Texas lightning

Every recorded lightning record since 1996 · 160 counties with a record

NOAA's Storm Events Database records 1,001 lightning records in Texas from 1996 through June 30, 2026, about 33 a year since 2000. The deadliest was the May 1, 2007 lightning: 2 deaths, 2 injuries and $669,000 in damage in 2025 dollars across 4 records. Texas ranks 3rd of 52 states and territories by count and 36th of 51 per square mile.

Lightning in Texas, 1996 to 2026

Lightning records per year (NOAA Storm Events); 2026 to June 30, 2026.

recorded, no damage figure
under $1 million
$1 million or more
$10 million or more
$100 million or more, or 10 deaths
$1 billion or more, or 100 deaths
a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
a year with a death

Records: 1,0011996 to June 30, 2026
A year since 2000: 33average
Deaths: 82291 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars: $135Mas filed
Busiest year: 200963 records

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; deaths and damage as filed, damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.

Are lightning records common in Texas?

Texas averages about 33 lightning records a year since 2000, 3rd of 52 states and territories by count. The busiest year on record was 2009 (63). Per 10,000 square miles of land, Texas records 38 lightning records since 1996, 36th of 51 states and territories by that measure.

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1996, per 10,000 square miles of land area (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer; places under 1,000 square miles not ranked). Damage colours: Storm Events damage, 2025 dollars.

Which counties in Texas have the most lightning records?

Per square mile, Tarrant County leads Texas: 75 days with a lightning record since 1996, 86.7 per 1,000 square miles of land. By raw count, Tarrant County has the most lightning records (91 since 1996); large counties collect more records simply by covering more ground, so the ranking counts days with a record per unit of area (a storm filed for several forecast zones adds several records but one day).

Tarrant County 86.7 (91)
Collin County 60.6 (65)
Galveston County 58.0 (25)
Denton County 45.5 (51)
Gregg County 40.2 (15)
Dallas County 38.9 (42)
Harris County 36.9 (72)
Lubbock County 25.7 (23)
Smith County 25.0 (24)
Travis County 22.1 (27)
Fort Bend County 20.9 (24)
Somervell County 16.1 (3)

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, days with a record in the county since 1996 per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer); in brackets, the count of records.

When is the lightning season in Texas?

Texas's lightning records by month. The busiest month is May (195 records).

The values, month by month

Jan 14 · Feb 19 · Mar 52 · Apr 117 · May 195 · Jun 180 · Jul 126 · Aug 140 · Sep 80 · Oct 45 · Nov 21 · Dec 12 (records).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began, since 1996.

What were the deadliest lightning records in Texas?

Texas: the storms with the most deaths since 1996
Date	Record	Killed	Injured	Damage
2007-05-01	LightningCameron, Milam County One storm episode: 4 records in 4 places, 2007-05-01 to 2007-05-03; the totals are the episode's. A split in the upper levels of the atmosphere steered several southern stream impulses into north Texas, producing flash flooding, strong winds, and a few tornadoes. The most impressive of these events was a derecho which moved through North Texas on May 2. It produced winds in excess of 85 MPH.	2	2	$669K
2012-07-15	LightningLittle York, Harris County Two men who were playing soccer were killed by a lightning strike while seeking shelter under a tree on the perimeter of the field. A third man was injured.	2	1	–
2026-04-25	LightningColleyville, Tarrant County Lightning started a house fire in Colleyville that was contained to the attic of the home, however a female adult and a child under the age of 3 died in the fire. Another child was transported with injuries.	2	1	$750K
2009-06-10	LightningTyler, Smith County Two people driving an automobile got out of a truck when the vehicle drove over power lines that were downed from earlier in the evening. The two adults were electrocuted when the exited the burning vehicle.	2	0	–
2025-03-27	LightningSebastian, Willacy County The Cameron County Office of Emergency Management reported a trailer home struck by lightning with the entire building consumed by the flames after the pre-dawn strike. Two residents inside were killed by the ensuing fire.	2	0	$20K
2023-05-15	LightningWest Womack Airport, Bosque County A father and his son were struck by lightning walking home from the bus stop. The father died the same day but the son died weeks later, in June.	2	0	–
2020-09-02	LightningTemple, Bell County One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. An upper level trough moved very slowly from the Rockies into the Plains during the first week of September, resulting in several days of showers and thunderstorms. Many storms became strong with gusty winds and hail, but the primary result was heavy rain and flooding. Unfortunately, a couple died in Temple Texas in a ...	2	0	$639K
2000-08-24	LightningHankamer, Chambers County One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. Lightning struck and killed 27 year old man.	2	0	–
2004-09-14	LightningGrapeland, Houston County Lightning strike at Grapeland High School during football practice. Twenty-two kept overnight at hospital for observation, all released the next day. One fatality the following day.	1	40	–
2010-04-24	LightningPhalba, Van Zandt County The county newspaper reported that lightning caused a fire at a residence on County Road 2309. One man died in the fire as he reentered the residence to try and put the fire out. Nine children in the home escaped with only minor injuries. Two other house fires were also reported in the county: one on CR 3814 and a ...	1	9	$271K

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths direct and indirect, as filed by the National Weather Service, summed over each storm (one episode, or one named storm filed by several offices). Storm names from the titles of FEMA declarations that name the storm's counties.

The costliest lightning records in Texas

Texas: the most damaging storms since 1993, 2025 dollars
Date	Record	Injured	Damage
1997-07-28	LightningBaytown, Harris County One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's.	11	$9.4M
2020-05-16	LightningPort Isabel, Cameron County	0	$8.0M
2026-05-21	LightningBrady, McCulloch County	0	$6.0M
2019-06-24	LightningWillamar, Willacy County	0	$5.8M
1996-06-04	LightningTexas City, Galveston County	0	$3.8M
2012-05-30	LightningGrapevine Res, Denton County One storm episode: 7 records in 3 places, 2012-05-30 to 2012-05-31; the totals are the episode's.	0	$3.7M
2025-11-20	LightningShepton, Collin County One storm episode: 8 records in 3 places; the totals are the episode's.	0	$2.9M
2026-02-14	LightningLa Casa, Stephens County	0	$2.4M

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: property and crop damage as estimated by the National Weather Service, in 2025 dollars.

Are lightning records becoming more frequent in Texas?

Texas's count per decade against the whole country's, and its share. NOAA recorded every event type only from 1996, so earlier decades are not comparable; the share of the national total is the fairer comparison across decades.

Lightning: Texas and the United States by decade (2020s to June 30, 2026)
Decade	Texas	United States	Texas's share
1996-99	139	3,521	3.9%
2000s	345	8,052	4.3%
2010s	370	5,103	7.3%
2020-26	147	1,544	9.5%

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

The most recent lightning records in Texas

The 12 most recent records, to June 30, 2026
Date	Record	Killed	Injured	Damage
2026-06-02	LightningKaty, Fort Bend County	0	0	$25K
2026-05-24	LightningSmithfield, Tarrant County	0	0	$30K
2026-05-21	LightningBrady, McCulloch County	0	0	$6.0M
2026-05-09	LightningCurtis, Jasper County	0	1	–
2026-04-25	LightningColleyville, Tarrant County	2	1	$750K
2026-02-14	LightningLa Casa, Stephens County	0	0	$2.4M
2025-11-20	LightningWheatland, Tarrant County	0	0	$500K
2025-11-20	LightningWheatland, Tarrant County	0	0	$500K
2025-11-20	LightningTrinity Mills, Dallas County	0	0	$200K
2025-11-20	LightningCarrollton, Dallas County	0	0	$200K
2025-11-20	LightningFarmers Branch, Dallas County	0	0	$200K
2025-11-20	LightningPlano, Collin County	0	0	$100K

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; the newest months are revised by NCEI as reports arrive. Search the record at NCEI.