Paris
Population 25,205 (2025)
94 tornadoes have tracked within 25 miles of Paris since 1950, 10 of them rated EF3 or F3 or stronger; the most recent was on May 20, 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 195094
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger4
- Major flood years since 1978, Lamar County1
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 Lamar 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 Lamar County.
Strongest tornado
EF4
November 4, 2022, 60.2 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
TS
Tropical storm Ike, 2008, 39.0 miles away
Federal disaster declarations
24
Most recent: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding, 2024
DetailsTornadoes
About one tornado a year since 1950, 10 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
November 4, 2022
EF4, 60.2 mile path
1,056 yards wide.
Deadliest
April 2, 1982
10 killed, F4
170 injured along the whole path.
Most recent
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
EF0, 0.1 mile path
Within the past year.
Every recorded tornado
| May 20, 2025 | EF0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 30, 2025 | EF0 | 0.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 4, 2025 | EF2 | 21.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 8, 2024 | EF0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 8, 2024 | EF0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 13, 2022 | EF2 | 10.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 4, 2022 | EF4 | 60.2 | 13 | 0 |
| Nov 4, 2022 | EF4 | 44.7 | 11 | 0 |
| May 24, 2022 | EF1 | 7.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 30, 2022 | EF1 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 24, 2020 | EFU | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 24, 2020 | EFU | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 22, 2020 | EF2 | 10.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 22, 2020 | EF1 | 4.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 10, 2020 | EF0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 10, 2020 | EF0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 9, 2016 | EF1 | 6.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 12, 2015 | EF1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 12, 2015 | EF1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 14, 2011 | EF0 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 8, 2011 | EF1 | 10.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 8, 2011 | EF0 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 8, 2010 | EF0 | 1.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 10, 2009 | EF0 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 21, 2005 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 21, 2005 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 21, 2005 | F1 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 23, 2000 | F0 | 4.0 | 2 | 0 |
| Apr 23, 2000 | F2 | 12.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 22, 1999 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 20, 1996 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 12, 1996 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 19, 1995 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 15, 1994 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 26, 1994 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 26, 1994 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 26, 1994 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 26, 1994 | F2 | 6.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 27, 1991 | F1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 26, 1991 | F1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 26, 1991 | F2 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 13, 1991 | F2 | 12.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 3, 1990 | F2 | 2.0 | 13 | 0 |
| Jun 23, 1987 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 23, 1987 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 23, 1987 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 17, 1987 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 4, 1986 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 20, 1985 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 20, 1985 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 13, 1985 | F2 | 4.0 | 8 | 0 |
| May 2, 1984 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 2, 1984 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 24, 1982 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 24, 1982 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 24, 1982 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 25, 1982 | F2 | 13.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 25, 1982 | F1 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 2, 1982 | F2 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 2, 1982 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 2, 1982 | F4 | 23.0 | 170 | 10 |
| Apr 2, 1982 | F3 | 32.0 | 1 | 1 |
| Oct 13, 1981 | F2 | 6.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 13, 1981 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 13, 1981 | F1 | 5.6 | 0 | 0 |
| May 13, 1981 | F4 | 8.8 | 30 | 0 |
| May 3, 1979 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 19, 1979 | F1 | 9.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 7, 1978 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 7, 1978 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 18, 1977 | F2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 25, 1974 | F2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 3, 1974 | F2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 21, 1974 | F2 | 1.0 | 6 | 0 |
| Apr 21, 1974 | F2 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 6, 1973 | F2 | 0.5 | 3 | 0 |
| Mar 10, 1973 | F2 | 1.5 | 1 | 0 |
| Apr 27, 1969 | F3 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 23, 1964 | F2 | 6.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 23, 1964 | F2 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 22, 1964 | F3 | 5.9 | 2 | 0 |
| May 27, 1963 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 12, 1961 | F3 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 5, 1961 | F3 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 4, 1961 | F2 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 |
| May 20, 1960 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 27, 1959 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 27, 1959 | F1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 2, 1957 | F2 | 0.1 | 2 | 1 |
| Apr 2, 1957 | F1 | 16.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 2, 1957 | F2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 2, 1957 | F2 | 6.5 | 2 | 1 |
| Jun 2, 1954 | F2 | 5.9 | 8 | 1 |
| Apr 30, 1954 | F3 | 1.0 | 12 | 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
3 passed within 50 miles since 1851; none at hurricane strength.
Strongest within 50 miles
September 14, 2008
Ike, Tropical storm
39.0 miles at closest approach, winds near 40 mph.
Most recent
September 14, 2008
Ike, Tropical storm
39.0 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
No large wildfire has been mapped within 25 miles since satellite mapping began in 1984.
Smoke overhead
Smokiest year
2023: 44 days
Heavy smoke on 7 days in 2021, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
15.0 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
6 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 21 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
139 federal flood insurance claims since 1979, with $2.6 million paid.
Flood insurance figures are for Lamar County, the county that contains Paris.
Most claims in one year
2016: 34 claims
$635,000 paid.
2nd most
2017: 12 claims
$483,000 paid.
3rd most
2026: 9 claims
$421,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 75460 | 120 | $2.2 million |
| 75462 | 15 | $162,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flash Flood49
- Heavy Rain7
- Flood5
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 Lamar County, the county that contains Paris.
Most severe crest
October 19, 1971
North Sulphur River near Cooper, 36.16 ft
6.16 feet above the 30.0 ft flood stage; moderate flooding by today’s categories.
Most recent moderate or major crest
March 19, 2008
North Sulphur River near Cooper, 34.75 ft
Moderate flooding.
River gauges
| North Sulphur River near Cooper | 30.0 | 36.16 ft | 0 |
- 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 171 of 1,581 months since 1895 (11%); the longest spell lasted 37 months.
The drought index is for Lamar County, the county that contains Paris.
171
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
68
Months in extreme drought
11%
Share of all months, severe or worse
79
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
March 1911
−6.11, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
37 months
March 1909 to March 1912.
Latest month
September 2026
−2.70, moderate drought
Last severe month: March 2026.
- 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
2 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more within 50 miles since 1997; none reached magnitude 4.
2
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
May 30, 1997
Magnitude 3.4
3 km ESE of Neylandville, Texas; 41.4 miles away, 3.1 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
April 22, 2005
Magnitude 3.0
17 km N of Swink, Oklahoma; 40.7 miles away.
- 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
768 events in the National Weather Service record for Lamar County, 584 of them since 1996.
183
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
28
Hail, 2 inches or larger
117
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
36
Winter weather events since 1996
55
Heat events since 1996
7
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
May 29, 2019
2.75 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
March 4, 2025
90 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 3 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Dec 5, 2013Ice Storm, Lamar$20.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Up to 1 of freezing rain fell across the county causing significant damage to trees, tree branches, utility poles and lines due to the heavy collection of ice. The COOP Observer in Paris reported 0.75 of ice. Hundreds of trees, tree branches, and power lines were knocked down and travel was difficult across the county. The EOC in Paris lost power and all communications due to a power outage. All emergency radio communications were also knocked out by the power outage. Falling tree branches and ice damaged cars and roofs. In addition, an estimated $10.5 million in damage to roads and bridges was caused by the ice storm.
- Nov 4, 2022Tornado$5.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
A tornado formed near Brookston in western Lamar County and tracked rapidly northeastward, passing to the northwest of Paris, Texas before exiting the northern edge of Lamar County, east of Arthur City. The tornado continued into Choctaw County Oklahoma and additional information about the damage in that county can be found in a separate entry. Several dozen individual homes, businesses and outbuildings were impacted across western and northern Lamar County. Damage consistent with EF-3 intensity tornadic winds of 150-160 mph were identified at several locations west through north of Paris. In particular, several residences along Farm Market Road 1499 northwest of Paris were…
- Feb 14, 2021Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Lamar$1.6 million
National Weather Service narrative
Extreme cold gripped the county for several days. Overnight lows were near or below 10 degrees Fahrenheit for most of the week. The period of February 15-16th was the coldest with low temperatures between 2 and -5 degrees Fahrenheit, and the maximum temperature on the 15th was only in the lower teens. Wind chill values during the 14th-16th were between 0 to -20 degrees Fahrenheit most of the time. The cold temperatures resulted in an extreme amount of damage to pipes, infrastructure, and power. The State listed 1 fatality in Lamar County due to the winter storm but no additional information could be obtained.
- Jun 23, 2026Flash Flood$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Numerous roads, buildings and vehicles were flooded in and around Blossom, including an RV park, apartment complex, and several homes. Highway 82 through town was flooded and approximately 35 water rescues were reported.
- Apr 19, 1996Hail$800,000
National Weather Service narrative
Baseball size hail damaged 400 vehicles, 20 to 30 of which were classic cars, at a drag strip. Numerous law enforcement vehicles were also damaged.
- Mar 4, 2025Thunderstorm Wind$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
Social media video showed major wind damage occurred to a solar panel farm near Cunningham.
- Oct 1, 2006Drought, Lamar$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
Persistent drought conditions continued across portions of north Texas. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, much of the region was still experiencing extreme (D3) drought conditions. The areas which were rated exceptional drought (D4) last month had received enough rainfall to be downgraded into the D3 category this month.|Even though drought conditions were lessened by a few rain events this month, serious hydrological problems remained. For instance, as much water was used from Lake Bridgeport in one month alone as was saved through conservation efforts by north Texas over the summer. Almost every north Texas lake remained well below conservation levels. The rain events this…
- Jul 30, 2007Lightning$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
Lightning caused several house fires, with one house considered a total loss. A duplex was also seriously damaged.
- Feb 1, 2011Ice Storm, Lamar$250,000
National Weather Service narrative
Freezing rain, heavy sleet, and some light snow blanketed the county. Ice and sleet totals up to 1 were reported in the county. The sleet and ice made travel treacherous around the county. Most of the vehicle incidents reported were due to stuck vehicles or vehicles that had slid off the roadway. The prolonged cold that settled in after the ice storm kept the roads treacherous for the next four days and many schools and businesses were closed for just as long. Hundreds of homes were believed to have frozen water pipes during the week.
- Aug 20, 1997Thunderstorm Wind$250,000
National Weather Service narrative
Strong winds damaged several hangars at the airport. Several small aircraft were also damaged by the winds.
- 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 Paris, 0.8 miles from the city centre, with records from 1896.
- All-time high
- 115°FAug 10, 1936
- All-time low
- −5°F2 times, most recently Jan 19, 1930
- Warmest night
- 88°FAug 4, 2011
- Coldest day
- 10°FFeb 16, 2021
- Wettest day
- 7.61 inJun 24, 1928
- Snowiest day
- 9.5 inFeb 7, 1979
- Hottest year
- 2006mean 67.7°F
- Coldest year
- 1979mean 61.0°F
- Wettest year
- 195775.65 in
- Driest year
- 191020.67 in
Station Paris (USC00416794), 542 ft elevation, 0.8 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1896 to June 17, 2026; 93.3% 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
24 since 1953. The most recent: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding, May 17, 2024.
Declarations for Lamar 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 |
| Mar 19, 2016 | Flood | DR-4266-TX |
| May 29, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4223-TX |
| Jul 1, 2011 | Fire | DR-1999-TX |
| Sep 10, 2008 | Hurricane | EM-3294-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 |
| Jan 8, 2001 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-1356-TX |
| Sep 1, 1999 | Fire | EM-3142-TX |
| Aug 26, 1998 | Severe Storm | DR-1239-TX |
| Apr 29, 1994 | Severe Storm | DR-1026-TX |
| May 2, 1990 | Severe Storm | DR-863-TX |
| May 19, 1989 | Severe Storm | DR-828-TX |
| Apr 8, 1982 | Tornado | DR-655-TX |
| Jan 27, 1972 | Flood | DR-320-TX |
| May 12, 1966 | Flood | DR-218-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 USC00416794.
- 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.