Smith County, Texas
Recorded hazard history: storm events since 1950, federal disaster declarations since 1953, flood insurance claims since 1978, and FEMA's risk index.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. NCEI storm records through 30 Jun 2026; OpenFEMA declarations refreshed 1 Oct 2026; NFIP claims as of 8 Sep 2026.
Smith County, Texas, has 1,252 weather events in the NCEI Storm Events record since 1950, most of them damaging wind.
That is 135.9 events per 100 square miles, above the Texas figure of 63.3, and 52.8 per 10,000 residents against 56.0 statewide.
39 events fall in the 12 months to 30 Jun 2026. NCEI attributes 8 deaths and 41 injuries to events in the county, with property damage estimated at $40M.
FEMA has designated the county in 33 federal disaster declarations since 1953; the most recent is Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (major disaster, 17 May 2024).
National Flood Insurance Program policyholders in the county filed 311 claims since 1978, of which 223 were paid, totalling $4.7M (about $21K per paid claim). FEMA counts 458 residential flood policies in force.
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall risk as "Relatively Moderate" and its expected annual loss as "Relatively Low" ($43M a year across 18 hazards).
14 tropical storm or hurricane tracks in the HURDAT2 record passed within 100 miles of the county's centre at tropical-storm strength or more, 0 of them within 50 miles at hurricane strength.
Compared with Texas and the United States
| Measure | Smith County | Texas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recorded events since 1950 | 1,252 | 165,476 | 1,977,440 |
| Events per 100 square miles | 135.9 | 63.3 | 56.0 |
| Events per 10,000 residents | 52.8 | 56.0 | 59.6 |
| Events in the last 12 months | 39 | 4,723 | 62,008 |
| Deaths recorded by NCEI | 8 | 2,429 | 26,435 |
| Property damage (NCEI estimates) | $40M | $111B | $575B |
| NFIP claims per 1,000 residents | 1.3 | 13.4 | 8.1 |
| Average paid NFIP claim | $21K | $55K | $43K |
| Claims per 100 policies in force, last 10 years | 11.6 | 24.7 | 16.1 |
County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county. State and US rows include events recorded only by forecast zone. Rates use 2021 Census population and land area.
Events by decade
Trend: 803 events in the 20 years to 2025 against 322 in the 20 years before. Reporting practice changed in 1996 and again with automated reports in the 2000s, so decade totals measure the record as much as the weather.
Events by type
Hazard pages exist for hail, tornado, flood, wind and winter where the county has at least 10 recorded events. "Other" covers heavy rain, debris flow, dust, funnel clouds and similar reports.
Largest recorded events
| Date | Event type | Group | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Nov 1987 | Tornado | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | 2 | 6 | County |
| 10 Jun 2009 | Lightning | Lightning | — | — | — | 2 | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2002 | Heat | Heat | — | — | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Jun 2009 | Excessive Heat | Heat | — | — | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 28 Oct 2021 | Strong Wind | Wind | 51 mph | — | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Apr 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 100 mph | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1957 | Tornado | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 6 | County |
| 11 Feb 1950 | Tornado | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 5 | County |
| 19 Jul 2021 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | — | — | — | 4 | County |
| 13 Sep 2008 | Tropical Storm | Tropical | — | $2.0M | — | — | 2 | Forecast zone |
| 29 Apr 2016 | Tornado | Tornado | EF2 | $300K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 2 Mar 1979 | Tornado | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 10 Jun 2010 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $3K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 28 Nov 1997 | Lightning | Lightning | — | — | — | — | 2 | County |
| 14 Jul 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | 2 | County |
| 1 Apr 1979 | Tornado | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 20 Jan 1973 | Tornado | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 7 Jun 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 63 mph | $20K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 14 Jul 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 60 mph | $10K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 27 Feb 1996 | Tornado | Tornado | F0 | $8K | — | — | 1 | County |
Ranked by deaths, then injuries, then NCEI's damage estimate. Deaths and injuries are NCEI counts (direct plus indirect); no personal details are recorded here.
Federal disaster declarations
| Declared | Number | Type | Incident | Title | Programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 May 2024 | DR-4781 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 19 Feb 2021 | DR-4586 | Major disaster | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 14 Feb 2021 | EM-3554 | Emergency | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm | Public assistance |
| 24 Aug 2020 | EM-3540 | Emergency | Hurricane | Tropical Storms Marco And Laura | Public assistance |
| 25 Mar 2020 | DR-4485 | Major disaster | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 13 Mar 2020 | EM-3458 | Emergency | Biological | Covid-19 | Public assistance |
| 25 Apr 2016 | DR-4269 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 25 Nov 2015 | DR-4245 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 29 May 2015 | DR-4223 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 9 Sep 2011 | DR-4029 | Major disaster | Fire | Wildfires | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 13 Sep 2008 | DR-1791 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Ike | Individual assistance |
| 10 Sep 2008 | EM-3294 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Ike | Public assistance |
| 29 Aug 2008 | EM-3290 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Gustav | Public assistance |
| 14 Mar 2008 | EM-3284 | Emergency | Fire | Wildfires | Public assistance |
| 18 Aug 2007 | EM-3277 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Dean | Public assistance |
| 29 Jun 2007 | DR-1709 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 11 Jan 2006 | DR-1624 | Major disaster | Fire | Extreme Wildfire Threat | Public assistance |
| 24 Sep 2005 | DR-1606 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Rita | Public assistance |
| 21 Sep 2005 | EM-3261 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Rita | Public assistance |
| 2 Sep 2005 | EM-3216 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Public assistance |
| 1 Feb 2003 | EM-3171 | Emergency | Other | Loss Of The Space Shuttle Columbia | Public assistance |
| 9 Jun 2001 | DR-1379 | Major disaster | Coastal Storm | Tx-Tropical Storm Allison-06-06-2001 | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 8 Jan 2001 | DR-1356 | Major disaster | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Ice Storm | Public assistance |
| 18 Sep 2000 | FM-2340 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Tx-Pine Cove Fire-9/18/00 | Public assistance |
| 1 Sep 1999 | EM-3142 | Emergency | Fire | Extreme Fire Hazards | Public assistance |
| 26 Aug 1998 | DR-1239 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Charley | — |
| 23 Feb 1996 | EM-3117 | Emergency | Fire | Extreme Fire Hazard | Public assistance |
| 26 Dec 1991 | DR-930 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Thunderstorms | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 19 May 1989 | DR-828 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 23 Apr 1989 | DR-823 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding | Individual assistance |
| 20 Nov 1987 | DR-802 | Major disaster | Tornado | Severe Storms & Tornadoes | Individual assistance |
| 26 May 1987 | DR-793 | Major disaster | Tornado | Severe Storms & Tornadoes | Individual assistance |
| 19 Jun 1965 | DR-199 | Major disaster | Tornado | Tornadoes & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
Declarations in which FEMA designated this county, from the OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2). DR: major disaster; EM: emergency; FM: fire management assistance. Programs show whether individual or public assistance was made available.
Flood insurance claims
| Year of loss | Claims | Paid claims | Amount paid | Average paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | 4 | $60,585 | $15,146 |
| 2024 | 14 | 9 | $514,928 | $57,214 |
| 2023 | 2 | 2 | $13,529 | $6,765 |
| 2021 | 5 | 5 | $256,589 | $51,318 |
| 2020 | 6 | 5 | $140,409 | $28,082 |
| 2019 | 6 | 5 | $94,202 | $18,840 |
| 2018 | 5 | 4 | $167,311 | $41,828 |
| 2017 | 10 | 2 | $19,893 | $9,947 |
| 2016 | 27 | 22 | $715,872 | $32,540 |
| 2015 | 23 | 13 | $757,174 | $58,244 |
| 2014 | 8 | 4 | $48,266 | $12,066 |
| 2013 | 2 | 2 | $40,779 | $20,389 |
| 2012 | 2 | 1 | $11,264 | $11,264 |
| 2011 | 2 | 2 | $18,485 | $9,243 |
| 2010 | 10 | 7 | $161,525 | $23,075 |
| 2009 | 3 | 2 | $9,690 | $4,845 |
| 2008 | 11 | 9 | $136,673 | $15,186 |
| 2007 | 18 | 15 | $373,196 | $24,880 |
| 2003 | 1 | 1 | $3,488 | $3,488 |
| 2002 | 1 | 1 | $4,468 | $4,468 |
| 2001 | 6 | 5 | $99,761 | $19,952 |
| 2000 | 8 | 8 | $66,239 | $8,280 |
| 1999 | 6 | 4 | $15,161 | $3,790 |
| 1998 | 4 | 3 | $70,822 | $23,607 |
| 1996 | 2 | 0 | $0 | — |
OpenFEMA NFIP claims (v3, as of 8 Sep 2026), aggregated by year of loss; amounts are building, contents and increased-cost-of-compliance payments as recorded. Repetitive-loss counts from the NFIP Multiple Loss Properties file (2 Aug 2026); policies in force from the NFIP Residential Penetration Rates file (3 Aug 2026).
National Risk Index
| Hazard (NRI) | Risk rating | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | $21,383,203 | |
| Cold wave | $7,242,255 | |
| Heat wave | $6,491,553 | |
| Strong wind | $1,842,420 | |
| Lightning | $1,533,273 | |
| Hail | $996,435 | |
| Tornado | $930,262 | |
| Hurricane | $832,304 | |
| Earthquake | $637,162 | |
| Ice storm | $604,854 | |
| Wildfire | $345,909 | |
| Winter weather | $281,783 | |
| Landslide | $7,319 |
FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. Ratings are FEMA's relative comparison of counties; expected annual loss is FEMA's modelled estimate of average yearly building, population and agriculture loss. See how to read the NRI.
Hurricane and tropical storm passes
| Storm | Year | Closest approach | Max wind while within 100 mi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barry | 2019 | 98 mi | 40 mph |
| Ike | 2008 | 47 mi | 58 mph |
| Rita | 2005 | 77 mi | 52 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1949 | 60 mi | 46 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1947 | 23 mi | 40 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1941 | 64 mi | 46 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1940 | 60 mi | 46 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1918 | 41 mi | 52 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1915 | 67 mi | 40 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1902 | 83 mi | 40 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1891 | 66 mi | 63 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1879 | 86 mi | 58 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1871 | 55 mi | 46 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1871 | 75 mi | 46 mph |
HURDAT2 best-track positions at tropical-storm strength (34 kt) or more, measured from the county's Census centre point; through the 2025 season. Distance from a track is not the same as the extent of the storm's wind, rain or surge.
ZIP codes with flood claims
ZIP codes whose NFIP claims carry this county's code, with the number of claims. Five or more claims are needed for a ZIP page to be indexed.
Questions and answers
How often does it hail in Smith County, TX?
NCEI records 370 hail events in Smith County since 1950, in 54 different years; that is about 4.8 recorded events a year. 104 reports were golf-ball size (1.75 in) or larger.
Has Smith County had a tornado?
Yes. NCEI records 76 tornadoes in Smith County since 1950, 22 of them rated (E)F2 or stronger. Tornado deaths recorded: 2.
When was the last federal disaster declaration for Smith County?
17 May 2024: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding, a major disaster declaration for flood. The county appears in 33 declarations since 1953.
How many flood insurance claims have been filed in Smith County, and how much was paid?
311 NFIP claims since 1978, 223 of them paid, for $4.7M in total. FEMA publishes these figures redacted and aggregated; individual properties are not identified.
Is Smith County in the National Risk Index's high-risk band?
FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025) rates the county "Relatively Moderate" for overall risk, "Relatively Low" for expected annual loss, "Relatively High" for social vulnerability and "Relatively High" for community resilience. These ratings are FEMA's relative comparison across all US counties.
How does Smith County compare with the rest of Texas?
135.9 recorded events per 100 square miles against 63.3 statewide, and 1.3 NFIP claims per 1,000 residents against 13.4. The comparison table on this page shows each measure beside the state and national figures.
Provenance
Storm events: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026 (public domain). Declarations: OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2, refreshed 1 Oct 2026. Flood claims: OpenFEMA NfipClaims v3 as of 8 Sep 2026; NfipMultipleLossProperties v1 (2 Aug 2026); NfipResidentialPenetrationRates v1 (3 Aug 2026). Risk index: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. Hurricane tracks: NHC HURDAT2 through 2025. Population and area: US Census Bureau, 2021 vintage. Built 1 Oct 2026; see the methodology and corrections pages. Hazard hubs: Hail · Tornado · Flood · Wind · Winter.