Washington County, Texas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 48477 · population 35,781 · 604 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 263 records for Washington County, Texas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 189 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (73 records). The deadliest single record is the May 26, 2016 flash flood: 5 deaths and $12.3 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 20 declarations naming the county since 1993, 18 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
- 263on 189 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 915 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $244Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 27strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 20latest 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 Washington County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 73 since 1965. 44% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1965 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 | 73 | 55 | 1965-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | 143 of 254 |
| Hail | 57 | 40 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 0 | $476K | 199 of 254 |
| Floods | 41 | 36 | 1996-2024 | 5 | 0 | $13M | 80 of 254 |
| Tornadoes | 27 | 20 | 1950-2016 | 4 | 15 | $26M | 118 of 254 |
| Winter storms | 15 | 15 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | $551K | 151 of 254 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 14 | 13 | 2001-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 6 of 254 |
| Drought | 13 | 13 | 1996-2023 | 0 | 0 | $15M | 209 of 254 |
| Heat | 13 | 13 | 1999-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 94 of 254 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 4 | 4 | 1998-2017 | 0 | 0 | $181M | 25 of 254 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 2002-2010 | 0 | 0 | $87K | 55 of 254 |
| Extreme cold | 1 | 1 | 2021-2021 | 0 | 0 | $6.1M | 200 of 254 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 2015-2015 | 0 | 0 | – | 127 of 254 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2022-2022 | 0 | 0 | $202K | 173 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 Washington County had?
NOAA records 27 tornadoes in Washington County from 1950 to 2016, the strongest rated F3, with 4 deaths and 15 injuries recorded in the county. That is 118th 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 30 tornadoes whose track touched Washington County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 27: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 4 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953-12-02 13:35, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F2 | 0.1 mi | 2 |
| 1983-12-10 16:00, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F1 | 4 mi | 1 |
| 1983-05-20 00:30, as SPC files it | Brenham | F1 | 1 mi | 1 |
| 1950-06-05 15:55, as SPC files it | Brenham to Pine Island | F3 | 23.9 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Texas.
Every tornado record filed for Washington County (27)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-05-26 | William Penn, Washington County | EF0 0.35 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 2012-01-25 | Brenham Municipal Airport, Washington County | EF0 2.06 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $39K |
| 2004-11-23 | Brenham, Washington County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2004-06-08 | Brenham, Washington County | F0 1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $55K |
| 2003-06-16 | Chappell Hill, Washington County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-12-23 | Burton, Washington County | F0 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2002-12-23 | Burton, Washington County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $11K |
| 1998-10-17 | Brenham, Washington County | F0 1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-09-20 | Somerville, Washington County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $9K |
| 1994-05-13 | Washington County | F1 4 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $100K |
| 1994-05-13 | Washington County | F2 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $995K |
| 1994-05-13 | Northern Washington, Washington County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-05-04 | Washington County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-05-04 | Washington County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-05-04 | Washington County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1983-12-10 | Washington County | F0 2 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1983-12-10 | Washington County | F1 4 mi x 200 yd | 1 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1983-05-20 | Washington County | F1 1 mi x 167 yd | 1 | 4 | $2.5M step |
| 1982-05-13 | Washington County | F1 1.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1976-03-30 | Washington County | F1 6.6 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1971-02-25 | Washington County | F2 0.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1971-02-25 | Washington County | F2 0.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1968-06-22 | Washington County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1964-05-01 | Washington County | F2 5.6 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1962-04-27 | Washington County | F1 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1953-12-02 | Washington County | F2 | 2 | 5 | $250 step |
| 1950-06-05 | Washington County | F3 23.9 mi x 67 yd | 0 | 6 | $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 Washington County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 16, 2024 thunderstorm wind ($659,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Trees were downed by strong thunderstorm winds in Washington County. A possible funnel cloud was sighted as the derecho moved through the area, but this was not confirmed by any photo or video evidence. County EM investigated the area, did not find any associated damage where the funnel was sighted. Approximately 70 roads closed due to downed trees. We also had several thousand meters without power. Some citizens that had structural damage to homes and barns.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1188078)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-10 | HailBrenham, Washington County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-10 | Thunderstorm WindGay Hill, Washington County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-02 | Funnel CloudGay Hill, Washington County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-25 | Thunderstorm WindIndependence, Washington County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-05 | HailBurton, Washington County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-01-20 | Winter WeatherWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindWesley, Washington County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $659K |
| 2021-02-15 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 0 | 0 | $6.1M | |
| 2020-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindWashington County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $57K |
| 2017-08-25 | Tropical StormWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 0 | 0 | $181M | |
| 2016-05-26 | TornadoWilliam Penn, Washington County | EF0 0.35 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 2016-05-26 | Flash FloodBurton, Washington County | 5 | 0 | $12M |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-05-26 | Flash FloodBurton, Washington County Flood waters inundated homes and there were numerous water rescues in the town of Brenham and around the county. Sections of Highway 36 were impassable due to water over the roadway from Brenham and Somerville. FM 2935 at New Year's Creek was closed due to flooding. All of FM 390 from Burton eastward to FM 105, as ... | 5 | 0 | $12M | |
| 1953-12-02 | TornadoWashington County | F2 | 2 | 5 | $250 step |
| 1983-05-20 | TornadoWashington County | F1 1 mi x 167 yd | 1 | 4 | $2.5M step |
| 1983-12-10 | TornadoWashington County | F1 4 mi x 200 yd | 1 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1950-06-05 | TornadoWashington County | F3 23.9 mi x 67 yd | 0 | 6 | $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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-08-25 | Tropical StormWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 0 | 0 | $181M | |
| 2016-05-26 | Flash FloodBurton, Washington County | 5 | 0 | $12M | |
| 2021-02-15 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 0 | 0 | $6.1M | |
| 1994-05-13 | TornadoWashington County | F2 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $995K |
| 2024-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindWesley, Washington County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $659K |
| 2000-12-13 | Ice StormWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 0 | 0 | $514K | |
| 2009-04-17 | Thunderstorm WindBrenham, Washington County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $103K |
| 2020-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindWashington County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $57K |
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 $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 20, 1983 (tornado, Washington County, 1 killed); March 30, 1976 (tornado, Washington 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 Washington 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 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 24 | 24 | 13 |
| Hail | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 19 | 15 | 14 | 4 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 14 | 10 | 12 | 5 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | – | – | – | – | 0 | 6 | 7 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
44% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1965 fell in April and May. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 14 · Feb 15 · Mar 13 · Apr 36 · May 57 · Jun 31 · Jul 11 · Aug 28 · Sep 20 · Oct 13 · Nov 13 · Dec 12 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Washington County
FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Washington County: 13 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (6) and flood (4).
| 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 |
| 2020-03-25 | DR-4485 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3458 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017-08-25 | DR-4332 | Hurricane | Hurricane Harvey |
| 2016-06-11 | DR-4272 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2016-04-25 | DR-4269 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2015-05-29 | DR-4223 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding |
| 2008-09-13 | DR-1791 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ike |
| 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 |
| 1994-10-18 | DR-1041 | Flood | Severe Thunderstorms and Flooding |
| 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.
How many floods has Washington County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 41 flood or flash flood records for Washington County from 1996 to 2024, on 36 days, with 5 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Washington County ranks 1478th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Harvey | 2017-08-25 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.7 million on 71 claims filed in Washington County; the most in one year was 37 in 2016. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 4 · 1980: 2 · 1983: 2 · 1986: 1 · 1989: 1 · 1994: 1 · 1998: 1 · 2002: 4 · 2003: 1 · 2004: 1 · 2005: 1 · 2009: 1 · 2012: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2014: 2 · 2015: 3 · 2016: 37 · 2017: 4 · 2019: 1 · 2021: 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 Washington County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Washington County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $21.3 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.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $2.5M | once in about 11 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $3.1M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $3.1M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $607K | 41 modeled event-days a year |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $231K | 61 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $423K | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $10M | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $379K | 2.6 a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Washington 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 Washington CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Washington County's FEMA declarations (CSV)20 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis