 during rainy conditions. Four people on the bus were injured. The bus, and the bridge pillar suffered damages as well. | 0 | 4 | $125K | |
| 2003-04-05 | HailSulphur Spgs, Hopkins County Three persons injured by baseball size hail. | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 3 | – |
| 2009-05-02 | Heavy RainSulphur Spgs, Hopkins County A car overturned onto its top on SH 19 near the Pilot Travel Center. Two people were taken to the hospital including one child. | 0 | 2 | $10K | |
| 2000-04-23 | TornadoTira, Hopkins County Extensive damage from a possible tornado. The damage path was apparently intermittent as it paralleled F.M. 1536 from Tira to one mile north of Nelta; a distance of around four miles. A barn was destroyed and numerous trees and fences were damaged. Minor damage was reported on two homes. Two minor injuries from flying ... | F0 4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 2 | $43K |
| 2014-04-03 | TornadoCold Ran, Hopkins County A National Weather Service damage survey crew determined a tornado produced EF1 damage in northern Hopkins County, near the city of Birthright. This tornado caused damage to several homes and businesses, including the Birthright Volunteer Fire Department building. A total of 76 houses or businesses were damaged in ... | EF0 0.56 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 1 | $530K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-06-15 | Thunderstorm WindComo, Hopkins County | 83 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $28M |
| 2021-02-15 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillHopkins County · forecast zone Hopkins | 1 | 0 | $3.2M | |
| 2013-12-05 | Winter StormHopkins County · forecast zone Hopkins | 0 | 1 | $2.5M | |
| 2010-01-20 | TornadoSulphur Spgs, Hopkins County | EF0 1.35 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
| 2022-11-04 | TornadoGreenview, Hopkins County | EF2 2.9 mi x 160 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
| 2004-03-04 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, Hopkins County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $547K |
| 2014-04-03 | TornadoCold Ran, Hopkins County | EF0 0.56 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 1 | $530K |
| 2015-05-25 | Thunderstorm WindSulphur Spgs, Hopkins County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $405K |
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: October 31, 1974 (tornado, Hopkins 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 Hopkins 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 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 26 | 77 | 50 | 47 | 14 |
| Hail | 2 | 1 | 2 | 27 | 71 | 35 | 26 | 18 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 4 | 41 | 49 | 19 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 9 | 26 | 21 | 3 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 4 | 6 | 7 | 39 z |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 11 | 23 | 14 | 6 |
Heat in the 2020-26: 39 records against 7 in the decade before, 39 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 Hopkins 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?
44% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 fell in April and May. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 51 · Feb 43 · Mar 69 · Apr 126 · May 107 · Jun 73 · Jul 51 · Aug 67 · Sep 34 · Oct 44 · Nov 45 · Dec 44 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Hopkins County
FEMA's register lists 21 declarations that include Hopkins County: 13 major disasters, 7 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for severe storm (4) and hurricane (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 |
| 2019-02-25 | DR-4416 | Flood | Severe Storms 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 |
| 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 |
| 2001-01-08 | DR-1356 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Ice Storm |
| 1999-09-01 | EM-3142 | Fire | Extreme Fire Hazards |
| 1999-08-31 | FM-2285 | Fire | Tx-Greenville Fire |
| 1998-08-26 | DR-1239 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Charley |
| 1974-11-30 | DR-454 | 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 Hopkins County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 59 flood or flash flood records for Hopkins County from 1996 to 2025, on 40 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Hopkins County ranks 1823rd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $304,000 on 36 claims filed in Hopkins County; the most in one year was 11 in 2000. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1980: 1 · 1981: 1 · 1986: 1 · 1989: 2 · 1992: 2 · 1994: 1 · 1999: 6 · 2000: 11 · 2009: 1 · 2010: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 3 · 2017: 3 · 2019: 1 · 2025: 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 Hopkins County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Hopkins County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $27.9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $1.5M | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively High | $7.8M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $1.8M | 4.2 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $1.5M | 5.5 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $5.1M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $396K | 33 modeled event-days a year |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $1.2M | 16 modeled event-days a year |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $117K | once in about 844 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Hopkins 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 Hopkins CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Hopkins County's FEMA declarations (CSV)21 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis