Newton County, Texas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 48351 · population 12,151 · 934 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 302 records for Newton County, Texas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 226 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (139 records). The deadliest single record is the August 29, 2017 flash flood: 2 deaths and $54.2 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 30 declarations naming the county since 1973, 28 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Beryl” on July 9, 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
- 302on 226 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 33 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $429Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 33strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 30latest 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 Newton County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 139 since 1964. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 139 | 119 | 1964-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | 83 of 254 |
| Hail | 54 | 45 | 1980-2024 | 0 | 0 | $2K | 224 of 254 |
| Floods | 33 | 28 | 1998-2025 | 2 | 0 | $171M | 159 of 254 |
| Tornadoes | 33 | 26 | 1954-2022 | 0 | 3 | $6.9M | 146 of 254 |
| Winter storms | 21 | 13 | 2008-2025 | 0 | 0 | $3K | 191 of 254 |
| Drought | 7 | 6 | 1996-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 247 of 254 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 7 | 5 | 2005-2020 | 0 | 0 | $250M | 32 of 254 |
| Heat | 4 | 3 | 2000-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 159 of 254 |
| Wildfires | 2 | 2 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 0 | $282K | 165 of 254 |
| Extreme cold | 1 | 1 | 2010-2010 | 1 | 0 | $68K | 220 of 254 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2010-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 157 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 Newton County had?
NOAA records 33 tornadoes in Newton County from 1954 to 2022, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 3 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 33 tornadoes whose track touched Newton County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 33, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 2 people, 0 of them in Newton County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-03-02 18:55, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F3 | 12 mi | 1 |
| 1999-01-02 00:45, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F2 | 4.5 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Texas.
Every tornado record filed for Newton County (33)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-03-30 | Mayflower, Newton County | EF1 1.92 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $151K |
| 2021-10-27 | Hartburg, Newton County | EF2 1.95 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $926K |
| 2020-12-23 | Belgrade, Newton County | EF2 1.23 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $80K |
| 2020-04-22 | Jamestown, Newton County | EF2 18.99 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 0 | $86K |
| 2018-10-31 | Call, Newton County | EF1 6.66 mi x 260 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2017-03-29 | Farrsville, Newton County | EF1 12.19 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 0 | $60K |
| 2017-01-18 | Burkeville, Newton County | EF1 0.6 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $60K |
| 2017-01-02 | Belgrade, Newton County | EF1 2.57 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $36K |
| 2016-04-30 | Call, Newton County | EF0 0.17 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-04-24 | Trout Creek, Newton County | EF0 3.94 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2015-04-24 | Call, Newton County | EF1 5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $31K |
| 2012-04-02 | Newton County | EF1 1.77 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $257K |
| 2011-11-08 | Call, Newton County | EF1 3.56 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $13K |
| 2011-08-14 | Hartburg, Newton County | EF0 0.02 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2009-04-27 | Bleakwood, Newton County | EF0 0.01 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2006-10-16 | Wiergate, Newton County | F0 2.24 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2004-11-23 | Burkeville, Newton County | F1 10 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $391K |
| 2004-11-23 | Jamestown, Newton County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $39K |
| 2004-11-23 | Burkeville, Newton County | F1 3 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $78K |
| 2004-11-23 | Newton County | F1 3 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $156K |
| 2004-11-23 | Bleakwood, Newton County | F2 9 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.0M |
| 2003-11-17 | Burkeville, Newton County | F2 1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.6M |
| 1999-05-10 | Burkeville, Newton County | F0 2 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $44K |
| 1999-03-02 | Newton County | F3 3 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 3 | $443K |
| 1999-03-02 | Bleakwood, Newton County | F0 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $35K |
| 1999-03-02 | Newton County | F1 5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $89K |
| 1999-01-29 | Newton County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $18K |
| 1999-01-22 | Call, Newton County | F0 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $44K |
| 1999-01-02 | Call, Newton County | F1 4.5 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $35K |
| 1975-04-29 | Newton County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1965-08-24 | Newton County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1961-04-09 | Newton County | F2 0.8 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1954-04-15 | Newton County | F2 1.3 mi x 200 yd | 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 Newton County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 23, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-02 | Thunderstorm WindFawil, Newton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-23 | Thunderstorm WindMayflower, Newton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-02-14 | Thunderstorm WindDeweyville, Newton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-02-14 | Thunderstorm WindDeweyville, Newton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-02-14 | Thunderstorm WindTrout Creek, Newton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-10-25 | Thunderstorm WindDeweyville, Newton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2025-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindMayflower, Newton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindNewton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2025-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindWiergate, Newton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-05-06 | Flash FloodBleakwood, Newton County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-05-06 | Flash FloodBleakwood, Newton County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-03-04 | Thunderstorm WindMayflower, Newton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-08-29 | Flash FloodBurkeville, Newton County Harvey produced 20 to 40 inches of rain across a large portion of the Newton County. This resulted in near 2,000 homes being flooded. Hardest hit areas were Trout Creek, Call, and along Big Cow Creek and the Sabine River. The Sabine River reached its 3rd, 4th, and 5th highest crests at Deweyville, Bon Weir, and ... | 2 | 0 | $54M | |
| 2010-01-08 | Cold/Wind ChillNewton County · forecast zone Newton KFDM-TV and the Jasper Newsboy newspaper reported a 99 year old woman on FM 1012 in Jamestown was killed in a house fire caused by a space heater. The home was completely destroyed. | 1 | 0 | $68K | |
| 1999-03-02 | TornadoNewton County The Holly Springs tornado moved into Newton County, tearing up the Baptist Encampment community. A mobile home was flipped over 100 feet, ejecting three people. One young girl escaped with no injuries after being thrown over 50 feet from the home. Two trucks were flipped over in their driveways and a car was moved at ... | F3 3 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 3 | $443K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-09-23 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Newton County · forecast zone Newton | 0 | 0 | $121M | |
| 2020-08-26 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Newton County · forecast zone Southern Newton | 0 | 0 | $120M | |
| 2016-03-10 | FloodMayflower, Newton County | 0 | 0 | $106M | |
| 2017-08-29 | Flash FloodBurkeville, Newton County | 2 | 0 | $54M | |
| 2008-09-12 | Tropical StormNewton County · forecast zone Newton | 0 | 0 | $6.9M | |
| 2016-03-09 | Flash FloodMayflower, Newton County | 0 | 0 | $2.8M | |
| 2009-11-01 | FloodMayflower, Newton County | 0 | 0 | $2.8M | |
| 2020-10-09 | Tropical StormNewton County · forecast zone Southern Newton | 0 | 0 | $2.3M |
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 $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 9, 1961 (tornado, Newton 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 Newton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 35 | 51 | 17 | 24 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 13 | 21 | 9 | 7 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 4 | 6 | 14 | 9 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 4 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 2 | 13 | 6 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
Records by month in Newton County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 28 · Feb 17 · Mar 46 · Apr 43 · May 43 · Jun 17 · Jul 13 · Aug 28 · Sep 12 · Oct 19 · Nov 22 · Dec 14 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Newton County
FEMA's register lists 30 declarations that include Newton County: 19 major disasters, 10 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for hurricane (10) and fire (7).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-07-09 | DR-4798 | Hurricane | Hurricane Beryl |
| 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 |
| 2020-12-09 | DR-4572 | Hurricane | Hurricane Laura |
| 2020-08-24 | EM-3540 | Hurricane | Tropical Storms Marco and Laura |
| 2020-03-25 | DR-4485 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3458 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017-08-25 | DR-4332 | Hurricane | Hurricane Harvey |
| 2016-03-19 | DR-4266 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2015-11-25 | DR-4245 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2015-05-29 | DR-4223 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding |
| 2011-09-09 | DR-4029 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2011-07-01 | DR-1999 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2008-09-13 | DR-1791 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ike |
| 2008-09-10 | EM-3294 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ike |
| 2008-08-29 | EM-3290 | Hurricane | Hurricane Gustav |
| 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 |
| 2001-06-09 | DR-1379 | Coastal Storm | Tx-Tropical Storm Allison-06-06-2001 |
| 2000-09-03 | FM-2328 | Fire | Tx - Moore Branch Fire - 09/03/00 |
| 1999-09-01 | EM-3142 | Fire | Extreme Fire Hazards |
| 1998-08-26 | DR-1239 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Charley |
| 1996-02-23 | EM-3117 | Fire | Extreme Fire Hazard |
| 1989-07-18 | DR-836 | Flood | Tropical Storm Allison |
| 1989-05-19 | DR-828 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1973-07-11 | DR-398 | 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 Newton County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 33 flood or flash flood records for Newton County from 1998 to 2025, on 28 days, with 2 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Newton County ranks 469th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Harvey | 2017-08-29 | 1 | 2 |
| Hurricane Laura | 2020-08-26 | 2 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Imelda | 2019-09-18 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Ike | 2008-09-12 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Rita | 2005-09-23 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $28.0 million on 552 claims filed in Newton County; the most in one year was 260 in 2017. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 1 · 1980: 3 · 1982: 10 · 1983: 3 · 1984: 3 · 1986: 2 · 1989: 28 · 1990: 1 · 1991: 17 · 1992: 1 · 1994: 1 · 1997: 1 · 1998: 3 · 1999: 21 · 2001: 16 · 2002: 3 · 2003: 1 · 2005: 2 · 2006: 17 · 2008: 1 · 2009: 7 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2016: 107 · 2017: 260 · 2018: 3 · 2019: 6 · 2020: 3 · 2021: 2 · 2024: 25 · 2025: 2; 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 Newton County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Newton County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $5.5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $1.6M | once in about 9 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $277K | 77 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $97K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $160K | once in about 307 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $207K | 11 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $657K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $106K | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | $8K | once in about 83 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Newton 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
- Severe thunderstorm wind in TexasThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, 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 Newton CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Newton County's FEMA declarations (CSV)30 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis