Copperas Cove
Population 40,118 (2025)
77 tornadoes have tracked within 25 miles of Copperas Cove since 1950, 5 of them rated EF3 or F3 or stronger; the most recent was on May 1, 2025.
Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed
- Tornado damage paths within 25 miles since 195077
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger8
- Wildfire burn scars within 25 miles since 198414
At a glance
Tornado paths within 25 miles, tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles and wildfire perimeters within 25 miles of the city centre. Storm events, flood insurance claims and disaster declarations are for Coryell County. Earthquakes within 50 miles, volcanoes within 100 miles and smoke days are measured from the city centre; river and tide gauges, tsunami and landslide records and the drought index are for Coryell County.
Strongest tornado
EF3
April 12, 2022, 16.6 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
TS
Tropical storm (unnamed), 1900, 50.0 miles away
Federal disaster declarations
23
Most recent: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding, 2024
DetailsTornadoes
About one tornado a year since 1950, 5 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
April 12, 2022
EF3, 16.6 mile path
770 yards wide.
Deadliest
May 26, 1976
2 killed, F3
7 injured along the whole path.
Most recent
Thursday, May 1, 2025
EFU, 0.6 mile path
Within the past year.
Every recorded tornado
| May 1, 2025 | EFU | 0.6 | 0 | 0 |
| May 1, 2025 | EF1 | 3.1 | 1 | 0 |
| Apr 28, 2023 | EF1 | 14.8 | 2 | 0 |
| Apr 12, 2022 | EF3 | 16.6 | 23 | 0 |
| Apr 12, 2022 | EFU | 3.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 9, 2019 | EF2 | 1.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 6, 2018 | EFU | 0.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 8, 2016 | EF0 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 8, 2016 | EF0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 25, 2015 | EF1 | 5.7 | 0 | 0 |
| May 25, 2015 | EF1 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 25, 2015 | EF1 | 0.4 | 0 | 0 |
| May 23, 2015 | EF0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 12, 2014 | EF2 | 1.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 12, 2014 | EF0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 21, 2011 | EF0 | 1.6 | 0 | 0 |
| May 14, 2008 | EF0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 8, 2008 | EF0 | 1.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 17, 2007 | EF0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 17, 2007 | EF0 | 0.5 | 1 | 0 |
| May 25, 2007 | EF1 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 30, 2007 | EF1 | 3.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 30, 2007 | EF0 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 14, 2006 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 6, 2006 | F0 | 0.7 | 0 | 0 |
| May 5, 2006 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 5, 2006 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 28, 2006 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 25, 2003 | F0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 6, 2001 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 10, 2000 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 22, 2000 | F0 | 12.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 22, 2000 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 27, 1997 | F1 | 2.4 | 0 | 0 |
| May 27, 1997 | F1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 27, 1997 | F3 | 1.4 | 0 | 0 |
| May 27, 1997 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 19, 1996 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 19, 1996 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 26, 1994 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 26, 1994 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 11, 1992 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 14, 1990 | F3 | 9.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 17, 1989 | F1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 17, 1989 | F1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 17, 1986 | F1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 13, 1981 | F1 | 0.1 | 2 | 0 |
| May 15, 1981 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 15, 1979 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 15, 1977 | F2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 2, 1977 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 14, 1977 | F2 | 41.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 26, 1976 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 31, 1976 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 26, 1976 | F2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 26, 1976 | F2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 26, 1976 | F3 | 2.0 | 7 | 2 |
| May 5, 1976 | F2 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 5, 1976 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 20, 1976 | F2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 1975 | F2 | 0.1 | 2 | 0 |
| Mar 10, 1973 | F3 | 7.8 | 40 | 0 |
| Dec 12, 1971 | F1 | 0.1 | 2 | 0 |
| Aug 14, 1969 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 17, 1968 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 10, 1968 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 18, 1966 | F1 | 7.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 18, 1966 | F1 | 1.9 | 0 | 0 |
| May 18, 1966 | F2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 18, 1966 | F1 | 1.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 28, 1963 | F2 | 0.5 | 3 | 0 |
| May 1, 1956 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 1, 1956 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 21, 1956 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 21, 1956 | F2 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 5, 1955 | F1 | 7.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 20, 1955 | F1 | 4.1 | 1 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond this area.
- Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.
Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
4 passed within 50 miles since 1851; none at hurricane strength.
Strongest within 50 miles
September 9, 1900
Unnamed storm, Tropical storm
50.0 miles at closest approach, winds near 69 mph.
Most recent
August 19, 1983
Alicia, Tropical storm
74.4 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
- Tropical storms and hurricanes (34 kt or more, still tropical) at closest approach. Post-tropical remnants with gale-force winds are listed but not counted. Direct: track within 50 miles; near: within 100 miles. Distance is measured to the county boundary for counties and to the city centre for cities, using positions interpolated hourly between HURDAT2 fixes.
National Hurricane Center HURDAT2, 1851 to 2025.
Wildfire and smoke
14 large fires burned within 25 miles since 1984.
Largest
March 27, 2022
Crittenberg Complex, 21,406 acres
12.2 miles from the city centre.
Most recent
March 27, 2022
Crittenberg Complex
21,406 acres in total.
Every large fire
| Crittenberg Complex | 2022 | 12.2 | 21,406 |
| Harman Road | 2018 | 11.0 | 3,093 |
| Unnamed | 2011 | 12.9 | 2,236 |
| Coryell Complex | 2011 | 21.1 | 1,572 |
| Unnamed | 2011 | 9.0 | 1,580 |
| Robinette | 2011 | 9.4 | 6,040 |
| Unnamed | 2011 | 14.3 | 5,710 |
| Owl Creek | 2009 | 15.8 | 2,374 |
| Unnamed | 2009 | 17.2 | 1,440 |
| Hwy 195 Fire | 2008 | 23.3 | 1,522 |
| Bertram | 2008 | 22.7 | 1,568 |
| Cr 208 | 2008 | 14.7 | 1,486 |
| Browns Creek Range | 2006 | 15.1 | 1,887 |
| Unnamed | 2005 | 13.2 | 1,140 |
- Large fires mapped by the Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity program since 1984: 1,000 acres or more in the West, 500 or more in the East. Prescribed burns are excluded. Acres here are the part of each perimeter inside this place.
Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (USGS and U.S. Forest Service), 1984 to 2026.
Smoke overhead
Smokiest year
2023: 27 days
Heavy smoke on 6 days in 2021, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
9.0 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
3 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 11 so far in 2026.
- A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.
NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Floods and flood insurance
72 federal flood insurance claims since 1981, with $1.1 million paid.
Flood insurance figures are for Coryell County, the county that contains Copperas Cove.
Most claims in one year
2007: 20 claims
$150,000 paid.
2nd most
2024: 7 claims
$226,000 paid.
3rd most
2015: 6 claims
$57,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 76522 | 54 | $640,000 |
| 76528 | 12 | $285,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flash Flood54
- Flood16
- Heavy Rain5
16 deaths recorded in flood events since 1996.
This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.
River crests
River gauges in Coryell County, the county that contains Copperas Cove.
Most severe crest
May 5, 2024
Cowhouse Creek near Pidcoke, 44.51 ft
24.51 feet above the 20.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.
Most recent moderate or major crest
June 12, 2025
Leon River at Gatesville, 28.26 ft
Moderate flooding.
River gauges
| Cowhouse Creek near Pidcoke | 20.0 | 44.51 ft | 6 |
| Leon River at Gatesville | 22.0 | 35.00 ft | 3 |
- Crests are the highest and the recent crests the National Weather Service lists for each river gauge in the county that has a flood stage, not every flood. Flood categories use each gauge's current flood stages; crests from before levees, dams or channel changes may not be comparable. Crests measured on an old datum are left out of the rankings.
NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge records, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Drought
In severe drought or worse for 211 of 1,581 months since 1895 (13%); the longest spell lasted 20 months.
The drought index is for Coryell County, the county that contains Copperas Cove.
211
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
108
Months in extreme drought
13%
Share of all months, severe or worse
104
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
July 1925
−6.72, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
20 months
March 1917 to October 1918.
Latest month
September 2026
−3.65, severe drought
- The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.
NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.
Earthquakes
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5 or more within 50 miles since 2015; none reached magnitude 4.
0
Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973
0
Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900
0
Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900
Largest within 50 miles
September 3, 2015
Magnitude 2.9
7 km NNE of Leander, Texas; 33.1 miles away, 3.1 miles deep.
- Earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more in the USGS Comprehensive Catalog since 1900. Within 50 miles means the epicentre lies within 50 miles of the city centre.
- Small earthquakes were under-recorded before the modern seismic networks of the 1970s and are still missed in remote areas, so early decades read low. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them and mix scales (moment, local and body-wave).
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, 1900 to present, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Severe weather and other events
671 events in the National Weather Service record for Coryell County, 566 of them since 1996.
164
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
22
Hail, 2 inches or larger
81
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
25
Winter weather events since 1996
47
Heat events since 1996
8
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
May 6, 2001
4.50 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
May 13, 1989
96 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 5 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Feb 14, 2021Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Coryell$1.4 million
National Weather Service narrative
Extreme cold gripped the county for several days. Overnight lows were near or below 20 degrees Fahrenheit almost all week. The period of February 15-16th was the coldest with low temperatures in the single digits to slightly below degrees Fahrenheit. The maximum temperature on the 15th was only in the teens. Wind chill values during the 14th-16th were between 0 to -15 degrees Fahrenheit most of the time. The cold temperatures resulted in an extreme amount of damage to pipes, infrastructure, and power.
- Jun 28, 2007Flood$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Numerous residents were evacuated, and at least 24 homes were affected by floodwaters from the Leon River.
- Jun 9, 2019Tornado$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
An isolated supercell thunderstorm produced an EF-2 tornado near the border separating extreme southern Coryell County from extreme eastern Lampasas County, Texas. Officials reported that approximately 196 residences in the City of Copperas Cove were impacted to varying degrees. This tornado formed near the intersection of Grimes Crossing Road and Big Divide Road in far western Copperas Cove. At this intersection, two frame-built residences were initially impacted. Both residences had significant roof and exterior wall damage, and one home had the majority of its roof decking completely removed. The damage associated with this latter structure was consistent with EF-2 intensity…
- Feb 11, 2021Ice Storm, Coryell$400,000
National Weather Service narrative
Freezing rain and sleet fell across Coryell County. The Emergency Manager reported a quarter inch of ice with unknown sleet today. Total accumulations were highest in the southern portions of the county. The Sheriff's Office reported at least 50 car accidents, mostly on bridges and overpasses.
- Apr 28, 2023Thunderstorm Wind$350,000
National Weather Service narrative
RFD winds were determined to be the cause of damage at a home on Longview Circle that lost part of its roof. The RFD winds could have been near 95 mph.
- Sep 7, 2010Flash Flood$300,000
National Weather Service narrative
Highway 190 east of Copperas Cove, Farm-to-Market Road 1829 at Highway 236, and several other roads throughout the county were closed due to high water. There was one high water rescue on County Road 132 just off of Farm-to-Market Road 1783. A few homes around the county were damaged when flood waters entered the homes.
- Jan 15, 2017Tornado$300,000
National Weather Service narrative
A National Weather Service storm survey crew found evidence of damage consistent with EF-2 winds in Coryell County. Two homes were damaged to the point where most of their roof was removed. Several barns were destroyed as well, as were multiple pieces of farm and ranch equipment.
- Mar 30, 2007Flash Flood$250,000
National Weather Service narrative
Highway 36 was closed due to high water. Six homes were damaged and twenty high water rescues were required. Several vehicles were washed away, and trailers were forced off their foundations by the force of the water. Portions of roads were also washed away.
- Jun 10, 2023Hail$250,000
National Weather Service narrative
A trained spotter reported golf ball sized hail in Gatesville.
- Dec 29, 2006Tornado$200,000
National Weather Service narrative
A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Fort Worth revealed that a tornado developed just south of CR 315 and moved rapidly north-northeast. It damaged numerous trees along CR 315 and FM 107. As the tornado moved just west of Oglesby, it damaged homes and sheds along CR 303, CR 305, and CR 306. A home south of CR 306 had shingles and a portion of roof decking removed. The tornado dissipated just north of Highway 84.
- Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.
Weather records
From Burnet, 31.3 miles from the city centre, with records from 1896.
- All-time high
- 114°F2 times, most recently Jul 11, 1917
- All-time low
- −4°F2 times, most recently Dec 23, 1989
- Warmest night
- 86°FAug 1, 1902
- Coldest day
- 16°FDec 23, 1990
- Wettest day
- 13.15 inJul 5, 2025
- Snowiest day
- 9.0 inJan 30, 1949
- Hottest year
- 1933mean 71.2°F
- Coldest year
- 1976mean 62.0°F
- Wettest year
- 191956.59 in
- Driest year
- 195413.00 in
- Snowiest season
- 9.3 in1929-30
Median first snow
January 21
Earliest: November 22, 1937
Median last snow
February 8
Latest: April 9, 1928
76 of 99 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Burnet (USC00411250), 1,285 ft elevation, 31.3 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1896 to October 28, 2026; 90.9% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.
NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.
Federal disaster declarations
23 since 1953. The most recent: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding, May 17, 2024.
Declarations for Coryell County.
| May 17, 2024 | Flood | DR-4781-TX |
| Feb 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586-TX |
| Feb 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554-TX |
| Mar 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4485-TX |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3458-TX |
| Feb 25, 2019 | Flood | DR-4416-TX |
| Apr 25, 2016 | Flood | DR-4269-TX |
| May 29, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4223-TX |
| Sep 9, 2011 | Fire | DR-4029-TX |
| Jul 1, 2011 | Fire | DR-1999-TX |
| Mar 14, 2008 | Fire | EM-3284-TX |
| Jun 29, 2007 | Severe Storm | DR-1709-TX |
| Jan 11, 2006 | Fire | DR-1624-TX |
| Sep 24, 2005 | Hurricane | DR-1606-TX |
| Sep 21, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3261-TX |
| Sep 2, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3216-TX |
| Oct 26, 1999 | Fire | FM-2286-TX |
| Sep 1, 1999 | Fire | EM-3142-TX |
| Aug 26, 1998 | Severe Storm | DR-1239-TX |
| Feb 23, 1996 | Fire | EM-3117-TX |
| Sep 10, 1993 | Drought | EM-3113-TX |
| Dec 26, 1991 | Flood | DR-930-TX |
| May 19, 1989 | Severe Storm | DR-828-TX |
This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.
Sources and vintage
Every number on this page comes from these public records.
- Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
- Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
- Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
- Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
- Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
- Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USC00411250.
- River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
- Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.
Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.