Throckmorton County, Texas

County storm and disaster record · FIPS 48447 · population 1,440 · 913 sq mi

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 501 records for Throckmorton County, Texas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 336 days; the most frequent are hail reports (209 records). The deadliest single record is the April 21, 1985 tornado: 3 deaths. FEMA has issued 20 declarations naming the county since 1978, 18 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storms” on February 19, 2021.

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
501on 336 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
Deaths recorded
313 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars
$9.3Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
Tornadoes
42strongest F3
FEMA declarations
20latest 2021

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 Throckmorton County most?

The most frequent records are hail reports: 209 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.

Throckmorton County: records by hazard, 1950 to June 30, 2026
HazardRecordsDaysFirst, lastKilledInjuredDamageRank in state
Hail 209 133 1960-2026 0 3 $571K 99 of 254
Severe thunderstorm wind 84 72 1976-2026 0 1 $1.3M 165 of 254
Drought 73 72 1996-2024 0 0 $1.4M 126 of 254
Winter storms 48 45 1996-2026 0 0 $11K 65 of 254
Tornadoes 42 26 1955-2020 3 7 $4.9M 141 of 254
Floods 18 14 1996-2025 0 0 $1.0M 219 of 254
Extreme cold 9 9 1997-2026 0 0 – 64 of 254
Wildfires 5 5 2009-2011 0 2 – 88 of 254
Heat 4 4 1999-2000 0 0 – 148 of 254
High wind and dust storms 4 3 2007-2025 0 0 $3K 141 of 254
Heavy rain 2 2 1997-2007 0 0 – 114 of 254
Fog, smoke and funnel clouds 2 2 2011-2015 0 0 – 112 of 254
Lightning 1 1 2013-2013 0 0 $4K 135 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 Throckmorton County had?

NOAA records 42 tornadoes in Throckmorton County from 1955 to 2020, the strongest rated F3, with 3 deaths and 7 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 42 tornadoes whose track touched Throckmorton County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 42, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 3 people.

The deadliest and strongest tornadoes that touched Throckmorton County, whole tracks
DateTornadoRatingPathKilled
1985-04-21 17:30, as SPC files itElbertF34.5 mi3

Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Texas.

Every tornado record filed for Throckmorton County (42)
Every tornado recorded in Throckmorton County, newest first
DatePlaceCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2020-03-17 Throckmorton County EFU 0.07 mi x 35 yd 0 0 –
2019-05-01 Throckmorton County EFU 2.56 mi x 75 yd 0 0 –
2016-05-29 Elbert, Throckmorton County EF0 0.02 mi x 25 yd 0 0 –
2015-05-08 Throckmorton County EF0 0.19 mi x 25 yd 0 0 –
2015-05-08 Throckmorton County EF0 0.25 mi x 35 yd 0 0 –
2015-05-06 Elbert, Throckmorton County EF0 0.01 mi x 50 yd 0 0 –
2015-05-06 Throckmorton County EF0 1.18 mi x 100 yd 0 0 –
2015-05-06 Throckmorton County EF0 3.39 mi x 440 yd 0 0 –
2007-05-09 Woodson, Throckmorton County EF0 0.9 mi x 20 yd 0 0 –
2007-05-08 Throckmorton County EF0 0.75 mi x 40 yd 0 0 –
2004-05-13 Throckmorton County F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd 0 0 –
2003-04-05 Woodson, Throckmorton County F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd 0 0 –
2002-06-04 Elbert, Throckmorton County F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd 0 0 –
2002-04-07 Throckmorton County F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd 0 0 –
2002-04-07 Throckmorton County F2 7 mi x 1,500 yd 0 0 $16K
2002-04-07 Throckmorton County F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd 0 0 –
2000-05-26 Throckmorton County F0 0.2 mi x 25 yd 0 0 –
2000-04-30 Elbert, Throckmorton County F1 2 mi x 500 yd 0 0 $343K
2000-04-30 Elbert, Throckmorton County F1 4 mi x 500 yd 0 0 $86K
1993-10-12 Elbert, Throckmorton County F1 0.1 mi x 10 yd 0 0 $1.0M
1990-03-13 Throckmorton County F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd 0 0 –
1985-04-21 Throckmorton County F3 1.5 mi x 400 yd 3 0 $250K step
1985-04-21 Throckmorton County F0 0.5 mi x 30 yd 0 0 –
1985-04-21 Throckmorton County F0 0.5 mi x 30 yd 0 0 –
1985-04-21 Throckmorton County F0 0.5 mi x 30 yd 0 0 –
1984-04-07 Throckmorton County F0 0.5 mi x 33 yd 0 0 $30 step
1984-04-07 Throckmorton County F0 0.5 mi x 33 yd 0 0 $30 step
1983-05-22 Throckmorton County F1 0.2 mi x 33 yd 0 0 $3K step
1983-05-17 Throckmorton County F1 0.2 mi x 17 yd 0 0 $30 step
1983-05-17 Throckmorton County F1 0.2 mi x 17 yd 0 0 $30 step
1983-05-17 Throckmorton County F1 0.2 mi x 17 yd 0 0 $30 step
1982-05-12 Throckmorton County F1 10 mi x 73 yd 0 0 $250 step
1982-05-12 Throckmorton County F1 1 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $30 step
1980-05-25 Throckmorton County F0 0 0 –
1980-05-25 Throckmorton County F0 0 0 –
1980-05-25 Throckmorton County F0 0 0 –
1980-05-01 Throckmorton County F0 0 0 –
1980-05-01 Throckmorton County F0 0 0 –
1979-06-06 Throckmorton County F1 4.5 mi x 100 yd 0 0 $3K step
1976-05-30 Throckmorton County F1 0 0 $3K step
1958-11-17 Throckmorton County F1 0.3 mi x 17 yd 0 4 $30 step
1955-04-05 Throckmorton County F2 24.4 mi x 67 yd 0 3 $250K 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 Throckmorton County?

The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 28, 2021 thunderstorm wind ($54,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).

Damaging thunderstorm winds tore some of the metal roofing off a home. Hail broke out windows of about five to six homes, flipped a Recreational Vehicle on its side, and damaged a smaller outbuilding. The damaging thunderstorm winds caused an older barn to lean over. A porch awning was also damaged.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 953078)
The 12 most recent records kept for Throckmorton County
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-04-15 Thunderstorm WindLusk, Throckmorton County 56 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-04-15 HailLusk, Throckmorton County 1.75 in hail 0 0 –
2026-01-26 Extreme Cold/Wind ChillThrockmorton County · forecast zone Throckmorton 0 0 –
2026-01-23 Winter StormThrockmorton County · forecast zone Throckmorton 0 0 –
2025-06-08 HailWoodson, Throckmorton County 1.75 in hail 0 0 –
2025-06-08 HailWoodson, Throckmorton County 1.00 in hail 0 0 –
2025-06-08 Thunderstorm WindLusk, Throckmorton County 65 kt wind 0 0 –
2025-05-22 Thunderstorm WindLusk, Throckmorton County 70 kt wind 0 0 –
2025-05-22 Thunderstorm WindThrockmorton County 50 kt wind 0 0 –
2025-05-18 HailThrockmorton County 1.00 in hail 0 0 –
2025-04-19 Flash FloodElbert, Throckmorton County 0 0 –
2025-04-03 Thunderstorm WindLusk, Throckmorton County 70 kt wind 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

Records with deaths or injuries in Throckmorton County, most deaths first
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
1985-04-21 TornadoThrockmorton County F3 1.5 mi x 400 yd 3 0 $250K step
1958-11-17 TornadoThrockmorton County F1 0.3 mi x 17 yd 0 4 $30 step
2003-04-05 HailWoodson, Throckmorton County Severe damage to storm chaser vehicles all along county road 209 west of Woodson. Three people were injured by the combination of hail and broken glass. 4.25 in hail 0 3 $128K
1955-04-05 TornadoThrockmorton County F2 24.4 mi x 67 yd 0 3 $250K step
2011-06-19 WildfireThrockmorton County · forecast zone Throckmorton The JRM Wildfire was about 5 miles east of Throckmorton. The fire was started by lightning and burned approximately 7,000 acres. Twelve buildings were threatened but one outbuilding was lost. 0 2 –
2010-09-02 Thunderstorm WindThrockmorton County Damaging thunderstorm winds flipped a camper trailer on U.S. Highway 380 near the Haskell and Throckmorton County line. The occupant sustained minor injuries. 56 kt wind 0 1 –

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.

The costliest records in Throckmorton County since 1993, damage in 2025 dollars
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
1998-08-01 DroughtThrockmorton County · forecast zone Throckmorton 0 0 $1.4M
1993-10-12 TornadoElbert, Throckmorton County F1 0.1 mi x 10 yd 0 0 $1.0M
2000-04-30 Thunderstorm WindThrockmorton County 0 0 $686K
2017-06-02 Flash FloodThrockmorton County 0 0 $554K
2018-10-17 FloodThrockmorton County 0 0 $470K
2000-04-30 TornadoElbert, Throckmorton County F1 2 mi x 500 yd 0 0 $343K
2000-04-15 HailElbert, Throckmorton County 4.00 in hail 0 0 $257K
2003-04-05 HailWoodson, Throckmorton County 4.25 in hail 0 0 $184K

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: April 21, 1985 (tornado, Throckmorton County, 3 killed); April 5, 1955 (tornado, Throckmorton 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 Throckmorton 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).

Throckmorton County: records per decade (the 2020s to June 30, 2026)
Hazard1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020-26
Hail0322057505522
Severe thunderstorm wind0011018192511
Drought––––3851 z11
Winter storms––––4201410
Tornadoes2021721171
Floods––––2781

Drought in the 2010s: 51 records against 8 in the decade before, 51 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 Throckmorton 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 27 · Mar 32 · Apr 120 · May 126 · Jun 69 · Jul 19 · Aug 24 · Sep 12 · Oct 19 · Nov 13 · Dec 20 (records).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.

Federal disaster declarations for Throckmorton County

FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Throckmorton County: 13 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (4) and severe storm (4).

Declarations including Throckmorton County, newest first
DeclaredNumberTypeTitle
2021-02-19DR-4586Severe Ice StormSevere Winter Storms
2021-02-14EM-3554Severe Ice StormSevere Winter Storm
2020-03-25DR-4485BiologicalCovid-19 Pandemic
2020-03-13EM-3458BiologicalCovid-19
2019-02-25DR-4416FloodSevere Storms and Flooding
2016-06-11DR-4272FloodSevere Storms and Flooding
2015-05-29DR-4223Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding
2011-07-01DR-1999FireWildfires
2008-03-14EM-3284FireWildfires
2007-06-29DR-1709Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding
2006-01-11DR-1624FireExtreme Wildfire Threat
2005-09-24DR-1606HurricaneHurricane Rita
2005-09-21EM-3261HurricaneHurricane Rita
2005-09-02EM-3216HurricaneHurricane Katrina Evacuation
1999-09-01EM-3142FireExtreme Fire Hazards
1998-08-26DR-1239Severe StormTropical Storm Charley
1993-09-10EM-3113DroughtExtreme Fire Hazard
1991-12-26DR-930FloodSevere Thunderstorms
1990-05-02DR-863Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding
1978-08-03DR-561FloodSevere 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 Throckmorton County had?

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 18 flood or flash flood records for Throckmorton County from 1996 to 2025, on 14 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Throckmorton County ranks 2685th of 2,942 U.S. counties.

The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $159,000 on 3 claims filed in Throckmorton County; the most in one year was 2 in 2017. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.

The values, year by year

1982: 1 · 2017: 2; 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 Throckmorton County

FEMA's National Risk Index rates Throckmorton County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $2.3 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.

National Risk Index ratings for Throckmorton County (December 2025 release), by FEMA's rating, then score
HazardRisk ratingExpected annual lossModeled frequency
DroughtRelatively Moderate$1.1M76 modeled event-days a year
WildfireRelatively Low$163Konce in about 167 years (modeled)
HailRelatively Low$273K6.5 a year (modeled)
LandslideVery Low$110once in about 7 years (modeled)
HurricaneVery Low$5Konce in about 100 years (modeled)
TornadoVery Low$164Konce in about 2 years (modeled)
Strong WindVery Low$126K2.1 a year (modeled)
Heat WaveVery Low$32K11 modeled event-days a year

Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.

Counties that share a border with Throckmorton County

  1. Archer County 859
  2. Young County 780
  3. Haskell County 740
  4. Knox County 654
  5. Stephens County 588
  6. Baylor County 543
  7. Throckmorton County 501
  8. Shackelford County 407

Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.

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