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.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank 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.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985-04-21 17:30, as SPC files it | Elbert | F3 | 4.5 mi | 3 |
| 1951-05-18 15:45, as SPC files it | Olney | F4 | 2 mi | 2 |
| 2000-04-30 16:40, as SPC files it | Olney | F3 | 13 mi | 0 |
| 1994-05-29 17:10, as SPC files it | Olney | F3 | 7 mi | 0 |
| 1979-06-06 17:30, as SPC files it | Loving | F3 | 7.1 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Texas.
Every tornado record filed for Young County (52)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 4 | 5 | 4 | 34 | 108 | 83 | 85 | 30 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 2 | 2 | 2 | 23 | 39 | 27 | 27 | 15 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 2 | 21 | 47 | 15 |
| Tornadoes | 7 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 12 | 9 | 4 | 2 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 2 | 3 | 6 | 40 z |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 3 | 20 | 16 | 2 |
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).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 2015-05-29 | DR-4223 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding |
| 2011-07-01 | DR-1999 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2011-04-16 | FM-2893 | Fire | Hohertz Fire |
| 2011-04-16 | FM-2895 | Fire | Pk East Fire |
| 2011-04-15 | FM-2888 | Fire | Pk West Fire |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 1978-08-03 | DR-561 | Flood | Severe 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.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively High | $1.9M | 69 modeled event-days a year |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $1.3M | once in about 142 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $652K | 7.4 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $784K | 2.4 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $538K | 12 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.2M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $31K | 5.1 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $428K | 1.1 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
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 Young CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Young County's FEMA declarations (CSV)21 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis