Gray County
Population 20,919 (2025) 926 sq mi
Large wildfires have burned 307,274 acres of Gray County since 1984, 6th most of 254 counties in Texas; the largest was the East Amarillo Complex Fire in 2006.
Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed
- Tornado damage paths since 195093
- Wildfire burn scars since 198415
At a glance
The record for Gray County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.
Acres burned since 1984
307,274
6th of 254 in Texas
15 large fires; the largest was East Amarillo Complex, 2006
DetailsStrongest tornado
F4
April 17, 1970, 130.0 mile path
Tornadoes
About one tornado a year since 1950, 12 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
April 17, 1970
F4, 130.0 mile path
880 yards wide; 1 killed along the whole path.
Deadliest
April 18, 1970
16 killed, F4
42 injured along the whole path.
Most recent
Friday, June 25, 2021
EF1, 2.2 mile path
5 years ago.
Every recorded tornado
| Jun 25, 2021 | EF1 | 2.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 2021 | EF0 | 3.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 16, 2020 | EF1 | 1.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 18, 2019 | EF0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 29, 2018 | EF0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 10, 2017 | EF1 | 2.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 12, 2015 | EF0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 16, 2015 | EF1 | 16.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 16, 2015 | EF3 | 10.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 16, 2015 | EF2 | 10.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 16, 2015 | EF3 | 31.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 16, 2015 | EF0 | 2.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 9, 2014 | EF1 | 7.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 3, 2012 | EF1 | 12.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 22, 2010 | EF0 | 4.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 22, 2010 | EF0 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 22, 2010 | EF0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 15, 2009 | EF1 | 6.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 15, 2009 | EF2 | 3.0 | 1 | 0 |
| May 15, 2009 | EF0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 5, 2007 | EF0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 21, 2007 | EF1 | 12.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 28, 2007 | EF3 | 8.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 28, 2007 | EF1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 28, 2007 | EF0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 28, 2007 | EF2 | 3.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 28, 2007 | EF3 | 3.0 | 2 | 0 |
| Mar 24, 2007 | EF1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 23, 2007 | EF0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 24, 2003 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 15, 2003 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 20, 1999 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 20, 1999 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 11, 1997 | F1 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 1997 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 1997 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 24, 1996 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 9, 1996 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 8, 1995 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 8, 1995 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 8, 1995 | F4 | 29.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 8, 1995 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 8, 1995 | F2 | 9.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 8, 1995 | F0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 8, 1995 | F2 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 8, 1995 | F1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 8, 1995 | F0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 8, 1995 | F2 | 6.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 8, 1995 | F4 | 3.0 | 7 | 0 |
| Jun 8, 1995 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 31, 1995 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 30, 1995 | F0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 12, 1993 | F1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 23, 1991 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 8, 1990 | F0 | 1.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 8, 1990 | F0 | 1.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 8, 1990 | F1 | 1.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 24, 1990 | F0 | 1.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 14, 1987 | F2 | 4.5 | 10 | 0 |
| May 21, 1987 | F0 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 26, 1985 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 11, 1983 | F0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 3, 1983 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 24, 1982 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 19, 1982 | F2 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 19, 1982 | F3 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 19, 1982 | F2 | 6.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 19, 1982 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 19, 1982 | F3 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 19, 1982 | F3 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 12, 1982 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 26, 1979 | F0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 17, 1977 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 12, 1975 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 27, 1975 | F1 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 26, 1975 | F3 | 1.0 | 42 | 2 |
| Apr 13, 1973 | F2 | 90.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 18, 1970 | F4 | 65.0 | 42 | 16 |
| Apr 17, 1970 | F4 | 130.0 | 13 | 1 |
| May 16, 1969 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 17, 1968 | F0 | 4.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 17, 1968 | F0 | 3.8 | 0 | 0 |
| May 6, 1968 | F0 | 12.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 6, 1968 | F0 | 12.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 5, 1967 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 14, 1966 | F2 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 2, 1961 | F2 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 16, 1961 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 23, 1958 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 20, 1958 | F0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 15, 1957 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 15, 1957 | F1 | 8.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 6, 1951 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Gray County: 2.
- 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
No tropical storm or hurricane has tracked within 100 miles since records began in 1851.
Wildfire and smoke
307,274 acres burned in 15 large fires since 1984, equal to 52% of the land.
Largest
March 12, 2006
East Amarillo Complex, 593,293 acres
178,397 acres inside Gray County.
Most recent
February 26, 2024
Grape Vine Creek Fire
33,560 acres in total.
Every large fire
| Grape Vine Creek | 2024 | 33,569 | 33,560 |
| Smokehouse Creek | 2024 | 4,978 | 1,047,245 |
| Thut Hill | 2023 | 1,239 | 1,241 |
| Sand Creek | 2022 | 4,740 | 4,735 |
| North 207 | 2021 | 3,780 | 24,115 |
| Mcclellan | 2018 | 23,060 | 23,061 |
| Bower City | 2018 | 1,272 | 1,273 |
| Thut Creek | 2018 | 7,296 | 7,293 |
| Lefors East | 2017 | 18,699 | 68,690 |
| Crutch | 2016 | 12,840 | 45,056 |
| Tri-County | 2009 | 4,963 | 8,618 |
| Bowers Ranch | 2008 | 2,414 | 2,414 |
| Bowers City Fire | 2006 | 8,981 | 8,976 |
| East Amarillo Complex | 2006 | 178,397 | 593,293 |
| Unnamed | 2006 | 1,041 | 1,042 |
- 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
2021: 40 days
Heavy smoke on 16 days in 2020, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
15.2 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
4 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 17 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
3 federal flood insurance claims since 1979, with $5,051 paid.
Flood events since 1996
- Flash Flood14
- Flood3
- Heavy Rain3
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 130 of 1,581 months since 1895 (8%); the longest spell lasted 11 months.
130
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
29
Months in extreme drought
8%
Share of all months, severe or worse
62
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
August 2026
−5.97, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
11 months
July 1954 to May 1955.
Latest month
September 2026
−4.92, extreme 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
4 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles since 1900; the largest was magnitude 5.0 in 2026.
4
Magnitude 2.5+ inside the county since 1973
24
Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973
4
Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900
1
Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900
Largest within 50 miles
July 23, 2026
38 km SSE of Spearman, Texas; 20.5 miles away, 3.5 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
July 23, 2026
Magnitude 5.0
38 km SSE of Spearman, Texas; 20.5 miles away.
Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles
| Jul 23, 2026 | 5.0 | 20.5 |
| Apr 14, 2021 | 4.3 | 16.7 |
| Jun 19, 1936 | 4.4 | Inside |
| Jul 30, 1925 | 4.9 | 19.3 |
- 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 county boundary (or inside the county).
- 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
1,181 events in the National Weather Service record, 1,000 of them since 1996.
340
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
79
Hail, 2 inches or larger
243
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
63
Winter weather events since 1996
0
Heat events since 1996
20
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
June 13, 2023
4.50 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
August 6, 1989
102 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 1 | 1 |
| Dust storms and dust devils | 1 | 0 |
| Dense fog and smoke | 8 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Mar 12, 2006Wildfire, Gray$19.9 million
National Weather Service narrative
The wildfire known as the Borger wildfire started four miles southeast of Borger on the Burnett (6666) Ranch property. This wildfire was caused by downed power lines due to the strong gradient southwesterly winds. The wildfire burned four hundred and seventy-nine thousand five hundred and forty-nine acres. Twenty eight structures were lost and seven people were killed. This fire burned into southeast Hutchinson County...northwest Gray County...through central Roberts County and finally into western Hemphill County. The second wildfire known as the Interstate 40 wildfire burned four hundred and twenty-seven thousand six hundred and ninety-six acres. This wildfire started four miles…
- Feb 24, 2013Blizzard, Gray$660,000
National Weather Service narrative
Blizzard conditions reported by the National Weather Service COOP Observer in Pampa and 16.0 inches storm total snow.
- May 15, 1998Thunderstorm Wind$575,000
National Weather Service narrative
Severe thunderstorms raked across the eastern Texas panhandle during the early morning hours producing very damaging winds along with some hail. The hardest hit locations were the town of McLean in southeastern Gray county and around Canadian in Hemphill county.
- Dec 22, 2007Winter Weather, Gray$400,000
National Weather Service narrative
Two inches of snow and strong winds combined to produce white out conditions near Pampa. This contributed to a twenty-seven car accident at the intersection of U.S. Highway 60 and Texas State Highway 152. Thirteen people were injured and transported to the hospital...and one person was killed.
- Jun 21, 2004Hail$350,000
National Weather Service narrative
Several homes had damage to roofs and cars had windows broken.
- Feb 26, 2024Wildfire, Gray$300,000
National Weather Service narrative
During the morning of Monday, February 26th, a decayed power pole broke at ground level and caused the three-wire power line atop it to fall and make contact with fine grassy fuels, igniting what would become the Smokehouse Creek Fire. At approximately 2:20 pm on February 26, 2024, Texas A&M Forest Service received a request for assistance for a wildfire in Hutchinson County. The fire ignited one mile north of Stinnett, Texas and east of Highway 207, with initial fire behavior reported as extremely active in tall grasses due to high winds and low relative humidity. Winds gusting over 40- 50 mph pushed the fire east from Highway 207 approximately 30 miles to Highway 70 north of…
- Feb 3, 2012Tornado$250,000
National Weather Service narrative
This is the first segment of a tornado which formed ten miles south southwest of Miami just north of Texas State Highway 152 and traveled northeastward for about eight miles before exiting Gray county about five and a half miles north northeast of Laketon at 0055CST. While in Gray county, the tornado was rated an EF1. The tornado had a maximum width of one hundred yards. At he beginning of the tornado track in Gray county, there was a horse barn damaged as well as a center pivot irrigation system overturned. Then two miles from about where the tornado touched down to the northeast, also in Gray county, two single power poles were snapped at the base. There were no reports of…
- Mar 19, 2012Thunderstorm Wind$130,000
National Weather Service narrative
An official National Weather Service storm survey revealed that a narrow area of damaging thunderstorm wind gusts moved through Pampa, Texas between Banks Street and West Brown Street. The path of damage was twenty-five yards wide and five hundred yards long. The winds picked up and destroyed a ten by ten aluminum shed which caused debris for four hundred yards. An abandoned wood frame house on Banks Street had its side wall collapse. There were three containers that were overturned by the winds. Also, a park sign in a municipal park was damaged and a business on West Brown Street had the front wall of the establishment blown onto West Brown Street. There was also damage to a…
- Mar 28, 2007Tornado$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
The tornado formed three miles south southwest of Jericho in northwest Donley county at 1839 CST and entered Gray county about one and a half miles west northwest of Jericho at 1848 CST. The tornado then continued moving north northwest for another three miles before dissipating just south of Farm to Market Road 2477 and just east of State Highway 70 four miles northwest of Jericho or about eleven miles southwest of Lefors at 1854 CST.|As highlighted in the Donley County portion of this tornado track...the most significant damage from this tornado occurred to three semi trucks that were caught and badly damaged in the tornado on Interstate 40 on the Donley County and Gray County…
- Jun 25, 2021Tornado$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
The tornado touched down in an open field initially. It destroyed a barn and snapped tree limbs along its path as it moved east-southeast across ranchland. A small RV camper that was in the barn was rolled onto its side and was a total loss as well.
- 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 Pampa #2, 2.5 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1964.
- All-time high
- 111°FJun 25, 1980
- All-time low
- −10°F2 times, most recently Feb 16, 2021
- Warmest night
- 79°F3 times, most recently Aug 14, 2026
- Coldest day
- 1°FDec 23, 1990
- Wettest day
- 3.70 inSep 26, 2017
- Snowiest day
- 20.0 inMar 24, 1987
- Hottest year
- 2024mean 61.7°F
- Coldest year
- 1993mean 54.7°F
- Wettest year
- 201540.76 in
- Driest year
- 201113.07 in
- Snowiest season
- 51.9 in1982-83
Median first snow
December 2
Earliest: October 8, 1970
Median last snow
March 15
Latest: May 3, 2005
0 of 61 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Pampa #2 (USC00416776), 3,150 ft elevation, 2.5 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1964 to October 23, 2026; 99.5% 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
16 since 1953. The most recent: Rest Area Fire, March 14, 2025.
| Mar 14, 2025 | Fire | FM-5555-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 |
| Apr 18, 2018 | Fire | FM-5235-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 |
| 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 1, 1975 | Tornado | DR-462-TX |
| May 13, 1970 | Tornado | DR-286-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.
How this compares
Where Gray County stands among 254 counties in Texas and 3,143 in the United States.
| Tornadoes since 1950 | 93 | 14 / 254 |
| Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger | 12 | 1 / 254 |
| Tropical cyclones within 50 mi | 0 | — |
| Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi | 0 | — |
| Wildfire acres since 1984 | 307,275 | 6 / 254 |
| Flood insurance claims | 3 | 185 / 254 |
| Flood insurance paid | $5,051 | 207 / 254 |
| Disaster declarations | 16 | 185 / 254 |
| Flood events since 1996 | 20 | 217 / 254 |
| Hail and wind events since 1996 | 759 | 13 / 254 |
| Winter storm events since 1996 | 63 | 28 / 254 |
| Reported damage since 1996 | $24.4 million | 109 / 254 |
| River crests at major flood stage | 0 | — |
| High tide flooding days a year, last 10 years | 0.0 | — |
| Months in severe drought since 1895 | 130 | 238 / 254 |
| Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years | 15.2 | 12 / 254 |
| Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 1900 | 4 | 65 / 254 |
| Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 1973 | 4 | 41 / 254 |
Neighbouring counties
| Armstrong County | 49 | 0 |
| Carson County | 96 | 0 |
| Collingsworth County | 44 | 0 |
| Donley County | 62 | 0 |
| Hemphill County | 54 | 0 |
| Roberts County | 44 | 0 |
| Wheeler County | 59 | 0 |
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 USC00416776.
- 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.