Sabine County, Texas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 48403 · population 9,848 · 492 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 381 records for Sabine County, Texas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 291 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (119 records). The deadliest single record is the February 21, 2013 tornado: 1 death, 2 injuries and $317,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 26 declarations naming the county since 1973, 23 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
- 381on 291 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 36 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $38Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 23strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 26latest 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 Sabine County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 119 since 1957. 46% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1957 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 119 | 88 | 1957-2026 | 1 | 2 | $29M | 49 of 254 |
| Heat | 84 | 83 | 2011-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 254 |
| Hail | 47 | 33 | 1975-2026 | 0 | 0 | $10K | 195 of 254 |
| Drought | 38 | 38 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 132 of 254 |
| Floods | 35 | 19 | 1999-2022 | 0 | 0 | $2.8M | 126 of 254 |
| Tornadoes | 23 | 20 | 1959-2025 | 1 | 2 | $1.7M | 89 of 254 |
| Winter storms | 22 | 22 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $3.7M | 77 of 254 |
| Extreme cold | 6 | 6 | 2010-2026 | 0 | 0 | $68K | 51 of 254 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 4 | 4 | 2005-2020 | 1 | 0 | $343K | 19 of 254 |
| High wind and dust storms | 2 | 2 | 2012-2016 | 0 | 0 | $129K | 123 of 254 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2016-2016 | 0 | 2 | – | 104 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 Sabine County had?
NOAA records 23 tornadoes in Sabine County from 1959 to 2025, the strongest rated F3, with 1 death and 2 injuries recorded in the county. That is 89th 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 23 tornadoes whose track touched Sabine County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 23, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 2 people, 1 of them in Sabine County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974-03-20 19:30, as SPC files it | Zwolle to WinnfieldCrossed LA, TX | F3 | 85.2 mi | 1 |
| 2013-02-21 13:10, as SPC files it | Pineland to Hemphill | EF1 | 4.47 mi | 1 |
| 1974-03-20 19:30, as SPC files it | HuxleyCrossed LA, TX | F3 | 44.7 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Texas.
Every tornado record filed for Sabine County (23)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-03-04 | Yellowpine, Sabine County | EF1 5.58 mi x 625 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2024-07-08 | Sexton, Sabine County | EF1 0.57 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-07-08 | Milam, Sabine County | EF1 2.84 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $80K |
| 2022-03-30 | Yellowpine, Sabine County | EF1 0.95 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 2018-07-09 | Milam, Sabine County | EF0 0.25 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2013-02-21 | Plainview, Sabine County | EF1 4.47 mi x 150 yd | 1 | 2 | $317K |
| 2010-01-20 | Geneva, Sabine County | EF1 0.79 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $54K |
| 2009-12-24 | Pineland, Sabine County | EF0 1.28 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2009-12-24 | Fairmount, Sabine County | EF0 0.29 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2008-03-30 | Milam, Sabine County | EF0 1.64 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2008-02-16 | Yellowpine, Sabine County | EF1 0.33 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $69K |
| 2003-04-04 | Rosevine, Sabine County | F1 13 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-12-18 | Milam, Sabine County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1993-04-14 | Hemphill, Sabine County | F2 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
| 1986-03-12 | Sabine County | F1 1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1981-06-06 | Sabine County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1978-09-14 | Sabine County | F1 3.6 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1974-03-20 | Sabine County | F3 18.9 mi x 77 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1974-03-20 | Sabine County | F3 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1972-11-13 | Sabine County | F1 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1966-08-12 | Sabine County | F2 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1959-04-08 | Sabine County | F2 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1959-03-20 | Sabine County | F0 | 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 Sabine County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 4, 2025 tornado ($10,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
This strong EF1 tornado with estimated maximum winds near 105 mph touched down in the Sabine National Forest along Forest Road 144, where numerous softwood trees were snapped and uprooted. The heaviest concentration of damage was near the intersection of Forest Road 144 and Forest Road 144A, where the tornado was at its strongest and widest. This tornado tracked northeast across inaccessible areas of the forest, before crossing Highway 87 just south of the Six Mile community. Numerous additional softwood trees were snapped and uprooted between Forest Road 182 and Shawnee Shores Drive, before lifting within a cove in Toledo Bend Reservoir along Shawnee Shores Drive. The tornado had a maximum width of 625 yards and tracked over 5 miles.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1249738)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-23 | Thunderstorm WindYellowpine, Sabine County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-23 | Thunderstorm WindPlainview, Sabine County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-23 | Thunderstorm WindRosevine, Sabine County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtSabine County · forecast zone Sabine | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtSabine County · forecast zone Sabine | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-15 | Thunderstorm WindHemphill, Sabine County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-15 | HailPineland, Sabine County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtSabine County · forecast zone Sabine | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-12 | DroughtSabine County · forecast zone Sabine | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Cold/Wind ChillSabine County · forecast zone Sabine | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormSabine County · forecast zone Sabine | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-14 | HeatSabine County · forecast zone Sabine | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-02-21 | TornadoPlainview, Sabine County The National Weather Service conducted a storm survey across Sabine County Texas and determined that an EF1 tornado touched down north of Pineland, Texas. The tornado first touched down along Charlie Forse Road...snapping large branches along the road. The tornado then crossed FM. 1 at Strickland Crossing ... | EF1 4.47 mi x 150 yd | 1 | 2 | $317K |
| 2020-08-27 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Sabine County · forecast zone Sabine Observed scattered tree damage across the parish with more widespread damage across the southeastern corner of the parish and exposed areas to the open waters of Toledo Bend Reservoir in the far southwestern portion of the parish. Damage included snapped trees, roof damage to an apartment complex, and clusters of ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2015-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindHemphill, Sabine County A tree fell on the home of an elderly woman in Hemphill Texas. The tree killed the woman inside her home. | 60 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $62K |
| 2016-08-13 | LightningRosevine, Sabine County Lightning struck a vehicle while a couple was unloading it. Both the male and female victims suffered burns and bruises, with the male also briefly knocked unconscious. | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2009-05-03 | Thunderstorm WindMilam, Sabine County A tree fell on a trailer at Alpine Marina on Hwy. 21. There was an injured man reported in the trailer from the fallen tree. | 60 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $55K |
| 2001-05-28 | Thunderstorm WindHemphill, Sabine County Flying debris injured a girl at Mill Creek Park at the Sam Rayburn Reservoir. | 60 kt wind | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-02-10 | Thunderstorm WindHemphill, Sabine County | 0 | 0 | $29M | |
| 2021-02-16 | Winter StormSabine County · forecast zone Sabine | 0 | 0 | $3.7M | |
| 2008-03-30 | Flash FloodHemphill, Sabine County | 0 | 0 | $2.7M | |
| 1993-04-14 | TornadoHemphill, Sabine County | F2 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
| 2008-09-13 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Sabine County · forecast zone Sabine | 0 | 0 | $343K | |
| 2013-02-21 | TornadoPlainview, Sabine County | EF1 4.47 mi x 150 yd | 1 | 2 | $317K |
| 2024-07-08 | TornadoMilam, Sabine County | EF1 2.84 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $80K |
| 2008-02-16 | TornadoYellowpine, Sabine County | EF1 0.33 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $69K |
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: November 13, 1972 (tornado, Sabine 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 Sabine 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 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 19 | 26 | 32 | 33 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 27 | 57 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 18 | 4 | 6 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 2 | 1 | 21 | 14 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 1 | 7 | 23 | 4 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 4 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
46% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1957 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 30 · Feb 21 · Mar 40 · Apr 26 · May 59 · Jun 42 · Jul 62 · Aug 53 · Sep 15 · Oct 5 · Nov 8 · Dec 20 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Sabine County
FEMA's register lists 26 declarations that include Sabine County: 15 major disasters, 11 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (9) and fire (5).
| 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 |
| 2017-08-25 | DR-4332 | Hurricane | Hurricane Harvey |
| 2016-03-19 | DR-4266 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2015-05-29 | DR-4223 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 1998-08-26 | DR-1239 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Charley |
| 1996-02-23 | EM-3117 | Fire | Extreme Fire Hazard |
| 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 Sabine County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 35 flood or flash flood records for Sabine County from 1999 to 2022, on 19 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Sabine County ranks 2590th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Ike | 2008-09-13 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $26,000 on 5 claims filed in Sabine County; the most in one year was 1 in 1979. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 1 · 1982: 1 · 2008: 1 · 2012: 1 · 2016: 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 Sabine County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Sabine County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $5.7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $672K | 2.6 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $603K | once in about 11 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $81K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $348K | 21 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $733K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $126K | 70 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $23K | 2.2 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $56K | once in about 716 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Sabine 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 Sabine CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Sabine County's FEMA declarations (CSV)26 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis