Sterling County, Texas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 48431 · population 1,371 · 923 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 327 records for Sterling County, Texas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 243 days; the most frequent are hail reports (132 records). The most damaging was the August 1, 1998 drought ($2.7 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 14 declarations naming the county since 1993, 12 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
- 327on 243 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 02 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $2.9Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 19strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 14latest 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 Sterling County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 132 since 1960. 68% of its hail reports since 1960 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 | 132 | 86 | 1960-2025 | 0 | 0 | $10K | 161 of 254 |
| Drought | 61 | 60 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 0 | $2.7M | 165 of 254 |
| Winter storms | 43 | 41 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $6K | 79 of 254 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 40 | 34 | 1968-2025 | 0 | 0 | $117K | 223 of 254 |
| Tornadoes | 19 | 15 | 1955-2024 | 0 | 0 | $183 | 197 of 254 |
| Floods | 17 | 13 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 224 of 254 |
| Wildfires | 6 | 6 | 2006-2011 | 0 | 2 | – | 73 of 254 |
| Extreme cold | 5 | 5 | 2007-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 144 of 254 |
| High wind and dust storms | 3 | 3 | 2007-2019 | 0 | 0 | $3K | 142 of 254 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 1 | 2007-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 107 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 Sterling County had?
NOAA records 19 tornadoes in Sterling County from 1955 to 2024, the strongest rated EF3, with 0 deaths and 0 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 19 tornadoes whose track touched Sterling County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 19, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-22 14:29, as SPC files it | Unnamed | EF3 | 4.79 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Texas.
Every tornado record filed for Sterling County (19)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-22 | Sterling City Cld Ar, Sterling County | EF3 4.79 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-05-17 | Sterling City, Sterling County | EF2 11.4 mi x 1,056 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-05-05 | Sterling City, Sterling County | EF0 0.83 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-05-26 | Sterling City, Sterling County | EF0 0.22 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-04-07 | Sterling City Cld Ar, Sterling County | EF0 1.18 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-04-07 | Sterling City Cld Ar, Sterling County | EF0 0.77 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-04-07 | Sterling City, Sterling County | EF0 1.14 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-05-02 | Sterling City, Sterling County | EF0 0.59 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-05-31 | Sterling City, Sterling County | F0 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-05-31 | Sterling City, Sterling County | F0 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-03-22 | Sterling City, Sterling County | F0 1 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-03-22 | Sterling City, Sterling County | F0 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-05-31 | Sterling City, Sterling County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-05-14 | Sterling County | F2 6 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1985-05-13 | Sterling County | F0 0.1 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1982-06-11 | Sterling County | F0 0.1 mi x 3 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1982-05-12 | Sterling County | F0 2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1972-04-19 | Sterling County | F1 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1955-05-25 | Sterling 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 Sterling County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 18, 2011 wildfire (2 injuries).
The Hudson Complex Wildfire was in Sterling County or about 34 miles northwest of San Angelo. The fire was started by lightning and burned approximately 2,860 acres.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 320784)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-26 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillSterling County · forecast zone Sterling | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-23 | Winter StormSterling County · forecast zone Sterling | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-24 | Thunderstorm WindSterling City, Sterling County | 68 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-29 | Thunderstorm WindSterling City, Sterling County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-29 | Thunderstorm WindSterling City, Sterling County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-29 | HailBroome, Sterling County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-26 | HailSterling City Cld Ar, Sterling County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-26 | HailSterling City Cld Ar, Sterling County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-28 | HailSterling City, Sterling County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-28 | HailSterling City, Sterling County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-19 | FloodSterling City Cld Ar, Sterling County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-04-19 | HailBroome, Sterling County | 3.00 in hail | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-06-18 | WildfireSterling County · forecast zone Sterling The Hudson Complex Wildfire was in Sterling County or about 34 miles northwest of San Angelo. The fire was started by lightning and burned approximately 2,860 acres. | 0 | 2 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-08-01 | DroughtSterling County · forecast zone Sterling | 0 | 0 | $2.7M | |
| 1999-05-31 | HailSterling City, Sterling County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $9K |
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 $30, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 12, 1982 (tornado, Sterling County); June 11, 1982 (tornado, Sterling 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 Sterling 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 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 38 | 28 | 24 | 21 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 2 | 7 | 26 z | 26 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 14 | 19 | 7 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 16 | 7 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 2 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 10 | 4 | 1 |
Drought in the 2010s: 26 records against 7 in the decade before, 26 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 Sterling 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?
68% of its hail reports since 1960 fell in April and May. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 20 · Feb 23 · Mar 29 · Apr 47 · May 100 · Jun 35 · Jul 7 · Aug 19 · Sep 4 · Oct 15 · Nov 10 · Dec 18 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Sterling County
FEMA's register lists 14 declarations that include Sterling County: 7 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for fire (4) and hurricane (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 |
| 2011-07-01 | DR-1999 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 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 |
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 Sterling County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Sterling County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $1.5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $754K | 58 modeled event-days a year |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $187K | once in about 74 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Very Low | $87K | 4.3 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Very Low | $94K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $24K | 9.2 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | $80K | 1.7 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | $7K | 5 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Very Low | $1K | once in about 174 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Sterling 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 Sterling CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Sterling County's FEMA declarations (CSV)14 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis