Midland County, Texas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 48329 · population 169,849 · 900 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,109 records for Midland County, Texas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 561 days; the most frequent are hail reports (463 records). The deadliest single record is the May 14, 2010 flash flood: 1 death, 1 injury and $237,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 19 declarations naming the county since 1992, 17 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
- 1,109on 561 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 28 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $277Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 36strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 19latest 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 Midland County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 463 since 1956. 58% of its hail reports since 1956 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 | 463 | 236 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 1 | $245M | 20 of 254 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 283 | 212 | 1955-2025 | 0 | 3 | $12M | 31 of 254 |
| Floods | 207 | 134 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 1 | $5.5M | 13 of 254 |
| High wind and dust storms | 52 | 37 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $155K | 42 of 254 |
| Winter storms | 38 | 22 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 154 of 254 |
| Tornadoes | 36 | 29 | 1962-2024 | 0 | 2 | $4.7M | 123 of 254 |
| Drought | 16 | 16 | 1996-2006 | 0 | 0 | $6.0M | 223 of 254 |
| Heavy rain | 6 | 5 | 2004-2017 | 0 | 0 | $312K | 62 of 254 |
| Lightning | 4 | 4 | 2002-2019 | 1 | 1 | $285K | 58 of 254 |
| Wildfires | 3 | 3 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 0 | $3.5M | 130 of 254 |
| Heat | 1 | 1 | 2019-2019 | 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 Midland County had?
NOAA records 36 tornadoes in Midland County from 1962 to 2024, the strongest rated EF3, with 0 deaths and 2 injuries recorded in the county. That is 123rd 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 37 tornadoes whose track touched Midland County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 36: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-30 17:40, as SPC files it | Unnamed | EF3 | 5.34 mi | 0 |
| 2019-05-20 16:23, as SPC files it | Unnamed | EF3 | 5.8 mi | 0 |
| 1965-05-15 23:40, as SPC files it | Midland | F3 | 1 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Texas.
Every tornado record filed for Midland County (36)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-30 | Midland International, Midland County | EF3 2.53 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $94K |
| 2024-05-30 | Midland International, Midland County | EFU 0.13 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-05-30 | Warfield, Midland County | EF2 10.27 mi x 1,700 yd | 0 | 0 | $71K |
| 2019-05-20 | Warfield, Midland County | EF3 4.51 mi x 225 yd | 0 | 0 | $231K |
| 2019-05-20 | Spraberry, Midland County | EF2 6.63 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 2 | $289K |
| 2010-05-14 | Greenwood, Midland County | EF0 0.53 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-06-05 | Midland County | F0 1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-06-05 | Midland County | F0 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-06-05 | Midland County | F0 0.8 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-05-27 | Greenwood, Midland County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-10-24 | Midland County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-04-13 | Midland County | F1 0.5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $35K |
| 1989-09-08 | Midland County | F1 3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-09-08 | Midland County | F0 0.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-06-03 | Midland County | F0 3 mi x 120 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-05-11 | Midland County | F0 0.5 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1987-05-27 | Midland County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1987-05-27 | Midland County | F0 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1986-08-15 | Midland County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1986-06-02 | Midland County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1986-05-24 | Midland County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1985-05-24 | Midland County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1982-05-21 | Midland County | F0 0.1 mi x 7 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1982-05-05 | Midland County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1980-05-20 | Midland County | F1 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1979-08-17 | Midland County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1977-05-26 | Midland County | F0 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1977-04-19 | Midland County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1976-04-26 | Midland County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1976-03-28 | Midland County | F1 0.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1975-05-28 | Midland County | F0 2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1967-09-26 | Midland County | F0 0.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1965-05-15 | Midland County | F3 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1964-03-18 | Midland County | F1 0.1 mi x 13 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1962-08-01 | Midland County | F1 3.3 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1962-07-24 | Midland County | F1 4.9 mi x 33 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 Midland County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 3, 2026 flash flood ($30,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-22 | HailMidland County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-22 | HailMidland County | 0.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-22 | HailMidland County | 0.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-22 | HailMidland County | 0.88 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-22 | HailMidland County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-03 | Flash FloodWarfield, Midland County | 0 | 0 | $30K | |
| 2026-05-26 | Flash FloodMidland County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-26 | Flash FloodMidland County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-26 | Flash FloodWarfield, Midland County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-23 | Flash FloodMidland International, Midland County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-23 | HailMidland County | 0.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-23 | HailMidland International, Midland County | 1.00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-05-14 | Flash FloodMidland County At 13:46 pm CST, local law enforcement reported that a car had been swept into the Scharbauer Draw near Jackson Street and Scharbauer Drive. When emergency officials arrived on the scene, they were unable to locate the car. Later that evening, a wrecker service was removing the reemerged car from the water when they ... | 1 | 1 | $237K | |
| 2017-07-03 | LightningMidland County A thunderstorm with frequent lightning developed across Midland County and moved across the City of Midland. A 43 year old man was struck by lightning at the 300 block of Maple Avenue and was later declared dead at the hospital. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-05-30 | Thunderstorm WindWarfield, Midland County Odessa FD/PD responded to a report of an overturned double-wide trailer home along CR 172. This was likely the result of intense RFD winds on the backside of the tornadic circulation. Two occupants were injured, and one was taken to the hospital. Time is estimated from radar. Wind speeds and property damage costs are ... | 96 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $141K |
| 2019-05-20 | TornadoSpraberry, Midland County A thunderstorm moved across Midland County and produced a tornado 21 miles southeast of the City of Midland. This tornado was first viewed from near the intersection of Farm to Market Road 1787 and State Highway 349, looking southeastward. Primary indications are that the tornado developed 21 miles southeast of the ... | EF2 6.63 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 2 | $289K |
| 2021-09-17 | Thunderstorm WindGreenwood, Midland County A thunderstorm produced wind damage near Midkiff. Two unanchored construction trailers were damaged. One injury was reported. The wind was estimated to be 60 to 70 mph. The time was estimated by radar. The cost of damage is a very rough estimate. | 61 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $65K |
| 2009-04-11 | HailMidland County Numerous roofs throughout Midland, TX were damaged during this event. A local newspaper clipping with a quote from a major roofing company estimated 40 to 50 percent of the homes in Midland needed to be re-roofed. The average cost to replace a shingled roof is anywhere from $8-$10K. This resulted in an estimated $160 ... | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 1 | $222M |
| 2004-03-04 | LightningMidland International, Midland County A man was injured when lightning struck the metal equiment he was working on. He was treated at an area hospital and was released later in the day. | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-04-11 | HailMidland County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 1 | $222M |
| 1999-04-13 | HailMidland County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $14M |
| 1996-08-01 | DroughtMidland County · forecast zone Midland | 0 | 0 | $6.0M | |
| 1999-04-13 | Thunderstorm WindMidland County | 0 | 0 | $5.3M | |
| 1995-09-24 | HailMidland County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $4.8M |
| 2011-04-09 | WildfireMidland County · forecast zone Midland | 0 | 0 | $3.5M | |
| 2012-09-28 | Flash FloodMidland County | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | |
| 2013-06-05 | Thunderstorm WindMidland International, Midland County | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.9M |
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: May 15, 1965 (tornado, Midland County); April 26, 1976 (tornado, Midland 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 Midland 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 | 6 | 17 | 20 | 31 | 98 | 104 | 117 | 70 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 10 | 15 | 15 | 29 | 56 | 53 | 48 | 57 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 11 | 70 | 81 | 45 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 10 | 19 | 20 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 5 | 19 z | 11 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 5 | 6 | 13 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
Winter storms in the 2010s: 19 records against 5 in the decade before, 19 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 Midland 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?
58% of its hail reports since 1956 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 23 · Feb 25 · Mar 61 · Apr 112 · May 308 · Jun 214 · Jul 76 · Aug 88 · Sep 94 · Oct 58 · Nov 24 · Dec 26 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Midland County
FEMA's register lists 19 declarations that include Midland County: 7 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 5 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for fire (9) 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 |
| 2011-07-01 | DR-1999 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2011-05-24 | FM-2910 | Fire | Ceed Fire |
| 2011-04-09 | FM-2886 | Fire | Hickman Fire |
| 2011-04-03 | FM-2881 | Fire | Bates Field Fire |
| 2009-03-20 | FM-2800 | Fire | Greenwood Fire |
| 2008-05-01 | FM-2764 | Fire | Price 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 |
| 1992-09-09 | DR-960 | Severe Storm | Excessive Rain & Hail |
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 Midland County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 207 flood or flash flood records for Midland County from 1996 to 2026, on 134 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Midland County ranks 1107th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.6 million on 145 claims filed in Midland County; the most in one year was 23 in 2010. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1980: 4 · 1981: 2 · 1982: 2 · 1983: 1 · 1984: 1 · 1985: 7 · 1986: 5 · 1987: 1 · 1988: 10 · 1990: 1 · 1991: 1 · 1992: 3 · 1993: 21 · 1994: 2 · 1995: 1 · 1997: 3 · 2000: 3 · 2003: 1 · 2004: 1 · 2005: 3 · 2007: 17 · 2008: 1 · 2009: 3 · 2010: 23 · 2014: 6 · 2015: 7 · 2016: 2 · 2018: 5 · 2019: 3 · 2024: 3 · 2025: 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 Midland County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Midland County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $48.7 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 | $8.0M | 3.9 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $874K | 5.6 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively High | $2.2M | 75 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively High | $8.8M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $2.5M | once in about 295 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $22M | 4.3 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $583K | 44 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.9M | 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 Midland 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 Midland CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Midland County's FEMA declarations (CSV)19 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis