Knox County, Texas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 48275 · population 3,353 · 851 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 654 records for Knox County, Texas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 408 days; the most frequent are hail reports (268 records). The deadliest single record is the March 13, 1953 tornado: 5 deaths and 5 injuries. FEMA has issued 17 declarations naming the county since 1989, 15 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
- 654on 408 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 56 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $33Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 30strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 17latest 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 Knox County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 268 since 1957. 62% of its hail reports since 1957 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 | 268 | 154 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 59 of 254 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 157 | 102 | 1961-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.2M | 96 of 254 |
| Drought | 105 | 101 | 2000-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 40 of 254 |
| Tornadoes | 30 | 27 | 1953-2025 | 5 | 6 | $30M | 126 of 254 |
| Floods | 27 | 19 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | $180K | 184 of 254 |
| Winter storms | 25 | 25 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $50K | 129 of 254 |
| High wind and dust storms | 19 | 17 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $18 | 61 of 254 |
| Heat | 16 | 16 | 2006-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 100 of 254 |
| Extreme cold | 3 | 3 | 2021-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 173 of 254 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 3 | 3 | 1999-2003 | 0 | 0 | – | 87 of 254 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2023-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 182 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 Knox County had?
NOAA records 30 tornadoes in Knox County from 1953 to 2025, the strongest rated F4, with 5 deaths and 6 injuries recorded in the county. That is 126th 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 31 tornadoes whose track touched Knox County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 30: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 17 people, 5 of them in Knox County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953-03-13 14:00, as SPC files it | O'Brien to Knox | F4 | 13.9 mi | 17 |
| 2021-04-27 14:49, as SPC files it | Unnamed | EF3 | 8.4 mi | 0 |
| 2005-05-13 18:09, as SPC files it | Goree | F3 | 16.3 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Texas.
Every tornado record filed for Knox County (30)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-06-08 | Goree, Knox County | EFU 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-29 | Vera, Knox County | EF2 5.75 mi x 700 yd | 0 | 0 | $500K |
| 2024-04-27 | Knox City, Knox County | EF2 12.3 mi x 1,000 yd | 0 | 0 | $94K |
| 2021-04-27 | Truscott, Knox County | EF3 8.4 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $76K |
| 2015-04-22 | Knox City, Knox County | EF0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-05-13 | Vera, Knox County | F3 16 mi x 1,000 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-05-13 | Truscott, Knox County | F1 4 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-04-23 | Truscott, Knox County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-04-15 | Knox City, Knox County | F1 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $16K |
| 1999-08-24 | Vera, Knox County | F0 0.5 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1993-03-29 | Truscott, Knox County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1990-05-14 | Knox County | F1 7 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-05-13 | Knox County | F1 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1980-05-07 | Knox County | F1 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1976-06-23 | Knox County | F2 0.8 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1974-08-27 | Knox County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1971-05-04 | Knox County | F2 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1969-08-22 | Knox County | F2 0.3 mi x 67 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1968-05-29 | Knox County | F0 0.5 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1967-04-20 | Knox County | F0 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1962-08-02 | Knox County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1962-08-02 | Knox County | F0 1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1960-05-31 | Knox County | F0 0.3 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1958-08-20 | Knox County | F2 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $3K step |
| 1956-05-27 | Knox County | F0 9.7 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1956-05-27 | Knox County | F0 13.3 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1955-05-25 | Knox County | F2 11.9 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1954-06-01 | Knox County | F2 1.9 mi x 133 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1953-08-11 | Knox County | F0 4.9 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1953-03-13 | Knox County | F4 2.7 mi x 50 yd | 5 | 5 | $2.5M 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 Knox County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 8, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($10,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindTruscott, Knox County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-21 | HeatKnox County · forecast zone Knox | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-18 | Excessive HeatKnox County · forecast zone Knox | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-17 | Excessive HeatKnox County · forecast zone Knox | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-11 | HeatKnox County · forecast zone Knox | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtKnox County · forecast zone Knox | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtKnox County · forecast zone Knox | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtKnox County · forecast zone Knox | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | Thunderstorm WindGoree, Knox County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-01 | Thunderstorm WindKnox City, Knox County | 63 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-15 | High WindKnox County · forecast zone Knox | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-10 | HailGoree, Knox County | 1.75 in hail | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953-03-13 | TornadoKnox County | F4 2.7 mi x 50 yd | 5 | 5 | $2.5M step |
| 1958-08-20 | TornadoKnox County | F2 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindMunday, Knox County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
| 2025-04-29 | TornadoVera, Knox County | EF2 5.75 mi x 700 yd | 0 | 0 | $500K |
| 2025-04-29 | Thunderstorm WindMunday, Knox County | 87 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $250K |
| 1994-06-30 | Thunderstorm WindMunday, Knox County | 0 | 0 | $100K | |
| 1994-08-17 | Thunderstorm WindMunday, Knox County | 0 | 0 | $100K | |
| 2024-04-27 | TornadoKnox City, Knox County | EF2 12.3 mi x 1,000 yd | 0 | 0 | $94K |
| 2021-04-27 | TornadoTruscott, Knox County | EF3 8.4 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $76K |
| 2006-08-16 | Thunderstorm WindMunday, Knox County | 69 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $73K |
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: March 13, 1953 (tornado, Knox County, 5 killed).
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 Knox 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 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 36 | 90 | 78 | 27 | 31 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 30 | 41 | 22 | 48 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 14 | 66 z | 25 |
| Tornadoes | 7 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 6 | 14 | 3 | 4 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 8 | 6 | 6 |
Drought in the 2010s: 66 records against 14 in the decade before, 66 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 Knox 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?
62% of its hail reports since 1957 fell in April and May. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 20 · Feb 26 · Mar 53 · Apr 106 · May 177 · Jun 106 · Jul 36 · Aug 48 · Sep 32 · Oct 19 · Nov 13 · Dec 18 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Knox County
FEMA's register lists 17 declarations that include Knox County: 9 major disasters, 7 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for fire (5) and severe storm (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 |
| 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 |
| 2011-07-01 | DR-1999 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2011-04-09 | FM-2884 | Fire | Swenson 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 |
| 1989-05-19 | DR-828 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & 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.
FEMA's modeled risk for Knox County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Knox County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $4.1 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 High | $2.5M | 121 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $362K | 2.4 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $365K | 6.1 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $273K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $20K | once in about 581 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $82K | 12 modeled event-days a year |
| Hurricane | Very Low | $8K | once in about 100 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | $14K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Knox 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 Knox CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Knox County's FEMA declarations (CSV)17 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis