Young County, Texas

County storm and disaster record · FIPS 48503 · population 17,845 · 914 sq mi

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 780 records for Young County, Texas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 463 days; the most frequent are hail reports (353 records). The deadliest single record is the May 18, 1951 tornado: 2 deaths and 100 injuries. FEMA has issued 21 declarations naming the county since 1978, 19 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
780on 463 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
Deaths recorded
3122 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars
$2.5Bas filed (scale steps before 1993)
Tornadoes
52strongest F4
FEMA declarations
21latest 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 Young County most?

The most frequent records are hail reports: 353 since 1955. 61% of its hail reports since 1955 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.

Young County: records by hazard, 1950 to June 30, 2026
HazardRecordsDaysFirst, lastKilledInjuredDamageRank in state
Hail 353 173 1955-2026 0 0 $2.7M 53 of 254
Severe thunderstorm wind 137 106 1955-2026 0 0 $2.3B 99 of 254
Drought 85 85 1996-2024 0 0 $92M 92 of 254
Tornadoes 52 34 1951-2020 2 116 $41M 104 of 254
Heat 51 48 1998-2026 1 0 – 67 of 254
Floods 41 33 1997-2025 0 0 $385K 135 of 254
Winter storms 37 35 1996-2026 0 6 $555K 100 of 254
Extreme cold 9 9 1997-2026 0 0 – 66 of 254
Heavy rain 5 5 1997-2016 0 0 $19K 63 of 254
Wildfires 5 5 2009-2023 0 0 $183K 90 of 254
Lightning 4 4 2006-2013 0 0 $208K 59 of 254
High wind and dust storms 1 1 2007-2007 0 0 $57K 193 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 Young County had?

NOAA records 52 tornadoes in Young County from 1951 to 2020, the strongest rated F4, with 2 deaths and 116 injuries recorded in the county. That is 104th 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 52 tornadoes whose track touched Young County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 52, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 5 people, 2 of them in Young County.

The deadliest and strongest tornadoes that touched Young County, whole tracks
DateTornadoRatingPathKilled
1985-04-21 17:30, as SPC files itElbertF34.5 mi3
1951-05-18 15:45, as SPC files itOlneyF42 mi2
2000-04-30 16:40, as SPC files itOlneyF313 mi0
1994-05-29 17:10, as SPC files itOlneyF37 mi0
1979-06-06 17:30, as SPC files itLovingF37.1 mi0

Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Texas.

Every tornado record filed for Young County (52)
Every tornado recorded in Young County, newest first
DatePlaceCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2020-03-18 Bunger, Young County EF0 1.55 mi x 120 yd 0 1 $3K
2020-03-18 South Bend, Young County EF0 5.19 mi x 375 yd 0 2 –
2015-05-19 Farmer, Young County EF0 0.2 mi x 65 yd 0 0 –
2015-05-19 Jean, Young County EF0 0.32 mi x 70 yd 0 0 –
2013-05-17 Eliasville, Young County EF1 3.14 mi x 20 yd 0 0 $101K
2013-05-17 Eliasville, Young County EF0 1.02 mi x 75 yd 0 0 $6K
2004-03-04 South Bend, Young County F1 21.5 mi x 100 yd 0 0 $781K
2003-06-12 Olney, Young County F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd 0 0 –
2000-05-26 Jean, Young County F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd 0 0 –
2000-05-26 Newcastle, Young County F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd 0 0 –
2000-04-30 Olney, Young County F3 13 mi x 800 yd 0 0 $514K
2000-04-30 Olney, Young County F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd 0 0 –
2000-04-30 Bunger, Young County F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd 0 0 –
2000-04-30 South Bend, Young County F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd 0 0 –
2000-04-30 Graham, Young County F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd 0 0 –
1998-10-02 Graham, Young County F1 7 mi x 400 yd 0 3 $1.3M
1997-06-16 South Bend, Young County F1 0.1 mi x 35 yd 0 0 –
1997-06-16 Eliasville, Young County F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd 0 0 –
1997-06-12 Loving, Young County F1 3 mi x 100 yd 0 0 $4K
1997-06-12 Loving, Young County F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $4K
1994-05-29 Newcastle, Young County F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd 0 0 –
1994-05-29 Graham, Young County F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd 0 0 $10K
1994-05-29 Olney To, Young County F3 7 mi x 600 yd 0 0 $10K
1994-05-29 Olney, Young County F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd 0 0 –
1994-05-29 Graham, Young County F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd 0 0 –
1993-05-08 Newcastle, Young County F1 0.1 mi x 10 yd 0 0 –
1990-04-05 Young County F1 0.2 mi x 10 yd 0 0 –
1985-04-21 Young County F2 2.8 mi x 300 yd 0 2 $250K step
1985-04-21 Young County F3 3 mi x 400 yd 0 0 $250K step
1984-04-07 Young County F0 0.8 mi x 33 yd 0 0 $30 step
1983-05-22 Young County F1 0.2 mi x 33 yd 0 0 $25K step
1982-06-02 Young County F0 0.3 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $30 step
1980-05-06 Young County F0 0 0 –
1980-04-02 Young County F1 0.5 mi x 27 yd 0 0 $25K step
1979-10-30 Young County F2 20 mi x 77 yd 0 5 $250K step
1979-06-06 Young County F3 7.1 mi x 400 yd 0 2 $250K step
1979-06-06 Young County F2 7.9 mi x 200 yd 0 0 $25K step
1976-05-05 Young County F1 0.1 mi x 33 yd 0 0 –
1976-04-15 Young County F2 2 mi x 33 yd 0 0 $250K step
1976-04-15 Young County F2 2 mi x 33 yd 0 0 $250K step
1974-06-04 Young County F2 1 mi x 467 yd 0 0 –
1970-04-25 Young County F2 0.5 mi x 33 yd 0 0 $3K step
1966-04-10 Young County F2 1 mi x 133 yd 0 0 –
1966-04-10 Young County F1 1 mi x 20 yd 0 0 –
1961-04-08 Young County F0 0.1 mi x 17 yd 0 0 –
1959-05-10 Young County F0 0 0 –
1958-11-17 Young County F2 7.6 mi x 133 yd 0 1 $250K step
1958-03-28 Young County F0 1 mi x 33 yd 0 0 $30 step
1955-09-25 Young County F2 1 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $25K step
1955-06-03 Young County F1 3.3 mi x 33 yd 0 0 –
1952-08-12 Young County F1 0.7 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $25K step
1951-05-18 Young County F4 2 mi x 200 yd 2 100 $2.5M 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 Young County?

The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 15, 2026 hail ($10,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).

The 12 most recent records kept for Young County
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-06-19 Thunderstorm WindNewcastle, Young County 55 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-06-18 HeatYoung County · forecast zone Young 0 0 –
2026-04-28 HailGraham Municipal Airport, Young County 1.25 in hail 0 0 –
2026-04-15 Thunderstorm WindGraham Municipal Airport, Young County 56 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-04-15 HailBunger, Young County 1.00 in hail 0 0 –
2026-04-15 HailGraham Rosser Airport, Young County 1.00 in hail 0 0 –
2026-04-15 HailGraham, Young County 1.50 in hail 0 0 –
2026-04-15 HailGraham, Young County 1.75 in hail 0 0 $10K
2026-03-10 HailSouth Bend, Young County 1.75 in hail 0 0 $7K
2026-01-24 Extreme Cold/Wind ChillYoung County · forecast zone Young 0 0 –
2026-01-23 Winter StormYoung County · forecast zone Young 0 0 –
2026-01-08 Thunderstorm WindOlney, Young County 76 kt wind 0 0 $80K

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 Young County, most deaths first
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
1951-05-18 TornadoYoung County F4 2 mi x 200 yd 2 100 $2.5M step
2011-07-01 HeatYoung County · forecast zone Young Triple digit temperatures were recorded nearly every day during the month of July. On the 9th, a female crashed her all-terrain vehicle while riding on a deer lease and became disoriented in the heat while trying to walk for help. The medical examiner determined she died from heat exhaustion. A heat advisory was not ... 1 0 –
1979-10-30 TornadoYoung County F2 20 mi x 77 yd 0 5 $250K step
2007-01-13 Ice StormYoung County · forecast zone Young Dozens of minor accidents were reported countywide and at least one major accident was reported near Olney due to ice-covered roadways. 0 4 $21K
1998-10-02 TornadoGraham, Young County An intermittent tornado tracked from northwest of Graham to southeast of Graham before ending on the Young-Jack county line just west of Bryson in Jack county. Sixty buildings were damaged, two mobile homes were destroyed and a radio tower was blown down. F1 7 mi x 400 yd 0 3 $1.3M
2020-03-18 TornadoSouth Bend, Young County A severe thunderstorm emerged out of Stephens County, moving into the southern portions of Young County. A tornado developed near the South Bend region, where damage occurred to several homes and businesses. The tornado continued moving northeast, paralleling HWY 67 toward Graham. The tornado then veered slightly to ... EF0 5.19 mi x 375 yd 0 2 –
2009-01-27 Ice StormYoung County · forecast zone Young Anywhere from 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch of ice was reported across the county. Roads north of Highway 380 were covered with 0.25 inches of ice, making travel treacherous. There were about a dozen wrecks with a couple resulting in injuries. 0 2 $28K
1985-04-21 TornadoYoung County F2 2.8 mi x 300 yd 0 2 $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.

The costliest records in Young County since 1993, damage in 2025 dollars
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
1995-05-05 Thunderstorm WindNorth Centraltexas, Young County 0 0 $2.3B
2005-07-01 DroughtYoung County · forecast zone Young 0 0 $91M
1998-10-02 TornadoGraham, Young County F1 7 mi x 400 yd 0 3 $1.3M
2004-03-04 TornadoSouth Bend, Young County F1 21.5 mi x 100 yd 0 0 $781K
2000-04-30 TornadoOlney, Young County F3 13 mi x 800 yd 0 0 $514K
2011-06-20 HailGraham, Young County 1.75 in hail 0 0 $394K
2000-07-13 Thunderstorm WindOlney, Young County 78 kt wind 0 0 $343K
2010-04-17 FloodMarkley, Young County 0 0 $271K

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 18, 1951 (tornado, Young County, 2 killed).

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 Young 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).

Young County: records per decade (the 2020s to June 30, 2026)
Hazard1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020-26
Hail45434108838530
Severe thunderstorm wind2222339272715
Drought––––2214715
Tornadoes738712942
Heat––––23640 z
Floods––––320162

Heat in the 2020-26: 40 records against 6 in the decade before, 40 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 Young 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?

61% of its hail reports since 1955 fell in April and May. The two busiest months are in violet.

The values, month by month

Jan 24 · Feb 33 · Mar 52 · Apr 160 · May 179 · Jun 127 · Jul 48 · Aug 57 · Sep 30 · Oct 36 · Nov 20 · Dec 14 (records).

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

Federal disaster declarations for Young County

FEMA's register lists 21 declarations that include Young County: 11 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 3 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for fire (7) and severe storm (4).

Declarations including Young 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
2015-05-29DR-4223Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding
2011-07-01DR-1999FireWildfires
2011-04-16FM-2893FireHohertz Fire
2011-04-16FM-2895FirePk East Fire
2011-04-15FM-2888FirePk West Fire
2008-03-14EM-3284FireWildfires
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
1989-05-19DR-828Severe 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 Young County had?

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 41 flood or flash flood records for Young County from 1997 to 2025, on 33 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Young County ranks 1399th of 2,942 U.S. counties.

The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $498,000 on 84 claims filed in Young County; the most in one year was 25 in 1990. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.

The values, year by year

1978: 4 · 1980: 4 · 1981: 14 · 1982: 13 · 1983: 2 · 1984: 1 · 1986: 1 · 1987: 1 · 1989: 6 · 1990: 25 · 2004: 2 · 2005: 1 · 2007: 1 · 2009: 2 · 2010: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2016: 2 · 2019: 1 · 2025: 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 Young County

FEMA's National Risk Index rates Young County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $10.8 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 Young County (December 2025 release), by FEMA's rating, then score
HazardRisk ratingExpected annual lossModeled frequency
DroughtRelatively High$1.9M69 modeled event-days a year
WildfireRelatively Moderate$1.3Monce in about 142 years (modeled)
HailRelatively Moderate$652K7.4 a year (modeled)
Strong WindRelatively Moderate$784K2.4 a year (modeled)
Heat WaveRelatively Low$538K12 modeled event-days a year
TornadoRelatively Low$1.2Monce in about 2 years (modeled)
Winter WeatherRelatively Low$31K5.1 a year (modeled)
Cold WaveRelatively Low$428K1.1 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 Young County

  1. Palo Pinto County 907
  2. Archer County 859
  3. Young County 780
  4. Jack County 623
  5. Stephens County 588
  6. Baylor County 543
  7. Throckmorton County 501

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

Next