Texarkana
Population 36,195 (2025)
103 tornadoes have tracked within 25 miles of Texarkana since 1950, 8 of them rated EF3 or F3 or stronger; the most recent was on April 5, 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 1950103
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger9
- Wildfire burn scars within 25 miles since 19841
- Major flood years since 1978, Bowie 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 Bowie 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 Bowie County.
Strongest tornado
F4
March 12, 1971, 5.1 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
TS
Tropical storm (unnamed), 1879, 41.8 miles away
Tornadoes
About one tornado a year since 1950, 8 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
March 12, 1971
F4, 5.1 mile path
880 yards wide; 1 killed along the whole path.
Deadliest
April 2, 1982
5 killed, F3
4 injured along the whole path.
Most recent
Saturday, April 5, 2025
EF2, 10.4 mile path
Within the past year.
Every recorded tornado
| Apr 5, 2025 | EF2 | 10.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 4, 2025 | EF1 | 18.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 4, 2025 | EF1 | 18.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 8, 2024 | EF1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 8, 2024 | EF1 | 2.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 8, 2024 | EF1 | 5.4 | 0 | 0 |
| May 24, 2024 | EF1 | 1.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 14, 2023 | EF2 | 8.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2, 2023 | EF1 | 1.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 4, 2022 | EF3 | 15.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 21, 2022 | EF1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 21, 2022 | EF1 | 1.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 9, 2021 | EF1 | 2.4 | 0 | 0 |
| May 16, 2020 | EF0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 16, 2020 | EF1 | 2.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 16, 2020 | EF1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 16, 2020 | EFU | 2.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 21, 2018 | EF1 | 6.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 13, 2014 | EF0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 13, 2014 | EF2 | 2.5 | 4 | 1 |
| Feb 18, 2013 | EF0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 25, 2011 | EF0 | 7.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 4, 2011 | EF1 | 2.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 4, 2011 | EF1 | 4.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 23, 2010 | EF0 | 17.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 23, 2010 | EF0 | 4.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 23, 2009 | EF1 | 4.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 29, 2009 | EF1 | 3.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 29, 2009 | EF0 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 14, 2009 | EF0 | 2.4 | 0 | 0 |
| May 9, 2009 | EF0 | 2.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 2, 2009 | EF1 | 3.5 | 3 | 0 |
| May 2, 2009 | EF1 | 2.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 6, 2008 | EF0 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 10, 2008 | EF2 | 5.5 | 1 | 0 |
| Mar 3, 2008 | EF0 | 7.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 3, 2008 | EF0 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 3, 2008 | EF1 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 5, 2007 | EF1 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 27, 2007 | EF0 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 14, 2003 | F2 | 78.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 23, 2000 | F2 | 14.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 4, 1999 | F3 | 71.5 | 22 | 1 |
| Apr 26, 1999 | F1 | 12.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 22, 1999 | F1 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 21, 1999 | F0 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 21, 1996 | F1 | 22.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 30, 1996 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 7, 1992 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 16, 1990 | F2 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 16, 1990 | F1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 16, 1990 | F2 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 16, 1990 | F2 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 16, 1990 | F1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 15, 1987 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 4, 1986 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 4, 1986 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 5, 1986 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 5, 1986 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 18, 1984 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 1, 1983 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 23, 1982 | F2 | 25.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 13, 1982 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 25, 1982 | F1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 2, 1982 | F3 | 18.0 | 4 | 5 |
| Apr 2, 1982 | F3 | 52.0 | 4 | 1 |
| Mar 29, 1981 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 17, 1980 | F2 | 0.5 | 3 | 0 |
| Oct 17, 1980 | F2 | 0.5 | 2 | 0 |
| Apr 11, 1980 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 27, 1979 | F2 | 10.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 3, 1979 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 3, 1979 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 1, 1979 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 1, 1979 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 4, 1978 | F1 | 6.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 23, 1978 | F1 | 5.1 | 1 | 0 |
| Nov 1, 1977 | F3 | 5.9 | 0 | 0 |
| May 26, 1976 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 7, 1975 | F1 | 2.0 | 2 | 0 |
| Jan 10, 1975 | F2 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 4, 1974 | F2 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 24, 1973 | F2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 24, 1973 | F2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 24, 1973 | F2 | 0.1 | 3 | 0 |
| Apr 24, 1973 | F2 | 2.0 | 8 | 0 |
| Nov 18, 1971 | F2 | 1.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 12, 1971 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 12, 1971 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 12, 1971 | F4 | 5.1 | 5 | 1 |
| Apr 25, 1970 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 29, 1967 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 20, 1964 | F1 | 4.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 28, 1958 | F2 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 13, 1957 | F2 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 |
| Apr 6, 1955 | F1 | 0.1 | 2 | 0 |
| May 2, 1954 | F1 | 2.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 30, 1954 | F3 | 111.6 | 2 | 0 |
| Apr 30, 1954 | F3 | 86.3 | 1 | 0 |
| Apr 24, 1953 | F2 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 16, 1952 | F2 | 1.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 16, 1952 | F2 | 1.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 12, 1950 | F2 | 8.0 | 8 | 1 |
- 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
August 23, 1879
Unnamed storm, Tropical storm
41.8 miles at closest approach, winds near 48 mph.
Most recent
August 27, 2020
Laura, Tropical storm
76.5 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
1 large fire burned within 25 miles since 1984.
Largest
March 22, 2004
Unnamed Fire, 1,357 acres
15.3 miles from the city centre.
Most recent
March 22, 2004
Unnamed Fire
1,357 acres in total.
Every large fire
| Unnamed | 2004 | 15.3 | 1,357 |
- 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: 43 days
Heavy smoke on 4 days in 2021, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
14.5 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
6 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 23 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
242 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, with $5.2 million paid.
Flood insurance figures are for Bowie County, the county that contains Texarkana.
Most claims in one year
2015: 28 claims
$1.5 million paid.
2nd most
2001: 22 claims
$284,000 paid.
3rd most
2021: 20 claims
$835,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 75503 | 109 | $2.7 million |
| 75501 | 61 | $939,000 |
| 75561 | 22 | $459,000 |
| 75569 | 18 | $809,000 |
| 75559 | 9 | $14,000 |
| 9 | $48,000 | |
| 75570 | 7 | $126,000 |
| 75502 | 5 | $11,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flash Flood85
- Flood6
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 Bowie County, the county that contains Texarkana.
Most severe crest
February 15, 1938
Red River near Dekalb - Pecan Point, 36.00 ft
12.00 feet above the 24.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.
Most recent moderate or major crest
December 30, 2015
Red River near Dekalb - Pecan Point, 29.81 ft
Moderate flooding.
River gauges
| Red River near Dekalb - Pecan Point | 24.0 | 36.00 ft | 8 |
- 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 146 of 1,581 months since 1895 (9%); the longest spell lasted 14 months.
The drought index is for Bowie County, the county that contains Texarkana.
146
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
24
Months in extreme drought
9%
Share of all months, severe or worse
54
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
December 1956
−4.82, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
14 months
October 2005 to November 2006.
Latest month
September 2026
−2.96, moderate drought
Last severe month: May 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
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
1,051 events in the National Weather Service record for Bowie County, 762 of them since 1996.
213
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
12
Hail, 2 inches or larger
272
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
42
Winter weather events since 1996
82
Heat events since 1996
7
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
May 14, 2003
4.50 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
May 14, 2003
100 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 7 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- May 4, 1999Tornado$125 million
National Weather Service narrative
This tornado moved directly through the downtown district of De Kalb and across a high school. Numerous homes and businesses were severely damaged or destroyed. The high school suffered severe damage. Sirens sounded 15 minutes prior to arrival of the storm. The damage resulted in a Presidential Disaster Declaration. This tornado moved from Red River county, TX across Bowie county, TX into Little River county, AR.
- Mar 31, 2008Hail$120 million
National Weather Service narrative
Fire department reported that car windows and sky lights and the roofs of many homes throughout the city were damaged from this devastating hail storm. Preliminary monetary estimate at the time of this publication was near 90 million dollars with local emergency management officials saying this amount would likely increase.
- Nov 4, 2022Tornado$7.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
The supercell thunderstorm which produced a second tornado ending in northwestern Cass County continued on to the northeast and produced another tornado just north of the Sulphur River in southwestern Bowie County. This tornado was determined to be the strongest one produced by this particular thunderstorm and generated a few spots of low end EF-3 damage in several locations along its nearly 16-mile long path, with estimated maximum winds near 140 mph. This tornado first touched down along U.S. Highway 67 to the southwest of Simms and quickly grew in strength and width after tracking a few miles, briefing reaching a width of nearly a half mile at times. Just west of Simms and…
- Jan 21, 2018Tornado$2.5 million
National Weather Service narrative
An EF-2 tornado with maximum estimated winds around 125 mph touched down along Highway 259 just southwest of Dekalb and tracked northeast across the intersection of County Road 4231 and Farm to Market Road 44. Here, it caused significant damage to a well constructed two-story home shifting it off its foundation, and significantly damaging eight chicken houses, two of which were destroyed. The tornadic storm continued northeast where it crossed County Road 4230 and significantly damaged the Dekalb Water Treatment Plant, before crossing the intersection of Farm to Market Road 990 and Farm to Market Road 1840 where a one-story home had its roof removed and several hardwood and…
- Mar 3, 2008Thunderstorm Wind$2.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Straight line winds over a 6 mile stretch and up to 2 miles wide caused major damage in and around the Old Boston, Texas community 5 miles south of New Boston, Texas. Several hundred large trees were snapped or uprooted and some of these fell on homes and businesses. Numerous powerlines were downed as a result and roof damage was common throughout the community. Damage was also reported at the Red River Army Depot just east of Old Boston, Texas.
- Jun 1, 2015Flood$1.4 million
National Weather Service narrative
Excessive heavy rainfall during the month of May resulted in very high water on the Red River bordering McCurtain County in Southeast Oklahoma and Red River and Bowie Counties in Northeast Texas during the entire month of June. Rainfall amounts during the month of May across the Upper and Middle Red River basins of Southern Oklahoma and Northern Texas totaled over 20 inches of rain. The Oklahoma state climatologist reported that May of 2015 was the all time wettest month of any month in state history. Lake Texhoma, a flood control reservoir to the Red River upstream of Arthur City, Texas rose to its highest pool stage on record early on June 1st at 645.66 feet with peak releases…
- May 28, 1998Flash Flood$1.1 million
National Weather Service narrative
Excessive rain over a short period of time caused numerous flooding problems across the city. Cars were stranded and stalled with several underpasses flooded. A 21 year old woman was critically injured when her car was swept off a road into a drainage ditch. A 20 year old man riding with her managed to pull himself free of the vehicle by grabbing onto a branch hanging over the ditch. An estimated 500 residents were evacuated from their homes including 50 residents of a Texarkana, TX nursing home.
- Mar 31, 2008Hail$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Hail broke out windows at the Alumax Plant at interstate 30 and Nash.
- Apr 10, 2008Tornado$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Most of the tornado damage was north of interstate 30 with some structures showing EF2 damage. In particular, the cinderblock and brick lawnmower business just north of Hwy 82 was completely destroyed with roofing debris and lawnmower parts thrown to the west and north of the building location. A brick home several hundred yards from the lawnmower business sustained significant damage to its roof and exterior walls. A metal shop building built with large metal I-beams was completely destroyed. I-beams were twisted and thrown in a northerly and westerly direction up to 200 yards from the building location with concrete still attached. The trees between the large metal building and…
- Feb 16, 2021Winter Storm, Bowie$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
On the heels of the first winter storm and historically cold temperatures observed earlier in the week across all of the Southern Plains and much of the Lower Mississippi Valley, a second significant winter storm developed across much of these areas from February 16th-17th, with areas of snow (some heavy) falling across Northeast Texas. Strong forcing and moisture associated with the next upper level trough to move atop the extensive arctic air mass in place resulted in widespread snowfall totals of two to five inches falling across Red River, Franklin, Wood, Titus, Camp, and Morris Counties, with higher amounts up to 10 inches observed across Central and Eastern Bowie County.…
- 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 Texarkana Webb Field, 5.6 miles from the city centre, with records from 1892.
- All-time high
- 117°FAug 10, 1936
- All-time low
- −9°FFeb 13, 1899
- Warmest night
- 84°F2 times, most recently Aug 4, 2011
- Coldest day
- 15°FJan 10, 1962
- Wettest day
- 10.48 inMay 28, 1998
- Snowiest day
- 9.0 inJan 30, 1982
- Hottest year
- 1921mean 69.0°F
- Coldest year
- 1905mean 61.5°F
- Wettest year
- 200978.08 in
- Driest year
- 189622.48 in
- Snowiest season
- 13.4 in1965-66
Median first snow
January 11
Earliest: December 13, 1958
Median last snow
February 6
Latest: March 21, 1968
29 of 60 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Texarkana Webb Field (USW00013977), 380 ft elevation, 5.6 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1892 to October 27, 2026; 99.8% 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
27 since 1953. The most recent: Hurricane Beryl, July 9, 2024.
Declarations for Bowie County.
| Jul 9, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4798-TX |
| 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 |
| Aug 24, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3540-TX |
| Mar 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4485-TX |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3458-TX |
| May 29, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4223-TX |
| Sep 9, 2011 | Fire | DR-4029-TX |
| Sep 13, 2008 | Hurricane | DR-1791-TX |
| Sep 10, 2008 | Hurricane | EM-3294-TX |
| Aug 29, 2008 | Hurricane | EM-3290-TX |
| Mar 14, 2008 | Fire | EM-3284-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 |
| Feb 1, 2003 | Other | EM-3171-TX |
| Jan 8, 2001 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-1356-TX |
| Sep 1, 1999 | Fire | EM-3142-TX |
| Aug 31, 1999 | Fire | FM-2274-TX |
| May 6, 1999 | Tornado | DR-1274-TX |
| Aug 26, 1998 | Severe Storm | DR-1239-TX |
| Feb 23, 1996 | Fire | EM-3117-TX |
| May 2, 1990 | Severe Storm | DR-863-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 USW00013977.
- 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.