Polk County, Texas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 48373 · population 49,569 · 1,057 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 364 records for Polk County, Texas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 253 days; the most frequent are hail reports (121 records). The deadliest day on its record was May 17, 1986: thunderstorm wind records filed for Polk County that day count 8 deaths across 2 records. FEMA has issued 30 declarations naming the county since 1973, 27 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
- 364on 253 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1143 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $624Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 30strongest EF3
- 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 Polk County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 121 since 1965. 51% of its hail reports since 1965 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 | 121 | 93 | 1965-2025 | 0 | 1 | $859K | 164 of 254 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 113 | 87 | 1961-2026 | 8 | 1 | $34M | 161 of 254 |
| Floods | 47 | 35 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | $367M | 145 of 254 |
| Tornadoes | 30 | 27 | 1959-2020 | 3 | 41 | $29M | 163 of 254 |
| Drought | 14 | 14 | 1996-2023 | 0 | 0 | $15M | 234 of 254 |
| Heat | 12 | 12 | 1999-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 120 of 254 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 11 | 11 | 1999-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 31 of 254 |
| Winter storms | 11 | 11 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $29K | 214 of 254 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 4 | 4 | 1998-2008 | 0 | 0 | $177M | 44 of 254 |
| Extreme cold | 1 | 1 | 2021-2021 | 0 | 0 | $490K | 226 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 Polk County had?
NOAA records 30 tornadoes in Polk County from 1959 to 2020, the strongest rated EF3, with 3 deaths and 41 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 31 tornadoes whose track touched Polk County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 30: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 3 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-22 16:35, as SPC files it | Onalaska | EF3 | 28.51 mi | 3 |
| 2002-03-30 18:50, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F3 | 49 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Texas.
Every tornado record filed for Polk County (30)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-22 | Onalaska, Polk County | EF3 28.51 mi x 1,100 yd | 3 | 36 | $5.7M |
| 2017-07-15 | East Tempe, Polk County | EF0 0.38 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $48K |
| 2013-02-10 | Soda, Polk County | EF0 0.51 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 1 | $63K |
| 2011-04-25 | Onalaska, Polk County | EF0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2007-05-03 | Livingston, Polk County | EF0 0.3 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-04-25 | Alabama/Coushatta Res, Polk County | EF0 0.25 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-04-29 | Segno, Polk County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $293K |
| 2004-11-23 | Lake Livingston Dam, Polk County | F0 0.1 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2003-06-12 | Livingston, Polk County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-06-12 | Livingston, Polk County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-03-30 | Corrigan, Polk County | F0 2 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $33K |
| 2001-10-13 | Onalaska, Polk County | F1 0.3 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $42K |
| 1997-10-23 | Segno, Polk County | F0 10 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $18K |
| 1997-05-28 | Livingston, Polk County | F0 0.5 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1994-05-13 | Polk County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1993-11-16 | Polk County | F0 0.25 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 1992-11-21 | Polk County | F2 2 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1989-10-16 | Polk County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1989-05-17 | Polk County | F2 3 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1987-12-06 | Polk County | F2 1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1987-12-06 | Polk County | F2 1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1986-11-07 | Polk County | F0 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1982-09-14 | Polk County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1980-04-25 | Polk County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1976-03-30 | Polk County | F2 26.7 mi x 1,300 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1976-03-30 | Polk County | F2 22.1 mi x 1,300 yd | 0 | 1 | $2.5M step |
| 1972-07-15 | Polk County | F1 5.4 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1967-05-01 | Polk County | F2 8 mi x 67 yd | 0 | 2 | $25K step |
| 1961-04-08 | Polk County | F2 0.4 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1959-03-05 | Polk County | 0 | 0 | $30 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 Polk County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 12, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($35,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-15 | Thunderstorm WindLake Livingston Dam, Polk County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-25 | Winter WeatherPolk County · forecast zone Polk | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindNew Hope, Polk County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $35K |
| 2025-06-12 | HailNew Hope, Polk County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2025-03-08 | HailProvidence Camp, Polk County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-08 | HailLivingston, Polk County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-08 | HailLivingston Municipal Airport, Polk County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-08 | HailBlanchard, Polk County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-01-20 | Winter StormPolk County · forecast zone Polk | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-05-09 | HailCorrigan, Polk County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-05-01 | FloodOnalaska, Polk County | 0 | 0 | $2.9M | |
| 2021-05-11 | Thunderstorm WindCamp Ruby, Polk County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $218K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986-05-17 | Thunderstorm WindPolk County | 5 | 0 | – | |
| 2020-04-22 | TornadoOnalaska, Polk County Tornado touched down on the eastern shore of Lake Livingston, just NW of Onalaska then moved SE across the town then ESE across Polk County. Some of the most significant damage was in Paradise Acres area of Onalaska. Winds possibly reached 140 mph as the storm moved across this location, which was the only EF3 damage ... | EF3 28.51 mi x 1,100 yd | 3 | 36 | $5.7M |
| 1986-05-17 | Thunderstorm WindPolk County | 3 | 0 | – | |
| 1967-05-01 | TornadoPolk County | F2 8 mi x 67 yd | 0 | 2 | $25K step |
| 2025-06-12 | HailNew Hope, Polk County Emergency manager passed along reports of large hail west of Goodrich. One person was injured after hail came through the victims bedroom window, striking them in the head. | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2013-02-10 | TornadoSoda, Polk County Deputy witnessed funnel cloud. Tornado touched down near a travel trailer which was lifted off the ground, thrown and destroyed. Occupant of trailer was injured as he was exiting trailer when tornado hit. Tornado appeared to lift then touch down again about one half mile later with numerous large trees uprooted and ... | EF0 0.51 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 1 | $63K |
| 2000-11-06 | Thunderstorm WindDallardsville, Polk County Large tree fell on house injuring a man. | 0 | 1 | $26K | |
| 1976-03-30 | TornadoPolk County | F2 22.1 mi x 1,300 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-08-26 | Flash FloodOnalaska, Polk County | 0 | 0 | $361M | |
| 2008-09-12 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Polk County · forecast zone Polk | 0 | 0 | $137M | |
| 2005-09-23 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Polk County · forecast zone Polk | 0 | 0 | $35M | |
| 1998-02-10 | Thunderstorm WindLivingston, Polk County | 0 | 0 | $32M | |
| 2020-04-22 | TornadoOnalaska, Polk County | EF3 28.51 mi x 1,100 yd | 3 | 36 | $5.7M |
| 2001-06-08 | Tropical StormPolk County · forecast zone Polk | 0 | 0 | $5.4M | |
| 2024-05-01 | FloodOnalaska, Polk County | 0 | 0 | $2.9M | |
| 2004-05-01 | Flash FloodLivingston, Polk County | 0 | 0 | $781K |
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: March 30, 1976 (tornado, Polk County); December 6, 1987 (tornado, Polk 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 Polk 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 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 38 | 37 | 17 | 14 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 29 | 24 | 28 | 17 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 15 | 17 | 8 | 7 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 1 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 2 | 4 | 0 | 6 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
51% of its hail reports since 1965 fell in April and May. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 25 · Feb 26 · Mar 33 · Apr 60 · May 77 · Jun 33 · Jul 23 · Aug 25 · Sep 15 · Oct 17 · Nov 22 · Dec 8 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Polk County
FEMA's register lists 30 declarations that include Polk County: 20 major disasters, 10 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (9) and flood (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 |
| 2020-08-24 | 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 |
| 2019-02-25 | DR-4416 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2017-08-25 | DR-4332 | Hurricane | Hurricane Harvey |
| 2016-06-11 | DR-4272 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2015-05-29 | DR-4223 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding |
| 2011-09-09 | DR-4029 | 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 |
| 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 |
| 2003-02-01 | EM-3171 | Other | Loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia |
| 2001-06-09 | DR-1379 | Coastal Storm | Tx-Tropical Storm Allison-06-06-2001 |
| 1999-09-01 | EM-3142 | Fire | Extreme Fire Hazards |
| 1998-10-21 | DR-1257 | Flood | Tx-Flooding 10/18/98 |
| 1998-08-26 | DR-1239 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Charley |
| 1996-02-23 | EM-3117 | Fire | Extreme Fire Hazard |
| 1994-10-18 | DR-1041 | Flood | Severe Thunderstorms and Flooding |
| 1991-12-26 | DR-930 | Flood | Severe Thunderstorms |
| 1990-05-02 | DR-863 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 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 Polk County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 47 flood or flash flood records for Polk County from 1996 to 2024, on 35 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Polk County ranks 674th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Harvey | 2017-08-26 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Ike | 2008-09-12 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Rita | 2005-09-23 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Allison | 2001-06-08 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $10.1 million on 346 claims filed in Polk County; the most in one year was 70 in 2024. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 2 · 1981: 3 · 1989: 2 · 1990: 3 · 1991: 4 · 1992: 6 · 1993: 1 · 1994: 33 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 1 · 1997: 3 · 1998: 13 · 1999: 19 · 2000: 1 · 2001: 11 · 2002: 2 · 2004: 31 · 2005: 5 · 2006: 12 · 2007: 1 · 2008: 18 · 2009: 9 · 2011: 1 · 2012: 4 · 2013: 2 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 8 · 2016: 21 · 2017: 35 · 2018: 10 · 2019: 4 · 2021: 6 · 2024: 70 · 2025: 3; 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 Polk County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Polk County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $24.5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Relatively High | $1.1M | 70 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $1.3M | 1.7 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $5.3M | once in about 9 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $4.2M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $3.9M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $213K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $910K | 12 modeled event-days a year |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $192K | once in about 525 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Polk 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 Polk CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Polk County's FEMA declarations (CSV)30 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis