Terrell County, Texas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 48443 · population 757 · 2,358 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 241 records for Terrell County, Texas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 167 days; the most frequent are hail reports (118 records). The most damaging was the July 25, 2004 flash flood ($1.7 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 16 declarations naming the county since 1965, 14 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Flooding” on July 18, 2026.
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
- 241on 167 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 020 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $6.5Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 11strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 16latest 2026
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 Terrell County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 118 since 1955. 63% of its hail reports since 1955 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 118 | 83 | 1955-2026 | 0 | 0 | $185K | 238 of 254 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 47 | 40 | 1955-2025 | 0 | 7 | $559K | 243 of 254 |
| Floods | 37 | 27 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.9M | 233 of 254 |
| Drought | 16 | 16 | 1996-2006 | 0 | 0 | – | 244 of 254 |
| Tornadoes | 11 | 9 | 1965-2024 | 0 | 12 | $3.0M | 241 of 254 |
| Winter storms | 7 | 6 | 2007-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 248 of 254 |
| High wind and dust storms | 3 | 3 | 2023-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 183 of 254 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 1 | 2003-2003 | 0 | 0 | – | 131 of 254 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 1 | – | 199 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 Terrell County had?
NOAA records 11 tornadoes in Terrell County from 1965 to 2024, the strongest rated EF3, with 0 deaths and 12 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 10 tornadoes whose track touched Terrell County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 11: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-06-02 18:14, as SPC files it | Sanderson | EF3 | 0.91 mi | 0 |
| 1965-09-21 18:00, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F3 | 10 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Texas.
Every tornado record filed for Terrell County (11)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-06-02 | Sanderson, Terrell County | EF1 0.37 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $94K |
| 2024-06-02 | Sanderson, Terrell County | EF3 0.91 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 12 | $376K |
| 2023-06-02 | Dryden, Terrell County | EFU 21.2 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-06-02 | Dryden, Terrell County | EF0 0.06 mi x 1 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-04-21 | Sanderson, Terrell County | EF2 7.82 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 0 | $131K |
| 2009-04-29 | Dryden, Terrell County | EF2 0.32 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 1995-05-25 | Terrell County | F1 0.4 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1993-10-12 | Dryden, Terrell County | F0 0.1 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-06-01 | Terrell County | F1 8 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1965-09-21 | Terrell County | F3 10 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1965-08-10 | Terrell County | F2 0.5 mi x 33 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 Terrell County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 10, 2025 thunderstorm wind.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-19 | Flash FloodSanderson, Terrell County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-16 | HailSanderson, Terrell County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-22 | Thunderstorm WindDryden Ffa Site, Terrell County | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindSanderson, Terrell County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $250 |
| 2025-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindDryden Ffa Site, Terrell County | 81 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindSanderson, Terrell County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2025-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindSanderson, Terrell County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-05 | Thunderstorm WindDryden Ffa Site, Terrell County | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-22 | Flash FloodSanderson, Terrell County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-04-22 | Flash FloodSanderson, Terrell County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-04-22 | HailDryden, Terrell County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-11-02 | HailSanderson, Terrell County | 2.50 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-06-02 | TornadoSanderson, Terrell County Photos showed a tornado formed very near Sanderson along a ridge northwest of town. This tornado immediately entered a neighborhood west of US Highway 285 in Sanderson. Damage in this neighborhood included damage to walls and roofs of several houses with the complete destruction of a manufactured home. A sturdy steel ... | EF3 0.91 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 12 | $376K |
| 2005-07-03 | Thunderstorm WindSanderson, Terrell County Damaging thunderstorm winds struck Sanderson, Texas during an Independence Day celebration. Winds blew down several large circus-style tents at the outdoor festival. Minor injuries were reported. Winds also blew two inch diameter limbs off trees. A National Weather Service cooperative observer also reported that his ... | 52 kt wind | 0 | 7 | – |
| 2011-04-08 | WildfireTerrell County · forecast zone Terrell The fire, known as the Sanderson Fire, burned 3,590 acres in Terrell County. One Sheffield volunteer fire department firefighter was injured and 4 structures were threatened. | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-07-25 | Flash FloodDryden, Terrell County | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | |
| 2004-07-25 | Flash FloodDryden, Terrell County | 0 | 0 | $469K | |
| 2024-06-02 | TornadoSanderson, Terrell County | EF3 0.91 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 12 | $376K |
| 1997-06-15 | Thunderstorm WindSanderson, Terrell County | 0 | 0 | $368K | |
| 2004-07-25 | Flash FloodDryden, Terrell County | 0 | 0 | $312K | |
| 2011-04-21 | TornadoSanderson, Terrell County | EF2 7.82 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 0 | $131K |
| 2024-06-02 | TornadoSanderson, Terrell County | EF1 0.37 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $94K |
| 2009-04-29 | HailSanderson, Terrell County | 4.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | $91K |
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: September 21, 1965 (tornado, Terrell 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 Terrell 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 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 32 | 35 | 28 | 14 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 12 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 10 | 19 | 3 | 5 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
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 1955 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 5 · Feb 5 · Mar 7 · Apr 36 · May 67 · Jun 60 · Jul 21 · Aug 7 · Sep 8 · Oct 13 · Nov 8 · Dec 4 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Terrell County
FEMA's register lists 16 declarations that include Terrell County: 8 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for fire (4) and hurricane (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-18 | EM-3649 | Flood | Flooding |
| 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 |
| 1965-06-19 | DR-199 | Tornado | Tornadoes & 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 Terrell County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 37 flood or flash flood records for Terrell County from 1996 to 2026, on 27 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Terrell County ranks 2685th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $5,159 on 3 claims filed in Terrell County; the most in one year was 3 in 1978. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 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 Terrell County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Terrell County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $545,000. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very Low | $28K | once in about 269 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $32 | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $20K | 6.4 modeled event-days a year |
| Hurricane | Very Low | $1K | once in about 85 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Very Low | $17K | 40 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | $28K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Very Low | $9K | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Very Low | $13K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Terrell 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 Terrell CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Terrell County's FEMA declarations (CSV)16 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis