Rains County, Texas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 48379 · population 12,154 · 229 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 347 records for Rains County, Texas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 271 days; the most frequent are hail reports (75 records). The deadliest single record is the October 18, 1993 tornado: 1 death and $1.0 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 17 declarations naming the county since 1966, 15 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding” on May 17, 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
- 347on 271 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 12 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $8.3Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 16strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 17latest 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 Rains County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 75 since 1962. 63% of its hail reports since 1962 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 | 75 | 50 | 1962-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | 32 of 254 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 75 | 63 | 1983-2025 | 0 | 0 | $661K | 18 of 254 |
| Drought | 69 | 69 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $3.0M | 4 of 254 |
| Heat | 51 | 49 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 8 of 254 |
| Winter storms | 25 | 25 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $198K | 7 of 254 |
| Floods | 22 | 18 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $184K | 44 of 254 |
| Tornadoes | 16 | 14 | 1954-2022 | 1 | 0 | $2.9M | 25 of 254 |
| Extreme cold | 7 | 7 | 2019-2026 | 0 | 0 | $353K | 14 of 254 |
| Heavy rain | 5 | 5 | 1997-1998 | 0 | 0 | – | 4 of 254 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 2003-2011 | 0 | 2 | $5K | 30 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 Rains County had?
NOAA records 16 tornadoes in Rains County from 1954 to 2022, the strongest rated F3, with 1 death and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 25th 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 17 tornadoes whose track touched Rains County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 16: 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, 1 of them in Rains County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-04-29 17:08, as SPC files it | Canton | EF3 | 39.71 mi | 2 |
| 1993-10-18 17:15, as SPC files it | Alba | F2 | 2 mi | 1 |
| 1973-12-03 13:45, as SPC files it | Alba | F3 | 3 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Texas.
Every tornado record filed for Rains County (16)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-11-04 | Dougherty, Rains County | EF1 2.43 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2017-04-29 | Dunbar, Rains County | EF2 13.2 mi x 1,760 yd | 0 | 0 | $108K |
| 2015-12-26 | Emory, Rains County | EF0 0.69 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-04-26 | Point, Rains County | F0 0.1 mi x 0 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-06-13 | Emory, Rains County | F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-04-19 | Point, Rains County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1993-10-18 | Emory, Rains County | F2 2 mi x 100 yd | 1 | 0 | $1.0M |
| 1993-04-19 | Lake Tawakoni, Rains County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-05-11 | Rains County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1992-05-11 | Rains County | F1 2 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1990-03-14 | Rains County | F2 4 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1988-11-15 | Rains County | F1 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1988-11-15 | Rains County | F1 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1973-12-03 | Rains County | F3 3 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1973-03-10 | Rains County | F1 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1954-06-02 | Rains County | F1 2 mi x 17 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 Rains County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 24, 2026 flash flood ($100,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | HeatRains County · forecast zone Rains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-02 | HailDunbar, Rains County | 0.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-24 | Flash FloodDunbar, Rains County | 0 | 0 | $100K | |
| 2026-04-24 | HailEmory, Rains County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-24 | HailEmory, Rains County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2026-04-24 | HailPt Sabine Airport, Rains County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $9K |
| 2026-04-24 | HailEmory, Rains County | 3.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 2026-04-24 | HailEmory, Rains County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 2026-04-24 | HailPt Sabine Airport, Rains County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2026-04-24 | HailPoint, Rains County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2026-04-24 | HailPoint, Rains County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtRains County · forecast zone Rains | 0 | 0 | $10K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993-10-18 | TornadoEmory, Rains County A tornado developed 1 SE Emory and moved two miles southeast. A man was killed and his mobile home was destroyed. (M57M) | F2 2 mi x 100 yd | 1 | 0 | $1.0M |
| 2003-05-24 | LightningPoint, Rains County Two people were injured by a lightning strike. | 0 | 2 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-02-15 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillRains County · forecast zone Rains | 0 | 0 | $353K | |
| 2016-04-11 | HailEmory, Rains County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $123K |
| 2017-04-29 | TornadoDunbar, Rains County | EF2 13.2 mi x 1,760 yd | 0 | 0 | $108K |
| 2022-11-04 | HailPoint, Rains County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $101K |
| 2026-04-24 | Flash FloodDunbar, Rains County | 0 | 0 | $100K | |
| 2022-03-14 | Thunderstorm WindWillow Spgs, Rains County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2022-11-04 | TornadoDougherty, Rains County | EF1 2.43 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2026-04-24 | HailEmory, Rains County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $12K |
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: March 10, 1973 (tornado, Rains 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 Rains 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 | 0 | 9 | 25 | 14 | 16 | 10 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 35 | 17 | 8 | 7 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 2 | 19 | 33 | 15 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 2 | 3 | 7 | 39 z |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 11 | 6 | 3 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 5 | 11 | 4 | 2 |
Heat in the 2020-26: 39 records against 7 in the decade before, 39 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 Rains 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?
63% of its hail reports since 1962 fell in April and May. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 25 · Feb 19 · Mar 24 · Apr 53 · May 47 · Jun 30 · Jul 32 · Aug 37 · Sep 19 · Oct 24 · Nov 19 · Dec 18 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Rains County
FEMA's register lists 17 declarations that include Rains County: 11 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (3) and severe ice storm (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 2020-03-25 | 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 |
| 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 |
| 2001-01-08 | DR-1356 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Ice Storm |
| 1999-09-01 | EM-3142 | Fire | Extreme Fire Hazards |
| 1998-08-26 | DR-1239 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Charley |
| 1990-05-02 | DR-863 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1972-01-27 | DR-320 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
| 1966-05-12 | DR-218 | 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 Rains County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 22 flood or flash flood records for Rains County from 1997 to 2026, on 18 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Rains County ranks 2436th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $255,000 on 8 claims filed in Rains County; the most in one year was 3 in 2008. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1983: 1 · 1987: 1 · 1989: 2 · 1998: 1 · 2008: 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 Rains County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Rains County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $5.6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $500K | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.9M | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $224K | 31 modeled event-days a year |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $331K | 16 modeled event-days a year |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $222K | 5.8 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $478K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $290K | 4.2 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $101K | 57 a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Rains 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 Rains CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Rains County's FEMA declarations (CSV)17 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis