Raymondville
Population 10,082 (2025)
26 tropical storms and hurricanes have passed within 50 miles of Raymondville since 1851; the strongest at closest approach was an unnamed storm in 1916 (Category 4).
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 195063
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger44
- Wildfire burn scars within 25 miles since 19845
- Major flood years since 1978, Willacy County9
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 Willacy 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 Willacy County.
Strongest tornado
F3
May 12, 1969, 0.1 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
Cat. 4
Hurricane (unnamed), 1916, 43.1 miles away
Tornadoes
About one every 1.2 years since 1950, one of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
May 12, 1969
F3, 0.1 mile path
10 yards wide.
Most recent
Thursday, March 27, 2025
EF0, 0.2 mile path
Within the past year.
Every recorded tornado
| Mar 27, 2025 | EF0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 8, 2024 | EFU | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 16, 2023 | EFU | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 15, 2023 | EFU | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 27, 2018 | EF0 | 1.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 30, 2015 | EF0 | 1.6 | 1 | 0 |
| Oct 30, 2015 | EF1 | 0.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 20, 2012 | EF0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 20, 2012 | EF0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 29, 2012 | EF0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 30, 2010 | EF0 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 22, 2009 | EF0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 26, 2008 | EF0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 19, 2007 | EF0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2, 2007 | EF0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 31, 2005 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 31, 2005 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 31, 2005 | F0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 20, 2005 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 1, 2005 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 1, 2005 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 29, 2002 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 29, 2002 | F0 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 29, 2002 | F0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 9, 2001 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 9, 2001 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 9, 2001 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 9, 2001 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 9, 2001 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 9, 2001 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 8, 2001 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 2, 2000 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 14, 2000 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 23, 1999 | F0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 23, 1999 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 26, 1999 | F0 | 1.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 26, 1999 | F0 | 2.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 31, 1996 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 24, 1996 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 14, 1994 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 14, 1992 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 14, 1992 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 23, 1991 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 29, 1991 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 16, 1988 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 16, 1988 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 16, 1988 | F0 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 7, 1986 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 24, 1976 | F0 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 10, 1975 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 26, 1973 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 20, 1970 | F1 | 5.7 | 0 | 0 |
| May 24, 1970 | F2 | 25.5 | 1 | 0 |
| May 12, 1969 | F3 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 1, 1968 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 20, 1968 | F1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 4, 1968 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 26, 1967 | F2 | 40.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 1, 1962 | F2 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jul 24, 1959 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 29, 1957 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 16, 1957 | F0 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 15, 1953 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 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
26 passed within 50 miles since 1851; 14 at hurricane strength, 2 as major hurricanes.
Strongest within 50 miles
August 18, 1916
Unnamed storm, Category 4
43.1 miles at closest approach, winds near 132 mph.
Most recent
August 22, 2023
Harold, Tropical storm
48.0 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
| Harold | 2023 | 48.0 | Tropical storm |
| Nicholas | 2021 | 69.8 | Tropical storm |
| Hanna | 2020 | 13.3 | Category 1 |
| Hermine | 2010 | 1.9 | Tropical storm |
| Dolly | 2008 | 2.2 | Category 1 |
| Erika | 2003 | 85.1 | Category 1 |
| Bret | 1999 | 33.7 | Category 2 |
| Barry | 1983 | 72.1 | Tropical storm |
| Allen | 1980 | 2.2 | Category 2 |
| Amelia | 1978 | 19.6 | Tropical storm |
| Edith | 1971 | 93.8 | Category 1 |
| Fern | 1971 | 53.8 | Tropical storm |
| Candy | 1968 | 67.9 | Tropical storm |
| Beulah | 1967 | 2.2 | Category 2 |
| Unnamed | 1960 | 33.7 | Tropical storm |
| Ella | 1958 | 70.8 | Tropical storm |
| Alma | 1958 | 52.2 | Tropical storm |
| Alice | 1954 | 53.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1947 | 38.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1945 | 69.1 | Category 3 |
| Unnamed | 1944 | 96.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1936 | 5.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1933 | 29.3 | Category 2 |
| Unnamed | 1933 | 58.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1931 | 18.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1925 | 51.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1919 | 56.7 | Category 2 |
| Unnamed | 1916 | 43.1 | Category 4 |
| Unnamed | 1913 | 49.0 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1912 | 42.1 | Category 2 |
| Unnamed | 1910 | 30.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1910 | 64.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1909 | 30.5 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1902 | 47.2 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1895 | 94.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1887 | 30.9 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1886 | 23.4 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1880 | 18.4 | Category 3 |
| Unnamed | 1875 | 83.7 | Category 3 |
| Unnamed | 1874 | 17.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1867 | 52.7 | Category 2 |
| Unnamed | 1865 | 37.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1857 | 18.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1854 | 12.3 | Tropical storm |
- 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
5 large fires burned within 25 miles since 1984.
Largest
March 18, 2008
Burns Ranch Fire, 58,363 acres
20.9 miles from the city centre.
Most recent
March 24, 2022
Hayfield South Fire
11,034 acres in total.
Every large fire
| Hayfield South | 2022 | 17.4 | 11,034 |
| Polo | 2022 | 19.6 | 5,575 |
| King Ranch | 2011 | 17.0 | 3,071 |
| Stillman | 2009 | 15.3 | 1,467 |
| Burns Ranch Fire | 2008 | 20.9 | 58,363 |
- 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: 49 days
Heavy smoke on 2 days in 2012, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
17.3 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
7 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 16 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
522 federal flood insurance claims since 1979, with $5.0 million paid.
Flood insurance figures are for Willacy County, the county that contains Raymondville.
Most claims in one year
1980: 59 claims
$409,000 paid.
2nd most
2008: 55 claims
$359,000 paid.
3rd most
2020: 48 claims
$430,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 78580 | 305 | $2.1 million |
| 78598 | 86 | $504,000 |
| 78569 | 66 | $1.5 million |
| 78594 | 33 | $810,000 |
| 13 | $34,000 | |
| 78590 | 13 | $52,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flash Flood24
- Flood16
- Heavy Rain7
- Coastal Flood3
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.
Drought
In severe drought or worse for 249 of 1,581 months since 1895 (16%); the longest spell lasted 32 months.
The drought index is for Willacy County, the county that contains Raymondville.
249
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
78
Months in extreme drought
16%
Share of all months, severe or worse
233
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
August 1902
−5.60, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
32 months
July 1897 to February 1900.
Latest month
September 2026
−3.25, 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
No earthquake of magnitude 2.5 or more is recorded within 50 miles of the city centre in the USGS catalogue, which begins in 1900.
Severe weather and other events
612 events in the National Weather Service record for Willacy County, 572 of them since 1996.
29
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
6
Hail, 2 inches or larger
34
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
6
Winter weather events since 1996
85
Heat events since 1996
85
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
April 26, 1999
2.75 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
June 3, 1988
90 mph
More event types since 1996
| High surf and sneaker waves | 3 | 0 |
| Storm surge and tide | 12 | 0 |
| Lightning | 3 | 2 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Jul 25, 2020Hurricane (Typhoon), Willacy$142 million
National Weather Service narrative
Hurricane Hanna moved across the western Gulf of Mexico and made landfall on the mid-Kenedy County coastline at around 5 PM Central Time Saturday, July 25th, carrying sustained 90 mph winds with gusts over 100 mph in a small portion of the inner eye wall. While there aren't many observations in Willacy County during this event, Buoy RSJT2 is just off the coastline in the Laguna Madre just north of Willacy County and can be used as a reasonable proxy. Based on the proxy observations, sustained winds likely reached near hurricane force (71 mph).With observations from RSJT2, along with radar analysis, it is reasonable to assume that portions of Willacy County experienced…
- Jul 25, 2020Hurricane (Typhoon), Coastal Willacy$60.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Hurricane Hanna moved across the western Gulf of Mexico and made landfall on the mid-Kenedy County coastline at around 5 PM Central Time Saturday, July 25th, carrying sustained 90 mph winds with gusts over 100 mph in a small portion of the inner eye wall. While there aren't many observations in Willacy County during this event, Buoy RSJT2 is just off the coastline in the Laguna Madre just north of Willacy County and can be used as a reasonable proxy. Based on the proxy observations, sustained winds likely reached near hurricane force (71 mph). With observations from RSJT2, along with radar analysis, it is reasonable to assume that portions of Willacy County experienced…
- Jul 23, 2008Tropical Storm, Willacy$52.5 million
National Weather Service narrative
The approach of Hurricane Dolly to the barrier shoreline of South Padre Island early on the morning of July 23rd brought sustained tropical storm force winds inland to the east side of Willacy County away from the immediate coast, at approximately 10 AM CDT on the 23rd. Prior rainbands may have produced frequent gusts to 40 mph, but the arrival of sustained tropical storm winds would be followed by wind damage and power outages, particularly during the afternoon. Prior to Dolly's landfall along the Cameron/Willacy County line, the western and southern eyewall intensified. The core of the eyewall traversed southern Willacy County, generally between 1230 PM and 6:30 PM, before…
- Jul 23, 2008Hurricane (Typhoon), Coastal Willacy$20.6 million
National Weather Service narrative
After edging northward just off the Cameron County coastline during the early to mid morning, the intensifying inner western eyewall nudged into Willacy County along the Laguna side shoreline from Port Mansfield to the Cameron County line at approximately Noon CDT. The eyewall continue to rotate through eastern, then southern, Willacy County until 2 PM, before conditions weakened to tropical storm strength for the rest of the afternoon and into the evening.||While no verifying observations of sustained hurricane force winds exist from the county, it can be inferred that at similarly exposed locations near the coast, including along the east facing Laguna Madre shoreline, where the…
- Jun 24, 2019Flash Flood$15.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Measured and estimated rainfall between 8 and 12 or more inches that fell predominantly from early evening June 24th through a bit after midnight on June 25th produced widespread flash flooding across western Willacy County. Hardest hit locations were Sebastian, Lyford, Raymondville, and La Sara. ||In the tri-county area (western Willacy, northwestern Cameron, and southeastern Hidalgo), 1188 homes were considered destroyed or with major damage, with an additional 182 homes with minor damage. Hundreds of streets flooded, including 30 Texas-managed highways. This included the frontage roads of Interstate 2 and Interstate 69E. ||More than 100 persons were evacuated to higher ground…
- Jul 25, 2020Flash Flood$6.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Reports of high flowing water blocking passage along SR-186 just west of Port Mansfield were received during the evening of July 25th, when feeder bands into the eastern semicircle of then-Tropical Storm Hanna dropped an additional 4 to 8 inches of rainfall into central and eastern Willacy County. Other flooding was noted in poor drainage locations of Raymondville, and there was an unknown amount of field flooding in eastern Willacy County due to an estimated 11 to 13 inches of rainfall through the duration of the event, which began during the mid afternoon of July 25th. ||Water depths of 2 to 3 feet were likely in some areas, though specifics were unknown. A known poor drainage…
- Jun 24, 2019Lightning$5.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
A strong cloud to ground lightning bolt struck and set ablaze a wind turbine and tower at the Willacy County Los Vientos wind farm during the initial severe thunderstorm that impacted the county during the early evening of June 24, 2019. Another strike destroyed a small grain silo just to the west of Lyford and Raymondville. Time of the strike is estimated from peak lightning frequency, which exceeded 300 cloud to ground strikes in 15 minutes.
- Oct 25, 2015Flood$2.5 million
National Weather Service narrative
Hazardous, high water on roadways, in homes, and across cropland continued across nearly all of eastern Willacy County.
- Oct 24, 2015Flash Flood$2.5 million
National Weather Service narrative
The heavy rainfall on October 24th led to much of eastern Willacy County being under several feet of water. Water rescues were underway prior to the heaviest rains and continued through the afternoon. Though homes are few and far between (mainly farm houses or workers homes), the majority likely had water inside them by late in the day. Hazardous, high water was found across nearly all of the County east of the expressway (and the larger communities).
- Mar 30, 2012Flash Flood$2.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Runoff from storms in Hidalgo County was moving so swiftly that it caused the collapse of a weir in Willacy County. Estimates for repair of the structure are around $2 million.
- 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 Harlingen Rio Grande Vly International, 18.6 miles from the city centre, with records from 1952.
- All-time high
- 107°F3 times, most recently May 9, 2024
- All-time low
- 17°FJan 12, 1962
- Warmest night
- 84°F2 times, most recently Sep 1, 2020
- Coldest day
- 29°FJan 10, 1962
- Wettest day
- 13.79 inMar 27, 2025
- Snowiest day
- 1.0 inDec 8, 2017
- Hottest year
- 2012mean 77.2°F
- Coldest year
- 1960mean 72.2°F
- Wettest year
- 202139.03 in
- Driest year
- 20118.05 in
- Snowiest season
- 1.0 in2017-18
23 of 24 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Harlingen Rio Grande Vly International (USW00012904), 31 ft elevation, 18.6 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1952 to October 12, 2026; 98.5% 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
29 since 1953. The most recent: Severe Storms and Flooding, May 21, 2025.
Declarations for Willacy County.
| May 21, 2025 | Flood | DR-4871-TX |
| Jul 9, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4798-TX |
| Feb 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586-TX |
| Feb 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554-TX |
| Aug 24, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3540-TX |
| Jul 26, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3530-TX |
| Mar 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4485-TX |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3458-TX |
| Jul 17, 2019 | Flood | DR-4454-TX |
| Nov 25, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4245-TX |
| Aug 3, 2010 | Hurricane | DR-1931-TX |
| Jun 29, 2010 | Hurricane | EM-3313-TX |
| Sep 10, 2008 | Hurricane | EM-3294-TX |
| Aug 29, 2008 | Hurricane | EM-3290-TX |
| Jul 24, 2008 | Hurricane | DR-1780-TX |
| Mar 14, 2008 | Fire | EM-3284-TX |
| Aug 18, 2007 | Hurricane | EM-3277-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 |
| Aug 22, 1999 | Hurricane | DR-1287-TX |
| Aug 26, 1998 | Severe Storm | DR-1239-TX |
| Apr 12, 1991 | Severe Storm | DR-900-TX |
| Jan 9, 1990 | Freezing | DR-850-TX |
| Jan 7, 1984 | Freezing | DR-696-TX |
| Aug 11, 1980 | Hurricane | DR-627-TX |
| Sep 18, 1971 | Flood | DR-313-TX |
| Sep 28, 1967 | Hurricane | DR-232-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 USW00012904.
- 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.