Kent County, Texas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 48263 · population 741 · 903 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 395 records for Kent County, Texas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 301 days; the most frequent are hail reports (153 records). The most damaging was the April 11, 2011 wildfire ($1.3 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 15 declarations naming the county since 1993, 13 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storms” on February 19, 2021.
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
- 395on 301 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 00 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $13Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 24strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 15latest 2021
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 Kent County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 153 since 1974. 67% of its hail reports since 1974 fell in May and June. 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 | 153 | 108 | 1974-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | 128 of 254 |
| Drought | 95 | 95 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $7.8M | 65 of 254 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 54 | 48 | 1974-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | 199 of 254 |
| Winter storms | 34 | 34 | 2000-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 102 of 254 |
| Tornadoes | 24 | 15 | 1956-2018 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 194 of 254 |
| High wind and dust storms | 15 | 14 | 1999-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 66 of 254 |
| Floods | 9 | 9 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 238 of 254 |
| Heavy rain | 4 | 4 | 2000-2013 | 0 | 0 | – | 72 of 254 |
| Wildfires | 3 | 3 | 2008-2011 | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | 131 of 254 |
| Extreme cold | 1 | 1 | 2026-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 217 of 254 |
| Heat | 1 | 1 | 2008-2008 | 0 | 0 | – | 186 of 254 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 1 | 2007-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 97 of 254 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2025-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 149 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 Kent County had?
NOAA records 24 tornadoes in Kent County from 1956 to 2018, the strongest rated F2, 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 24 tornadoes whose track touched Kent County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 24, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Texas.
Every tornado record filed for Kent County (24)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-06-01 | Jayton Kent Co Airport, Kent County | EFU 0.01 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-04-16 | Clairemont, Kent County | EF0 0.11 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-04-16 | Girard, Kent County | EF0 1.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-04-16 | Clairemont, Kent County | EF0 0.25 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-04-16 | Clairemont, Kent County | EF0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-06-12 | Clairemont, Kent County | F2 2 mi x 1,200 yd | 0 | 0 | $249K |
| 2005-06-12 | Clairemont, Kent County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-06-12 | Clairemont, Kent County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-06-12 | Clairemont, Kent County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-06-12 | Clairemont, Kent County | F0 0.4 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-06-12 | Clairemont, Kent County | F0 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-06-12 | Clairemont, Kent County | F0 1.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-05-16 | Clairemont, Kent County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-06-16 | Jayton, Kent County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-06-05 | Jayton, Kent County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-04-24 | Kent County | F2 12.1 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1985-05-20 | Kent County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1985-05-20 | Kent County | F0 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1979-07-09 | Kent County | F1 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1975-02-04 | Kent County | F0 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1973-03-23 | Kent County | F1 9.1 mi x 77 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1967-05-26 | Kent County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1962-06-07 | Kent County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1956-05-27 | Kent County | F0 1 mi x 17 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 Kent County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 5, 2019 thunderstorm wind ($346,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
A downburst caused widespread damage to structures, trees, and about one dozen power poles in and around Jayton. Photos provided by the local Emergency Manager indicated numerous homes sustained mostly light roofing damage, although two homes completely lost their roofs. A few homes had west-facing windows blown out from airborne gravel and stones. Several trees were completely uprooted by these fierce straight line winds. Damage to structures was further compounded by waves of heavy rain overnight that caused water damage to walls, flooring, and personal property. An initial loss estimate of $300K was assigned for all damages.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 805992)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-26 | Thunderstorm WindJayton, Kent County | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-15 | Thunderstorm WindJayton, Kent County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-24 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillKent County · forecast zone Kent | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-23 | Winter StormKent County · forecast zone Kent | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-08 | HailJayton, Kent County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-08 | HailJayton, Kent County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-08 | Funnel CloudClairemont, Kent County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-08 | HailClairemont, Kent County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-08 | HailGirard, Kent County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-06 | HailGirard, Kent County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-30 | HailGirard, Kent County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-29 | Flash FloodJayton Kent Co Airport, Kent 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-11 | WildfireKent County · forecast zone Kent | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | |
| 2013-05-23 | Thunderstorm WindGirard, Kent County | 80 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $380K |
| 2019-04-05 | Thunderstorm WindJayton, Kent County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $346K |
| 2005-06-12 | TornadoClairemont, Kent County | F2 2 mi x 1,200 yd | 0 | 0 | $249K |
| 2001-06-04 | HailJayton, Kent County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $167K |
| 2006-05-03 | Thunderstorm WindJayton, Kent County | 71 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $110K |
| 2009-06-02 | HailClairemont, Kent County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $41K |
| 2000-04-29 | HailJayton, Kent County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $26K |
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: July 9, 1979 (tornado, Kent 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 Kent 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 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 16 | 36 | 56 | 24 | 18 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 10 | 28 | 51 | 6 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 24 | 9 | 12 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 10 | 15 | 9 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 0 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 8 | 1 | 4 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
67% of its hail reports since 1974 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 19 · Feb 21 · Mar 19 · Apr 65 · May 90 · Jun 96 · Jul 15 · Aug 16 · Sep 14 · Oct 12 · Nov 15 · Dec 13 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Kent County
FEMA's register lists 15 declarations that include Kent County: 7 major disasters, 7 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for fire (5) and hurricane (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 2016-02-09 | DR-4255 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2011-07-01 | DR-1999 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2011-04-15 | FM-2889 | Fire | Cooper Mountain Ranch Fire |
| 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 |
| 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 |
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.
FEMA's modeled risk for Kent County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Kent County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $1.4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $775K | 80 modeled event-days a year |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $130K | once in about 156 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $145K | 4.8 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $188 | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Very Low | $60K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | $62K | 2 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Very Low | $1K | once in about 155 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | $34K | about once 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 Kent 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 Kent CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Kent County's FEMA declarations (CSV)15 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis