Walker County, Texas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 48471 · population 76,299 · 784 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 343 records for Walker County, Texas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 229 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (129 records). The deadliest single record is the February 10, 1981 tornado: 1 death and 8 injuries. FEMA has issued 39 declarations naming the county since 1989, 36 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
- 343on 229 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 326 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $783Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 18strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 39latest 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 Walker County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 129 since 1956. 41% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 129 | 89 | 1956-2025 | 0 | 8 | $2.0M | 105 of 254 |
| Hail | 78 | 56 | 1973-2026 | 0 | 0 | $565K | 188 of 254 |
| Floods | 61 | 42 | 1997-2024 | 1 | 0 | $725M | 92 of 254 |
| Tornadoes | 18 | 14 | 1957-2021 | 1 | 18 | $5.7M | 191 of 254 |
| Drought | 15 | 14 | 1996-2023 | 0 | 0 | $15M | 217 of 254 |
| Winter storms | 14 | 14 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | $119K | 177 of 254 |
| Heat | 13 | 13 | 1999-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 106 of 254 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 6 | 6 | 1998-2015 | 1 | 0 | $31M | 20 of 254 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 4 | 4 | 2008-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 63 of 254 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2013-2015 | 0 | 0 | – | 101 of 254 |
| Extreme cold | 1 | 1 | 2021-2021 | 0 | 0 | $3.6M | 209 of 254 |
| High wind and dust storms | 1 | 1 | 2006-2006 | 0 | 0 | $10K | 182 of 254 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2008-2008 | 0 | 0 | $11K | 118 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 Walker County had?
NOAA records 18 tornadoes in Walker County from 1957 to 2021, the strongest rated F2, with 1 death and 18 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 20 tornadoes whose track touched Walker County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 18: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981-02-10 03:25, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F2 | 19.9 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Texas.
Every tornado record filed for Walker County (18)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-05-10 | Huntsville, Walker County | EF0 0.57 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $33K |
| 2017-04-02 | Country Campus, Walker County | EF0 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $18K |
| 2012-01-25 | Huntsville, Walker County | EF0 0.2 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $77K |
| 2012-01-25 | Huntsville Airport, Walker County | EF0 0.37 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $64K |
| 2008-06-20 | Loma, Walker County | EF0 0.01 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-04-03 | New Waverly, Walker County | F0 0.3 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $44K |
| 1999-01-01 | Huntsville, Walker County | F0 0.3 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $27K |
| 1999-01-01 | Riverside, Walker County | F0 0.3 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 1 | $18K |
| 1999-01-01 | Huntsville, Walker County | F1 2.5 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 7 | $221K |
| 1998-01-21 | New Waverly, Walker County | F1 3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $724K |
| 1997-10-23 | Huntsville, Walker County | F1 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $276K |
| 1994-05-13 | Walker County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1983-02-09 | Walker County | F0 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1983-02-09 | Walker County | F1 2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1981-02-10 | Walker County | F2 19.9 mi x 100 yd | 1 | 8 | $250K step |
| 1973-06-04 | Walker County | F2 26.4 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1971-10-16 | Walker County | F0 1 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1957-03-31 | Walker County | F2 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 2 | $25K 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 Walker County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 1, 2024 flood ($630,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Flooding from numerous heavy rain events in April and early May led to significant damage.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1192773)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-10 | HailLoma, Walker County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-10-25 | Thunderstorm WindHuntsville, Walker County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-10-25 | Thunderstorm WindNew Waverly, Walker County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-01 | Thunderstorm WindCountry Campus, Walker County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-26 | Thunderstorm WindHuntsville, Walker County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-01-20 | Winter WeatherWalker County · forecast zone Walker | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-05-01 | FloodNew Waverly, Walker County | 0 | 0 | $630K | |
| 2021-05-10 | TornadoHuntsville, Walker County | EF0 0.57 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $33K |
| 2021-02-15 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillWalker County · forecast zone Walker | 0 | 0 | $3.6M | |
| 2020-04-18 | HailPhelps, Walker County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $46K |
| 2020-04-18 | HailPhelps, Walker County | 3.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $11K |
| 2017-08-26 | Flash FloodHawthorne, Walker County | 1 | 0 | $722M |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981-02-10 | TornadoWalker County | F2 19.9 mi x 100 yd | 1 | 8 | $250K step |
| 2017-08-26 | Flash FloodHawthorne, Walker County Slow moving Tropical Storm Harvey produced torrential rains and moderate to major flooding over portions of Walker County. Areas along the Trinity River and Bedias Creek were among the areas impacted. There were numerous road closures including FM1375, SH75 at Bedias Creek, FM1791, FM2989, and FM3478. High water ... | 1 | 0 | $722M | |
| 2008-09-12 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Walker County · forecast zone Walker Moderate wind damage with trees and limbs down. Shingle damage to roofs. One direct fatality where tree fell on house and woman inside home. | 1 | 0 | $27M | |
| 1999-01-01 | TornadoHuntsville, Walker County Tornado touchdown in the Acres Hills subdivision just NE of Huntsville. One mobile home completely destroyed. Three people inside escaped with fairly minor injuries (cuts and abrasions, separated shoulder). A large oak tree bisected another trailer down the road pinning the resident who was later Life Flighted to ... | F1 2.5 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 7 | $221K |
| 2009-08-28 | Thunderstorm WindNew Waverly, Walker County Trees were downed across SH 150 East near Rogers Road. One tree feel upon a vehicle, trapping and injuring two occupants. | 56 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $10K |
| 1995-03-07 | Thunderstorm WindHuntsville, Walker County Sheriffs reported that downburst winds destroyed one mobile home and damaged three others. | 0 | 2 | $39K | |
| 1987-11-16 | Thunderstorm WindWalker County | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 1987-03-17 | Thunderstorm WindWalker County | 0 | 2 | – |
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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-08-26 | Flash FloodHawthorne, Walker County | 1 | 0 | $722M | |
| 2008-09-12 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Walker County · forecast zone Walker | 1 | 0 | $27M | |
| 2021-02-15 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillWalker County · forecast zone Walker | 0 | 0 | $3.6M | |
| 2005-09-23 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Walker County · forecast zone Walker | 0 | 0 | $2.3M | |
| 2001-06-06 | Tropical StormWalker County · forecast zone Walker | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | |
| 1998-01-21 | TornadoNew Waverly, Walker County | F1 3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $724K |
| 2024-05-01 | FloodNew Waverly, Walker County | 0 | 0 | $630K | |
| 1997-10-23 | TornadoHuntsville, Walker County | F1 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $276K |
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: February 10, 1981 (tornado, Walker County, 1 killed); June 4, 1973 (tornado, Walker County); February 9, 1983 (tornado, Walker 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 Walker 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 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 18 | 30 | 31 | 34 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 19 | 18 | 21 | 13 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 7 | 20 | 12 | 22 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 7 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 2 | 6 | 4 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
41% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 fell in April and May. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 33 · Feb 24 · Mar 26 · Apr 65 · May 68 · Jun 42 · Jul 13 · Aug 22 · Sep 13 · Oct 12 · Nov 20 · Dec 5 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Walker County
FEMA's register lists 39 declarations that include Walker County: 25 major disasters, 13 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for hurricane (10) and severe storm (8).
| 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 |
| 2019-02-25 | DR-4416 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2017-08-25 | DR-4332 | Hurricane | Hurricane Harvey |
| 2016-06-11 | DR-4272 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2016-03-19 | DR-4266 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2016-02-09 | DR-4255 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2015-11-25 | DR-4245 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2015-05-29 | DR-4223 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding |
| 2011-09-09 | DR-4029 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2011-07-01 | DR-1999 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2011-06-20 | FM-2929 | Fire | Cowboy Church Fire |
| 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 |
| 2007-08-18 | EM-3277 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dean |
| 2007-06-29 | DR-1709 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2002-11-05 | DR-1439 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 2001-06-09 | DR-1379 | Coastal Storm | Tx-Tropical Storm Allison-06-06-2001 |
| 1999-09-01 | EM-3142 | Fire | Extreme Fire Hazards |
| 1998-10-21 | DR-1257 | Flood | Tx-Flooding 10/18/98 |
| 1998-08-26 | DR-1239 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Charley |
| 1996-02-23 | EM-3117 | Fire | Extreme Fire Hazard |
| 1994-10-18 | DR-1041 | Flood | Severe Thunderstorms and Flooding |
| 1993-09-10 | EM-3113 | Drought | Extreme Fire Hazard |
| 1991-12-26 | DR-930 | Flood | Severe Thunderstorms |
| 1990-05-02 | DR-863 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1989-05-19 | DR-828 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, 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 Walker County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 61 flood or flash flood records for Walker County from 1997 to 2024, on 42 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Walker County ranks 612th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Harvey | 2017-08-26 | 1 | 1 |
| Hurricane Ike | 2008-09-12 | 1 | 1 |
| Hurricane Rita | 2005-09-23 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Allison | 2001-06-06 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $15.6 million on 392 claims filed in Walker County; the most in one year was 121 in 2024. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 1 · 1980: 1 · 1983: 1 · 1984: 1 · 1985: 1 · 1987: 1 · 1990: 11 · 1991: 30 · 1992: 9 · 1993: 9 · 1994: 22 · 1995: 3 · 1998: 8 · 1999: 3 · 2000: 3 · 2001: 15 · 2002: 7 · 2004: 1 · 2005: 3 · 2006: 3 · 2007: 10 · 2010: 1 · 2012: 3 · 2013: 2 · 2015: 33 · 2016: 14 · 2017: 37 · 2018: 14 · 2019: 3 · 2021: 8 · 2022: 4 · 2023: 3 · 2024: 121 · 2025: 6; 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 Walker County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Walker County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $25.0 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado | Relatively High | $6.4M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $757K | 67 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $1.1M | 23 modeled event-days a year |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $2.6M | once in about 11 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $3.6M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $254K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $1.1M | 12 modeled event-days a year |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $261K | once in about 496 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Walker 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 Walker CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Walker County's FEMA declarations (CSV)39 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis