Houston County, Tennessee
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 47083 · population 8,275 · 200 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 245 records for Houston County, Tennessee from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 205 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (95 records). The deadliest single record is the January 4, 1997 thunderstorm wind: 1 death and $55,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 28 declarations naming the county since 1975, 26 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm” on February 6, 2026.
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
- 245on 205 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 10 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $13Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 7strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 28latest 2026
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 Houston County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 95 since 1991. The rank column places the county among Tennessee'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 | 95 | 78 | 1991-2025 | 1 | 0 | $1.3M | 32 of 95 |
| Winter storms | 42 | 41 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 15 of 95 |
| Drought | 32 | 32 | 2007-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 of 95 |
| Floods | 31 | 22 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | $7.3M | 22 of 95 |
| Hail | 22 | 20 | 1972-2024 | 0 | 0 | $19K | 61 of 95 |
| Heavy rain | 7 | 3 | 2013-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 5 of 95 |
| Tornadoes | 7 | 5 | 2000-2017 | 0 | 0 | $3.6M | 62 of 95 |
| High wind and dust storms | 5 | 5 | 2008-2023 | 0 | 0 | $531K | 34 of 95 |
| Heat | 2 | 2 | 2010-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 36 of 95 |
| Extreme cold | 1 | 1 | 2022-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 30 of 95 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2024-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 34 of 95 |
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 Houston County had?
NOAA records 7 tornadoes in Houston County from 2000 to 2017, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 0 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 7 tornadoes whose track touched Houston County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 7, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-05-27 13:46, as SPC files it | Erin | F3 | 17.2 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Tennessee.
Every tornado record filed for Houston County (7)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-02-07 | Yellow Creek, Houston County | EF0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $18K |
| 2013-03-18 | Silverton, Houston County | EF1 2.6 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $32K |
| 2008-02-05 | Danville, Houston County | EF2 2.33 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $343K |
| 2005-11-15 | Erin, Houston County | F1 0.3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2005-11-15 | Erin, Houston County | F0 0.2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2005-11-15 | Erin, Houston County | F2 0.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $982K |
| 2000-05-27 | Erin, Houston County | F3 17.2 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.2M |
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 Houston County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 2, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($10,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtHouston County · forecast zone Houston | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtHouston County · forecast zone Houston | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtHouston County · forecast zone Houston | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtHouston County · forecast zone Houston | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormHouston County · forecast zone Houston | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-20 | DroughtHouston County · forecast zone Houston | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-01 | DroughtHouston County · forecast zone Houston | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-16 | DroughtHouston County · forecast zone Houston | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-29 | Excessive HeatHouston County · forecast zone Houston | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-04-03 | Flash FloodSpring Hill, Houston County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-04-03 | Flash FloodYellow Creek, Houston County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-04-03 | Flash FloodSpring Hill, Houston County | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-01-04 | Thunderstorm WindErin, Houston County Strong thunderstorm winds picked up a mobile home and wrapped the mobile home around a tree. A 58 year old white male was killed instantly inside his mobile home. The mobile home was thrown a 100 feet. It was located on Jo Adams Rd. off Highway 49 North. | 1 | 0 | $55K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-04-27 | Flash FloodDanville, Houston County | 0 | 0 | $5.1M | |
| 2000-05-27 | TornadoErin, Houston County | F3 17.2 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.2M |
| 2010-05-02 | FloodErin, Houston County | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | |
| 2005-11-15 | TornadoErin, Houston County | F2 0.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $982K |
| 2021-08-21 | Flash FloodSpring Hill, Houston County | 0 | 0 | $668K | |
| 2019-10-26 | Thunderstorm WindSilverton, Houston County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $577K |
| 2023-03-03 | High WindHouston County · forecast zone Houston | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $484K |
| 1997-03-02 | Flash FloodCountywide, Houston County | 0 | 0 | $460K |
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 Houston 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 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 23 | 33 | 11 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 8 | 21 | 10 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 6 | 10 | 16 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 10 | 10 | 5 | 6 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 4 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
Records by month in Houston County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 30 · Feb 26 · Mar 19 · Apr 29 · May 25 · Jun 25 · Jul 23 · Aug 14 · Sep 8 · Oct 11 · Nov 14 · Dec 21 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Houston County
FEMA's register lists 28 declarations that include Houston County: 24 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (17) and flood (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-06 | DR-4898 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3635 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025-06-19 | DR-4878 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2025-04-02 | EM-3625 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2023-05-17 | DR-4712 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornado |
| 2021-08-23 | DR-4609 | Flood | Severe Storm and Flooding |
| 2020-07-09 | DR-4550 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2020-04-02 | DR-4514 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3473 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-12-06 | DR-4471 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2019-04-17 | DR-4427 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2014-08-13 | DR-4189 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2014-04-11 | DR-4171 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2011-05-09 | DR-1979 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2011-05-01 | DR-1974 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Associated Flooding |
| 2011-03-31 | DR-1965 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2010-05-04 | DR-1909 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes |
| 2008-02-07 | DR-1745 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3217 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-05-08 | DR-1464 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2003-03-20 | DR-1456 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2000-06-12 | DR-1331 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 1999-05-12 | DR-1275 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 1999-01-19 | DR-1262 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and High Winds |
| 1997-03-07 | DR-1167 | Tornado | Heavy Rains, Tornadoes, Flooding, Hail, High Winds |
| 1995-06-14 | DR-1057 | Tornado | Tornadoes |
| 1994-02-28 | DR-1010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Ice Storm,Flash Flooding |
| 1975-03-22 | DR-459 | 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 Houston County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 31 flood or flash flood records for Houston County from 1997 to 2025, on 22 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Houston County ranks 1530th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.6 million on 64 claims filed in Houston County; the most in one year was 22 in 1981. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 8 · 1981: 22 · 1982: 1 · 1984: 1 · 1997: 3 · 1998: 2 · 2001: 1 · 2008: 1 · 2010: 12 · 2011: 3 · 2013: 3 · 2017: 1 · 2021: 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 Houston County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Houston County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $5.2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $650K | 4.6 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $881K | once in about 197 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.0M | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $731K | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $50K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $95K | 57 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $1K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Very Low | $26K | 7.6 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Houston 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 TennesseeEvery Tennessee tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in TennesseeThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The Tennessee recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Houston CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Houston County's FEMA declarations (CSV)28 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis