Motley County, Texas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 48345 · population 1,063 · 990 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 559 records for Motley County, Texas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 432 days; the most frequent are hail reports (183 records). The deadliest single record is the June 21, 2023 tornado: 4 deaths and 15 injuries. FEMA has issued 19 declarations naming the county since 1986, 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
- 559on 432 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 418 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $15Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 28strongest 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 Motley County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 183 since 1955. 69% of its hail reports since 1955 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 | 183 | 126 | 1955-2025 | 0 | 0 | $4.3M | 121 of 254 |
| Drought | 104 | 104 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $2.3M | 66 of 254 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 104 | 90 | 1958-2026 | 0 | 0 | $297K | 144 of 254 |
| Winter storms | 59 | 59 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $603K | 44 of 254 |
| High wind and dust storms | 57 | 53 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 1 | $77K | 36 of 254 |
| Tornadoes | 28 | 25 | 1957-2025 | 4 | 16 | $7.5M | 164 of 254 |
| Wildfires | 8 | 8 | 2006-2018 | 0 | 1 | $336K | 51 of 254 |
| Floods | 6 | 6 | 2010-2025 | 0 | 0 | $34K | 245 of 254 |
| Extreme cold | 3 | 3 | 2011-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 179 of 254 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 3 | 2000-2014 | 0 | 0 | – | 96 of 254 |
| Heat | 2 | 2 | 2008-2017 | 0 | 0 | – | 169 of 254 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 1 | 2007-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 113 of 254 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2000-2000 | 0 | 0 | $2K | 144 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 Motley County had?
NOAA records 28 tornadoes in Motley County from 1957 to 2025, the strongest rated EF3, with 4 deaths and 16 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 28 tornadoes whose track touched Motley County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 28, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 4 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-06-21 18:51, as SPC files it | Matador | EF3 | 9.14 mi | 4 |
| 2016-05-23 20:30, as SPC files it | Turkey | EF3 | 9.99 mi | 0 |
| 1984-05-01 19:44, as SPC files it | Matador | F3 | 8 mi | 0 |
| 1960-05-24 18:27, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F3 | 3.3 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Texas.
Every tornado record filed for Motley County (28)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-04-24 | Roaring Spgs, Motley County | EFU 1.85 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-24 | Whiteflat, Motley County | EFU 3.03 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-06-21 | Matador, Motley County | EFU 2.82 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-06-21 | Whiteflat, Motley County | EF3 9.14 mi x 600 yd | 4 | 15 | – |
| 2023-06-21 | Whiteflat, Motley County | EFU 0.18 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-05-10 | Matador, Motley County | EFU 0.01 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-05-23 | Northfield, Motley County | EFU 0.8 mi x 700 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-04-22 | Northfield, Motley County | EF2 7.5 mi x 1,300 yd | 0 | 0 | $135K |
| 2006-05-02 | Matador, Motley County | F0 2.8 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-06-05 | Matador, Motley County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2000-04-30 | Matador, Motley County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-07-02 | Flomot, Motley County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1995-05-15 | Flomot, Motley County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-06-05 | Motley County | F0 1.4 mi x 73 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-05-31 | Motley County | F0 0.7 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-06-01 | Motley County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-06-12 | Motley County | F1 2.5 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-05-17 | Motley County | F1 6 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1984-05-01 | Motley County | F3 8 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 1 | $2.5M step |
| 1982-05-16 | Motley County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1981-05-26 | Motley County | F0 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1979-03-18 | Motley County | F0 0.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1973-03-23 | Motley County | F2 24.7 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1965-05-25 | Motley County | F0 8.7 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1962-05-20 | Motley County | F1 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1960-05-24 | Motley County | F3 3.3 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1960-05-04 | Motley County | F0 0.1 mi x 7 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1957-04-22 | Motley County | 0 | 0 | $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.
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 Motley County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 21, 2023 tornado (4 deaths and 15 injuries).
The second of several tornadoes touched down north of Matador in an open field east of State Highway 70. The tornado then tracked to the south through open country until it reached just north of Farm to Market Road 94 where it damaged a few power poles. It then traveled to the south-southeast where it destroyed a house on the far north side of the city. Three vehicles at this residence were rolled at least a few hundred yards away from the house with two of the vehicles unable to be located. The tornado continued to track south along State Highway 70 where it damaged two additional houses and rolled another truck several hundred feet. The tornado then tracked back to the southwest and crossed State Highway 70 and damaged several houses northwest of the intersection of State Highway 70 and US Highway 62, as well as rolling several vehicles including a tractor-trailer. …
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1098431)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-23 | Thunderstorm WindRoaring Spgs, Motley County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-23 | Thunderstorm WindMatador, Motley County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-22 | Thunderstorm WindRoaring Spgs, Motley County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-14 | Thunderstorm WindMatador, Motley County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-14 | Thunderstorm WindFlomot, Motley County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-15 | High WindMotley County · forecast zone Motley | 36 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-17 | High WindMotley County · forecast zone Motley | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-24 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillMotley County · forecast zone Motley | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-23 | Winter StormMotley County · forecast zone Motley | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-08 | Thunderstorm WindNorthfield, Motley County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-08 | Thunderstorm WindNorthfield, Motley County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-07 | Thunderstorm WindNorthfield, Motley County | 51 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-06-21 | TornadoWhiteflat, Motley County The second of several tornadoes touched down north of Matador in an open field east of State Highway 70. The tornado then tracked to the south through open country until it reached just north of Farm to Market Road 94 where it damaged a few power poles. It then traveled to the south-southeast where it destroyed a ... | EF3 9.14 mi x 600 yd | 4 | 15 | – |
| 2011-02-27 | WildfireMotley County · forecast zone Motley The passage of an intense upper air storm system over the Southern Plains of the U.S. on the 27th caused high winds, blowing dust, and an outbreak of destructive grassland wildfires that affected portions of three states. Locally on the South Plains of west Texas, intense southwest to westerly winds intensified ... | 0 | 1 | $262K | |
| 2010-03-08 | High WindMotley County · forecast zone Motley A vigorous upper air storm system moved eastward over west Texas on the 8th. A band of thunderstorms developed in advance of the approaching storm during the morning hours, and these storms produced a narrow swath of damaging winds near Slaton (Lubbock County) shortly before 08:00 CST. More widespread severe wind ... | 52 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $1K |
| 1984-05-01 | TornadoMotley County | F3 8 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 1 | $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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-06-04 | HailMatador, Motley County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.4M |
| 2015-11-27 | Ice StormMotley County · forecast zone Motley | 0 | 0 | $523K | |
| 2004-08-12 | HailMatador, Motley County | 0.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $469K |
| 2010-04-22 | TornadoNorthfield, Motley County | EF2 7.5 mi x 1,300 yd | 0 | 0 | $135K |
| 2000-04-29 | HailRoaring Spgs, Motley County | 3.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $43K |
| 2009-06-14 | HailMatador, Motley County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $34K |
| 1999-04-04 | Thunderstorm WindNorthfield, Motley County | 0 | 0 | $27K | |
| 2003-04-15 | Thunderstorm WindRoaring Spgs, Motley County | 69 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $8K |
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: May 1, 1984 (tornado, Motley 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 Motley 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 | 4 | 3 | 24 | 38 | 62 | 34 | 17 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 10 | 25 | 56 | 13 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 20 | 36 | 30 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 12 | 27 | 19 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 16 | 14 | 24 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 5 |
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 1955 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 35 · Feb 44 · Mar 36 · Apr 79 · May 130 · Jun 97 · Jul 37 · Aug 28 · Sep 16 · Oct 15 · Nov 16 · Dec 26 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Motley County
FEMA's register lists 19 declarations that include Motley County: 11 major disasters, 7 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for fire (5) and severe storm (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 |
| 2011-02-27 | FM-2863 | Fire | Matador Fire |
| 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 |
| 1993-09-10 | EM-3113 | Drought | Extreme Fire Hazard |
| 1992-09-09 | DR-960 | Severe Storm | Excessive Rain & Hail |
| 1990-05-02 | DR-863 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1986-09-10 | DR-772 | Tornado | Tornadoes |
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 Motley County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Motley County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $1.8 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 | $729K | 89 modeled event-days a year |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $299K | once in about 106 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $245K | 5.3 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | $18K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | $10K | 7.2 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | $92K | 2.1 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Very Low | $100K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $16K | 2.8 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Motley 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 Motley CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Motley County's FEMA declarations (CSV)19 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis