Gregg County
Population 126,095 (2025) 273 sq mi
Gregg County has recorded 37 tornadoes since 1950, 117th most of 254 counties in Texas; the most recent was on October 28, 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 since 195037
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger11
- Wildfire burn scars since 19841
- Major flood years since 19783
At a glance
The record for Gregg County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.
Acres burned since 1984
4,607
152nd of 254 in Texas
1 large fire; the largest was Old Magnolia, 2011
DetailsStrongest tornado
F3
May 3, 1958, 59.2 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
TS
Tropical storm (unnamed), 1879, 46.0 miles away
Tornadoes
About one every 2.1 years since 1950, 5 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
May 3, 1958
F3, 59.2 mile path
440 yards wide.
Most recent
Tuesday, October 28, 2025
EF1, 2.5 mile path
Within the past year.
Every recorded tornado
| Oct 28, 2025 | EF1 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 8, 2024 | EF0 | 3.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 13, 2018 | EF1 | 4.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 28, 2017 | EF1 | 4.6 | 0 | 0 |
| May 28, 2017 | EF1 | 10.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 11, 2017 | EF1 | 2.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 29, 2017 | EF1 | 6.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 9, 2015 | EF1 | 1.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 18, 2008 | EF1 | 20.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 16, 2001 | F0 | 1.4 | 0 | 0 |
| May 4, 1999 | F2 | 9.7 | 2 | 0 |
| May 4, 1999 | F2 | 2.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 11, 1992 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 1, 1988 | F3 | 13.0 | 9 | 0 |
| Apr 1, 1988 | F1 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 15, 1987 | F1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 10, 1981 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 9, 1981 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 9, 1981 | F2 | 7.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 1, 1979 | F3 | 5.6 | 0 | 0 |
| May 11, 1978 | F1 | 12.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 11, 1978 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 11, 1978 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 8, 1977 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 24, 1973 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 14, 1971 | F2 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 19, 1970 | F2 | 1.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 27, 1968 | F1 | 4.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 14, 1962 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 22, 1961 | F2 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 2, 1961 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 2, 1961 | F2 | 4.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 3, 1958 | F3 | 59.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 26, 1957 | F3 | 14.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 26, 1957 | F2 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 26, 1957 | F3 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 2, 1954 | F2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Gregg County: 0.
- 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
7 passed within 50 miles since 1851; none at hurricane strength.
Strongest within 50 miles
August 23, 1879
Unnamed storm, Tropical storm
46.0 miles at closest approach, winds near 58 mph.
Most recent
August 27, 2020
Laura, Category 1
90.7 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
| Laura | 2020 | 90.7 | Category 1 |
| Ike | 2008 | 7.9 | Tropical storm |
| Rita | 2005 | 32.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1947 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1941 | 20.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1918 | 1.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1902 | 93.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1891 | 32.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1886 | 63.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1879 | 46.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1865 | 70.2 | 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
4,607 acres burned in 1 large fire since 1984, equal to 2.6% of the land.
Largest
September 4, 2011
Old Magnolia Fire, 4,879 acres
4,606 acres inside Gregg County.
Most recent
September 4, 2011
Old Magnolia Fire
4,879 acres in total.
Every large fire
| Old Magnolia | 2011 | 4,606 | 4,879 |
- 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
12.5 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
239 federal flood insurance claims since 1979, with $4.0 million paid.
Most claims in one year
1991: 38 claims
$285,000 paid.
2nd most
2016: 36 claims
$2.0 million paid.
3rd most
1989: 30 claims
$112,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 75662 | 54 | $1.2 million |
| 75605 | 52 | $966,000 |
| 75601 | 38 | $507,000 |
| 75602 | 32 | $417,000 |
| 75604 | 32 | $511,000 |
| 75603 | 11 | $150,000 |
| 75693 | 7 | $165,000 |
| 75647 | 6 | $33,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flash Flood89
- Flood15
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
Most severe crest
April 2, 1945
Sabine River near Gladewater, 44.16 ft
18.16 feet above the 26.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.
Most recent moderate or major crest
May 26, 2021
Sabine River below Longview, 32.26 ft
Moderate flooding.
River gauges
| Rabbit Creek at Kilgore | 10.0 | 20.81 ft | 4 |
| Sabine River below Longview | 25.0 | 40.00 ft | 6 |
| Sabine River near Gladewater | 26.0 | 44.16 ft | 30 |
- 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 128 of 1,581 months since 1895 (8%); the longest spell lasted 15 months.
128
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
38
Months in extreme drought
8%
Share of all months, severe or worse
44
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
August 2011
−5.81, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
15 months
November 1917 to January 1919.
Latest month
September 2026
−3.83, 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
4 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles since 1900; the largest was magnitude 4.8 in 2012.
0
Magnitude 2.5+ inside the county since 1973
15
Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973
4
Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900
0
Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900
Largest within 50 miles
May 17, 2012
Magnitude 4.8
3 km NE of Timpson, Texas; 32.9 miles away, 3.1 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
January 18, 2025
Magnitude 3.5
0 km WSW of Mooringsport, Louisiana; 40.7 miles away.
Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles
| Sep 2, 2013 | 4.3 | 32.7 |
| Sep 2, 2013 | 4.2 | 27.6 |
| Jan 25, 2013 | 4.1 | 39.8 |
| May 17, 2012 | 4.8 | 32.9 |
- 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
814 events in the National Weather Service record, 647 of them since 1996.
142
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
19
Hail, 2 inches or larger
195
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
33
Winter weather events since 1996
84
Heat events since 1996
7
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
January 6, 1998
4.50 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
August 5, 2022
105 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 15 | 1 |
Costliest events since 1996
- May 4, 1999Tornado$19.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Major damage to homes and businesses. Stoneridge Apartment complex lost portions of its roof and walls collapsed. The complex was condemned. This tornado is separate from the Gree County to Rusk County to Gregg County tornado event which occurred at the same time.
- May 4, 1999Tornado$6.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Numerous homes and businesses damages. This tornado continued into Rusk County, TX then reentered Gregg County, TX.
- Mar 18, 2008Tornado$3.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
This EF0 tornado was approximately 100 yards wide and was a continuation of the tornado in Rusk County, Texas. Many large trees were uprooted or snapped in the city of Longview, Texas. Damage started along the Rusk, Gregg County line near Stone Road were trees were uprooted. Dozens of trees were downed near the intersection of Jean Road and High Street to near Electra Street and Timpson Street to near Alpine Road and Glover Drive. Numerous trees were downed or snapped causing damage to cars, houses and outbuildings throughout the city including Valley View Elementary School where trees fell on the roof puncturing holes in the roof. Trees were reported down east of Fourth Street…
- Sep 4, 2011Wildfire, Gregg$2.3 million
National Weather Service narrative
Strong sustained winds and wind gusts, in association with Tropical Storm Lee which made landfall across the south central and southeast Louisiana gulf coast, were felt across all of Northeast Texas on September 4th. These winds, along with very low humidity values and exceptional drought conditions across Northeast Texas, resulted in critical wildfire threat being met across the region. A wildfire, which became known as the Moore Fire, began 4 miles southwest of Gladewater consuming 1556 acres of timberland and grassland near Hwy. 135. Twenty homes were destroyed along with 15 outbuildings. A 20 year old woman and her 18 month old daughter died in a house fire on Lincoln Springs…
- Mar 30, 2008Flash Flood$2.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
River Road and High Street in Longview were both closed. In addition...17 other roads in and around Longview, Texas were closed due to excessive heavy rainfall. The downtown area had several businesses flooded with as many as two feet of water in them.
- Apr 9, 2015Tornado$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
An EF-1 tornado touched down near downtown Longview, Texas...traveling in a east northeast direction for approximately 1.32 miles before lifting some 5 minutes later.|Damage consisted of roof damage to a nursing home. A nearby mobile home park also sustained damage. The tornado did minor to moderate damage to homes along the Eden Drive/Eastman Road corridor. Three mobile homes were completely destroyed by fallen trees. The tornado also tore the roof off a local church on Eden Drive.
- Sep 13, 2008Tropical Storm, Gregg$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
The remnants of Hurricane Ike resulted in Tropical Storm force wind gusts being reported at the Gregg County Airport. The airport reported a 56 mph wind gust before the ASOS equipment lost power. Numerous trees and power lines were downed across the county with power outages widespread as well. One tree was downed on a home in Gladewater, Texas. No injuries were reported. The wind blew the siding off the old Wiseman Furniture building on the corner of Gay and Hwy. 271 along with all the windows blown out causing significant water damage inside the building. In Longview, Texas alone, over 82 power poles were broken along with 50 blown transformers and 113 downed electrical…
- Jan 6, 1998Hail$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Grapefruit to softball size hail went through the roofs of houses and mobile homes. Two to three inch hail drifts remained along Hwy 300 between Longview and Gilmer 17 hours after it fell.
- May 28, 2017Tornado$750,000
National Weather Service narrative
An EF-1 tornado with maximum estimated winds near 105 mph touched down along Pine Tree Road just north of West Cheryl Street northwest of Longview. The tornado proceeded south southeast through the Tenneryville area snapping and uprooting numerous trees in the area. The tornado traveled just west of the Pine Tree ISD campus and continued southeast towards Highway 80, uprooting and twisting numerous trees, with several landing on homes. The tornado continued southeast towards the Greggton community where it damaged a few homes along Willow Springs Drive before crossing Highway 31 and the West Loop 281 where it began to turn more to the east southeast. The tornado caused the most…
- Jan 21, 1999Thunderstorm Wind$640,000
National Weather Service narrative
Numerous roofs were damaged. Several mobile homes were destroyed and extensive roof damage to an apartment complex.
- 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 Longview, 4.7 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1902.
- All-time high
- 113°FAug 10, 1936
- All-time low
- −4°FJan 18, 1930
- Warmest night
- 83°F10 times, most recently Jul 6, 2019
- Coldest day
- 15°FJan 11, 1962
- Wettest day
- 8.70 inMar 29, 1989
- Snowiest day
- 12.0 inDec 22, 1929
- Hottest year
- 1911mean 69.1°F
- Coldest year
- 1968mean 63.6°F
- Wettest year
- 195772.87 in
- Driest year
- 201025.14 in
- Snowiest season
- 26.0 in1929-30
Median first snow
January 17
Earliest: November 13, 1976
Median last snow
January 31
Latest: March 3, 1965
73 of 108 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Longview (USC00415341), 330 ft elevation, 4.7 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1902 to October 23, 2026; 92.3% 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
23 since 1953. The most recent: Hurricane Beryl, July 9, 2024.
| 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 |
| Mar 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4485-TX |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3458-TX |
| Mar 19, 2016 | Flood | DR-4266-TX |
| Sep 9, 2011 | Fire | DR-4029-TX |
| Sep 13, 2008 | Hurricane | DR-1791-TX |
| Sep 10, 2008 | Hurricane | EM-3294-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 |
| May 6, 1999 | Tornado | DR-1274-TX |
| Aug 26, 1998 | Severe Storm | DR-1239-TX |
| Feb 23, 1996 | Fire | EM-3117-TX |
| May 19, 1989 | Severe Storm | DR-828-TX |
| Apr 23, 1989 | Flood | DR-823-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.
How this compares
Where Gregg County stands among 254 counties in Texas and 3,143 in the United States.
| Tornadoes since 1950 | 37 | 117 / 254 |
| Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger | 5 | 19 / 254 |
| Tropical cyclones within 50 mi | 7 | 96 / 254 |
| Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi | 0 | — |
| Wildfire acres since 1984 | 4,607 | 152 / 254 |
| Flood insurance claims | 239 | 64 / 254 |
| Flood insurance paid | $4.0 million | 73 / 254 |
| Disaster declarations | 23 | 79 / 254 |
| Flood events since 1996 | 104 | 44 / 254 |
| Hail and wind events since 1996 | 358 | 60 / 254 |
| Winter storm events since 1996 | 33 | 99 / 254 |
| Reported damage since 1996 | $40.9 million | 88 / 254 |
| River crests at major flood stage | 40 | 13 / 254 |
| High tide flooding days a year, last 10 years | 0.0 | — |
| Months in severe drought since 1895 | 128 | 239 / 254 |
| Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years | 12.5 | 65 / 254 |
| Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 1900 | 4 | 65 / 254 |
| Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 1973 | 0 | — |
Neighbouring counties
| Harrison County | 89 | 9 |
| Rusk County | 74 | 9 |
| Smith County | 75 | 5 |
| Upshur County | 26 | 6 |
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 USC00415341.
- 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.