Lamb County, Texas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 48279 · population 13,016 · 1,016 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 836 records for Lamb County, Texas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 599 days; the most frequent are hail reports (248 records). The deadliest single record is the May 9, 2013 strong wind, filed for the forecast zone Lamb, which covers the county: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 16 declarations naming the county since 1970, 14 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
- 836on 599 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 311 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $265Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 88strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 16latest 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 Lamb County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 248 since 1959. 69% of its hail reports since 1959 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 | 248 | 166 | 1959-2026 | 0 | 0 | $95M | 80 of 254 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 183 | 138 | 1959-2026 | 0 | 2 | $2.9M | 77 of 254 |
| High wind and dust storms | 112 | 100 | 1998-2026 | 2 | 0 | $388K | 11 of 254 |
| Drought | 97 | 97 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $2.3M | 84 of 254 |
| Tornadoes | 88 | 63 | 1951-2025 | 0 | 9 | $160M | 20 of 254 |
| Winter storms | 71 | 69 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | 32 of 254 |
| Floods | 20 | 20 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | 197 of 254 |
| Wildfires | 8 | 8 | 2006-2014 | 0 | 0 | $146K | 55 of 254 |
| Extreme cold | 4 | 4 | 2011-2026 | 0 | 0 | $66K | 171 of 254 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2000-2008 | 0 | 0 | – | 122 of 254 |
| Heat | 1 | 1 | 2008-2008 | 0 | 0 | – | 196 of 254 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 1999-1999 | 0 | 0 | $106K | 146 of 254 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2009-2009 | 1 | 0 | $41K | 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 Lamb County had?
NOAA records 88 tornadoes in Lamb County from 1951 to 2025, the strongest rated F4, with 0 deaths and 9 injuries recorded in the county. That is 20th of 254 Texas counties and 286th of 3,080 U.S. 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 97 tornadoes whose track touched Lamb County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 88: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 4 people, 0 of them in Lamb County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965-06-02 21:00, as SPC files it | Plainview | F4 | 39.3 mi | 4 |
| 1957-04-21 17:45, as SPC files it | Littlefield | F4 | 29.2 mi | 0 |
| 1991-05-10 18:22, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F3 | 8.5 mi | 0 |
| 1969-05-16 16:15, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F3 | 0.6 mi | 0 |
| 1969-05-06 17:30, as SPC files it | Earth | F3 | 1 mi | 0 |
| 1961-06-03 16:30, as SPC files it | Spade | F3 | 25.1 mi | 0 |
| 1957-05-24 12:38, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F3 | 1.9 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Texas.
Every tornado record filed for Lamb County (88)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-04-26 | Circle, Lamb County | EFU 10.49 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-25 | Friendship, Lamb County | EFU 2.24 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-05-16 | Sudan, Lamb County | EFU 0.97 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-05-26 | Earth, Lamb County | EF2 8.03 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $173K |
| 2019-03-12 | Bainer, Lamb County | EFU 1.66 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-05-09 | Sudan, Lamb County | EFU 0.01 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-09-27 | Fieldton, Lamb County | EF0 0.75 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2007-06-02 | Littlefield, Lamb County | EF0 1.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-06-02 | Earth, Lamb County | EF0 0.15 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-04-21 | Fieldton, Lamb County | EF2 15 mi x 1,230 yd | 0 | 1 | $1.2M |
| 2007-04-21 | Littlefield, Lamb County | EF0 2 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-05-12 | Olton, Lamb County | F0 0.1 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-05-24 | Littlefield, Lamb County | F0 0.5 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-05-01 | Olton, Lamb County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-05-01 | Olton, Lamb County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-05-08 | Olton, Lamb County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-06-02 | Olton, Lamb County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-05-31 | Springlake, Lamb County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-06-08 | Lamb County | F0 0.2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-05-27 | Lamb County | F1 2 mi x 120 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1992-05-20 | Lamb County | F1 4.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1991-06-23 | Lamb County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-06-05 | Lamb County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-05-11 | Lamb County | F0 0.3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-05-10 | Lamb County | F0 0.4 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-05-10 | Lamb County | F1 2.8 mi x 120 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1991-05-10 | Lamb County | F0 1.5 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1991-05-10 | Lamb County | F3 4 mi x 450 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1990-05-29 | Lamb County | F2 2.4 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1990-05-29 | Lamb County | F0 1.5 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1988-07-24 | Lamb County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1987-07-07 | Lamb County | F0 0.5 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1987-07-07 | Lamb County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1987-06-10 | Lamb County | F0 0.1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1986-06-04 | Lamb County | F0 0.2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1983-06-08 | Lamb County | F0 0.3 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1983-06-08 | Lamb County | F0 0.3 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1982-06-10 | Lamb County | F0 0.1 mi x 3 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1982-05-25 | Lamb County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1980-03-27 | Lamb County | F0 1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1979-06-05 | Lamb County | F1 11.9 mi x 167 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1979-06-05 | Lamb County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1978-04-09 | Lamb County | F0 0.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1977-05-25 | Lamb County | F0 1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1974-06-02 | Lamb County | F1 1 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1974-03-09 | Lamb County | F1 9.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1973-09-01 | Lamb County | F1 1 mi x 7 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1972-07-17 | Lamb County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1972-07-17 | Lamb County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1972-05-09 | Lamb County | F1 0.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1971-10-17 | Lamb County | F1 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1971-10-17 | Lamb County | F1 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1971-10-17 | Lamb County | F1 8.2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1971-10-17 | Lamb County | F2 31 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1971-10-17 | Lamb County | F2 15.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1971-10-17 | Lamb County | F2 22.2 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1971-10-17 | Lamb County | F2 17.6 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1969-10-19 | Lamb County | F2 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1969-09-22 | Lamb County | F0 6.6 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1969-05-16 | Lamb County | F3 0.6 mi x 50 yd | 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 Lamb County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 24, 2026 thunderstorm wind (1 injury).
A wet microburst occurred across the city of Littlefield. Local broadcast media and emergency management officials reported downed trees and power lines. Additionally, one person had to be extracted from a travel camper that had rolled due to thunderstorm winds.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1335911)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | Thunderstorm WindOlton, Lamb County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-26 | Thunderstorm WindOlton, Lamb County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-26 | Thunderstorm WindAmherst, Lamb County | 58 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-24 | Thunderstorm WindLittlefield, Lamb County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2026-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindOlton, Lamb County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-23 | HailSudan, Lamb County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-22 | Strong WindLamb County · forecast zone Lamb | 48 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-22 | Strong WindLamb County · forecast zone Lamb | 48 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-17 | High WindLamb County · forecast zone Lamb | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-03 | HailLittlefield, Lamb County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-01 | High WindLamb County · forecast zone Lamb | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-27 | High WindLamb County · forecast zone Lamb | 50 kt wind | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-05-09 | Strong WindLamb County · forecast zone Lamb A man and a child were killed after the truck they were riding in collided with a tractor-trailer. The accident happened on U.S. 84 just west of County Road 85 in Sudan. The tractor-trailer was traveling eastbound on U.S. 84 when troopers say wind caused the tractor-trailer to jackknife and obstruct the path of the ... | 48 kt wind | 2 | 0 | – |
| 2009-11-10 | Dense FogLamb County · forecast zone Lamb Fog developed over portions of the South Plains during the morning hours of the 10th, and the fog briefly became dense at a few locations. Low visibilities contributed to a fatal automobile accident near Amherst (Lamb County) around 08:30 CST. A 42 year-old female was killed when she rear-ended a farm tractor on Texas ... | 1 | 0 | $41K | |
| 1957-05-24 | TornadoLamb County | F3 1.9 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 3 | $250K step |
| 1957-04-21 | TornadoLamb County | F4 12.8 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 3 | $2.5M step |
| 1966-05-10 | TornadoLamb County | F2 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 2 | – |
| 2026-06-24 | Thunderstorm WindLittlefield, Lamb County A wet microburst occurred across the city of Littlefield. Local broadcast media and emergency management officials reported downed trees and power lines. Additionally, one person had to be extracted from a travel camper that had rolled due to thunderstorm winds. | 61 kt wind | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2007-04-21 | TornadoFieldton, Lamb County A large and long-tracked tornado cut a path of damage twenty-nine miles in length and at times nearly three-quarters of a mile wide across portions of Lamb, Hale, Castro and Swisher Counties between 17:57 and 18:36 CST on the 21st. Total damages from the tornado were estimated to exceed $1.2 million, and one person ... | EF2 15 mi x 1,230 yd | 0 | 1 | $1.2M |
| 2001-07-13 | Thunderstorm WindFieldton, Lamb County Strong thunderstorm wind destroyed a large storage building, blew down power lines, and snapped two power poles. A man taking shelter from hail in the storage building was injured. An NWS storm survey indicated that the building was open-sided on the east, the direction from which the wind was blowing, which allowed ... | 0 | 1 | $25K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-06-30 | HailSudan, Lamb County | 4.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $36M |
| 2001-05-30 | HailSudan, Lamb County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $25M |
| 2007-10-10 | HailFieldton, Lamb County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $7.1M |
| 2001-05-30 | HailLittlefield, Lamb County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $5.2M |
| 2001-05-30 | HailLittlefield, Lamb County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $5.0M |
| 2000-06-11 | HailLittlefield, Lamb County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $2.3M |
| 2000-06-10 | HailOlton, Lamb County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.7M |
| 2015-12-26 | BlizzardLamb County · forecast zone Lamb | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
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: April 21, 1957 (tornado, Lamb County); April 21, 1957 (tornado, Lamb County); April 21, 1957 (tornado, Lamb 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 Lamb 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 | 3 | 18 | 10 | 11 | 59 | 94 | 31 | 22 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 13 | 58 | 44 | 46 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 28 | 39 | 42 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 10 | 20 | 49 | 18 |
| Tornadoes | 6 | 25 | 17 | 10 | 17 | 7 | 3 | 3 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 29 | 25 | 14 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
69% of its hail reports since 1959 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 34 · Feb 48 · Mar 54 · Apr 78 · May 187 · Jun 194 · Jul 55 · Aug 42 · Sep 46 · Oct 39 · Nov 18 · Dec 41 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Lamb County
FEMA's register lists 16 declarations that include Lamb County: 10 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for fire (4) and hurricane (4).
| 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 |
| 2010-08-03 | DR-1931 | Hurricane | Hurricane Alex |
| 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 |
| 1992-09-09 | DR-960 | Severe Storm | Excessive Rain & Hail |
| 1970-05-13 | DR-286 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Windstorms & 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 Lamb County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 20 flood or flash flood records for Lamb County from 1996 to 2025, on 20 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Lamb County ranks 2830th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $0 on 1 claim filed in Lamb County; the most in one year was 1 in 2013. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
2013: 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 Lamb County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Lamb County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $15.0 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | Relatively High | $6.2M | 5.3 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively High | $1.7M | 83 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $1.5M | 2.4 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.0M | 1.7 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $118K | 8.2 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $519K | once in about 161 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.1M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $37K | 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 Lamb 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 Lamb CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Lamb County's FEMA declarations (CSV)16 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis