Lamar County, Texas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 48277 · population 50,073 · 907 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 765 records for Lamar County, Texas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 483 days; the most frequent are hail reports (269 records). The deadliest single record is the April 2, 1982 tornado: 10 deaths and 170 injuries. FEMA has issued 24 declarations naming the county since 1966, 22 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
- 765on 483 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 12265 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $148Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 47strongest EF4
- FEMA declarations
- 24latest 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 Lamar County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 269 since 1962. 61% of its hail reports since 1962 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 | 269 | 139 | 1962-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.3M | 92 of 254 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 198 | 151 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 5 | $3.5M | 58 of 254 |
| Drought | 79 | 79 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $3.0M | 106 of 254 |
| Floods | 54 | 34 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | 129 of 254 |
| Heat | 52 | 50 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 15 | – | 61 of 254 |
| Tornadoes | 47 | 32 | 1957-2026 | 11 | 240 | $108M | 112 of 254 |
| Winter storms | 36 | 35 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 5 | $26M | 98 of 254 |
| High wind and dust storms | 9 | 8 | 2005-2026 | 0 | 0 | $521K | 89 of 254 |
| Extreme cold | 7 | 7 | 2019-2026 | 1 | 0 | $1.8M | 101 of 254 |
| Heavy rain | 7 | 7 | 1997-2005 | 0 | 0 | $30K | 35 of 254 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 2002-2008 | 0 | 0 | $855K | 75 of 254 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2006-2006 | 0 | 0 | – | 109 of 254 |
| Wildfires | 2 | 2 | 2014-2014 | 0 | 0 | $175K | 164 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 Lamar County had?
NOAA records 47 tornadoes in Lamar County from 1957 to 2026, the strongest rated EF4, with 11 deaths and 240 injuries recorded in the county. That is 112th 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 48 tornadoes whose track touched Lamar County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 47: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 12 people, 11 of them in Lamar County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982-04-02 16:00, as SPC files it | Paris | F4 | 23 mi | 10 |
| 1982-04-02 15:20, as SPC files it | Bonham | F3 | 32 mi | 1 |
| 1957-04-02 18:00, as SPC files it | Roxton | F2 | 6.5 mi | 1 |
| 2022-11-04 15:16, as SPC files it | BrookstonCrossed OK, TX | EF4 | 44.71 mi | 0 |
| 1981-05-13 18:15, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F4 | 8.8 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Texas.
Every tornado record filed for Lamar County (47)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-24 | Rockford, Lamar County | EF0 0.71 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-05-20 | Powderly, Lamar County | EF0 0.11 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-30 | Belk, Lamar County | EF0 0.37 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-05-08 | Pin Hook, Lamar County | EF0 0.32 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2024-05-08 | Belk, Lamar County | EF0 0.01 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-12-13 | Petty, Lamar County | EF2 10.21 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-11-04 | High, Lamar County | EF4 25.91 mi x 1,350 yd | 0 | 10 | $5.0M |
| 2020-04-22 | Trout Spur, Lamar County | EF2 10.16 mi x 810 yd | 0 | 0 | $86K |
| 2020-04-22 | Belk, Lamar County | EF1 4.45 mi x 510 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2011-03-08 | High, Lamar County | EF0 4.02 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | $26K |
| 2010-09-08 | Novice, Lamar County | EF0 1.92 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $135K |
| 2005-03-21 | Paris, Lamar County | F1 3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2005-03-21 | Paris, Lamar County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-03-21 | Paris, Lamar County | F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-09-20 | Deport, Lamar County | F0 0.2 mi x 35 yd | 0 | 0 | $141K |
| 1996-06-12 | Amherst, Lamar County | F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-04-19 | Paris, Lamar County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $23K |
| 1994-06-15 | Petty, Lamar County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 1994-04-26 | Tigertown, Lamar County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1994-04-26 | Direct To, Lamar County | F2 6 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $995K |
| 1990-05-03 | Lamar County | F2 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 13 | – |
| 1987-03-17 | Lamar County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1985-05-20 | Lamar County | F0 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1985-05-20 | Lamar County | F0 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1985-05-13 | Lamar County | F2 4 mi x 77 yd | 0 | 8 | $2.5M step |
| 1982-05-24 | Lamar County | F0 0.1 mi x 7 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1982-05-24 | Lamar County | F0 0.1 mi x 7 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1982-05-24 | Lamar County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1982-04-02 | Lamar County | F1 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1982-04-02 | Lamar County | F4 17 mi x 250 yd | 10 | 170 | $25M step |
| 1982-04-02 | Lamar County | F3 10 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1981-10-13 | Lamar County | F2 6.6 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1981-10-13 | Lamar County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1981-05-13 | Lamar County | F4 8.8 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 30 | $2.5M step |
| 1979-05-03 | Lamar County | F1 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1978-06-07 | Lamar County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1978-06-07 | Lamar County | 0 | 0 | $25K step | |
| 1974-05-25 | Lamar County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1974-05-03 | Lamar County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1974-04-21 | Lamar County | F2 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 6 | $25K step |
| 1974-04-21 | Lamar County | F2 0.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1973-03-10 | Lamar County | F2 1.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1964-04-23 | Lamar County | F2 2 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1964-04-23 | Lamar County | F2 6.6 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1957-04-02 | Lamar County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1957-04-02 | Lamar County | F2 6.5 mi x 100 yd | 1 | 2 | $25K step |
| 1957-03-31 | Lamar County | 0 | 0 | $25K 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 Lamar County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 23, 2026 flash flood ($1.0 million in damage in 2025 dollars).
Numerous roads, buildings and vehicles were flooded in and around Blossom, including an RV park, apartment complex, and several homes. Highway 82 through town was flooded and approximately 35 water rescues were reported.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1352125)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-23 | Flash FloodBlossom, Lamar County | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | |
| 2026-06-23 | Flash FloodPattonville, Lamar County | 0 | 0 | $40K | |
| 2026-06-23 | Flash FloodLake Crook, Lamar County | 0 | 0 | $50K | |
| 2026-06-23 | Flash FloodPowderly Airport, Lamar County | 0 | 0 | $7K | |
| 2026-06-23 | Flash FloodLake Crook, Lamar County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-23 | Flash FloodNovice, Lamar County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-23 | HailParks, Lamar County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-23 | HailParks, Lamar County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindCox Field Paris, Lamar County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | HeatLamar County · forecast zone Lamar | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtLamar County · forecast zone Lamar | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtLamar County · forecast zone Lamar | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982-04-02 | TornadoLamar County | F4 17 mi x 250 yd | 10 | 170 | $25M step |
| 1957-04-02 | TornadoLamar County | F2 6.5 mi x 100 yd | 1 | 2 | $25K step |
| 2021-02-14 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillLamar County · forecast zone Lamar Extreme cold gripped the county for several days. Overnight lows were near or below 10 degrees Fahrenheit for most of the week. The period of February 15-16th was the coldest with low temperatures between 2 and -5 degrees Fahrenheit, and the maximum temperature on the 15th was only in the lower teens. Wind chill ... | 1 | 0 | $1.8M | |
| 1981-05-13 | TornadoLamar County | F4 8.8 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 30 | $2.5M step |
| 2007-08-12 | Excessive HeatLamar County · forecast zone Lamar Numerous people were treated for heat-related illnesses at Paris Regional Medical Center. A high school athlete collapsed on the field during a practice on Tuesday, and a woman passed out in her car on Lamar Avenue. Two men were found suffering from possible heat stroke on Bonham and Cleveland Streets, respectively. | 0 | 15 | – | |
| 1990-05-03 | TornadoLamar County | F2 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 13 | – |
| 2022-11-04 | TornadoHigh, Lamar County A tornado formed near Brookston in western Lamar County and tracked rapidly northeastward, passing to the northwest of Paris, Texas before exiting the northern edge of Lamar County, east of Arthur City. The tornado continued into Choctaw County Oklahoma and additional information about the damage in that county can be ... | EF4 25.91 mi x 1,350 yd | 0 | 10 | $5.0M |
| 1985-05-13 | TornadoLamar County | F2 4 mi x 77 yd | 0 | 8 | $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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-12-05 | Ice StormLamar County · forecast zone Lamar | 0 | 0 | $25M | |
| 2022-11-04 | TornadoHigh, Lamar County | EF4 25.91 mi x 1,350 yd | 0 | 10 | $5.0M |
| 2021-02-14 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillLamar County · forecast zone Lamar | 1 | 0 | $1.8M | |
| 1996-04-19 | HailBlossom, Lamar County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.5M |
| 2026-06-23 | Flash FloodBlossom, Lamar County | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | |
| 2007-07-30 | LightningAmherst, Lamar County | 0 | 0 | $712K | |
| 2025-03-04 | Thunderstorm WindMinter, Lamar County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500K |
| 1997-08-20 | Thunderstorm WindPowderly, Lamar County | 0 | 0 | $460K |
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 $25M, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 2, 1982 (tornado, Lamar County, 10 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 Lamar 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 | 2 | 8 | 23 | 91 | 50 | 65 | 30 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 7 | 10 | 23 | 59 | 51 | 29 | 18 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 2 | 20 | 37 | 20 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 6 | 23 | 15 | 10 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 2 | 4 | 6 | 40 z |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 2 | 8 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 9 |
Heat in the 2020-26: 40 records against 6 in the decade before, 40 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 Lamar 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?
61% of its hail reports since 1962 fell in April and May. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 27 · Feb 43 · Mar 71 · Apr 156 · May 126 · Jun 101 · Jul 61 · Aug 64 · Sep 35 · Oct 28 · Nov 27 · Dec 26 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Lamar County
FEMA's register lists 24 declarations that include Lamar County: 17 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (6) and flood (4).
| 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 |
| 2016-03-19 | DR-4266 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2015-05-29 | DR-4223 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding |
| 2011-07-01 | DR-1999 | 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 |
| 2001-01-08 | DR-1356 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Ice Storm |
| 1999-09-01 | EM-3142 | Fire | Extreme Fire Hazards |
| 1998-08-26 | DR-1239 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Charley |
| 1994-04-29 | DR-1026 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Tornadoes |
| 1990-05-02 | DR-863 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1989-05-19 | DR-828 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1982-04-08 | DR-655 | Tornado | Severe Storms & Tornadoes |
| 1972-01-27 | DR-320 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
| 1966-05-12 | DR-218 | 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 Lamar County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 54 flood or flash flood records for Lamar County from 1996 to 2026, on 34 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Lamar County ranks 1137th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $2.6 million on 139 claims filed in Lamar County; the most in one year was 34 in 2016. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 2 · 1980: 3 · 1982: 2 · 1989: 3 · 1992: 3 · 1994: 4 · 1996: 1 · 1998: 1 · 1999: 2 · 2000: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2002: 2 · 2006: 1 · 2007: 1 · 2008: 4 · 2009: 3 · 2010: 3 · 2011: 2 · 2012: 2 · 2013: 1 · 2014: 3 · 2015: 5 · 2016: 34 · 2017: 12 · 2018: 8 · 2019: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 8 · 2023: 1 · 2024: 8 · 2025: 5 · 2026: 9; 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 Lamar County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Lamar County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $31.9 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 | Very High | $2.2M | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively High | $10M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively High | $2.0M | 5.2 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $5.1M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.9M | 15 modeled event-days a year |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $823K | 38 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $112K | 4.2 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $604K | 3.4 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 Lamar 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 Lamar CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Lamar County's FEMA declarations (CSV)24 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis