Randall County
Population 152,351 (2025) 913 sq mi
Randall County has recorded 90 tornadoes since 1950, 15th most of 254 counties in Texas; the most recent was on April 25, 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 195090
- Wildfire burn scars since 19846
- Major flood years since 19782
At a glance
The record for Randall County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.
Acres burned since 1984
56,778
51st of 254 in Texas
6 large fires; the largest was Hunggate, 2026
DetailsStrongest tornado
F4
April 17, 1970, 130.0 mile path
Tornadoes
About one tornado a year since 1950, 2 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
May 5, 2002
2 killed, F2
4 injured along the whole path.
Most recent
Friday, April 25, 2025
EF0, 0.2 mile path
Within the past year.
Every recorded tornado
| Apr 25, 2025 | EF0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 25, 2025 | EF1 | 0.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 13, 2021 | EF0 | 13.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 13, 2021 | EF0 | 3.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 13, 2021 | EF1 | 8.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 13, 2021 | EF1 | 3.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 13, 2021 | EF1 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 13, 2021 | EF2 | 21.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 11, 2020 | EF0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 23, 2019 | EF0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 23, 2019 | EF0 | 0.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 22, 2019 | EFU | 2.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 20, 2010 | EF0 | 0.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 4, 2009 | EF0 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 4, 2009 | EF0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 16, 2007 | EF1 | 11.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 21, 2007 | EF1 | 10.7 | 0 | 0 |
| May 31, 2005 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 12, 2005 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 21, 2004 | F1 | 0.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 21, 2004 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 21, 2004 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 21, 2004 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 21, 2004 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 21, 2004 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 5, 2002 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 5, 2002 | F2 | 5.0 | 4 | 2 |
| May 29, 2001 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 23, 2000 | F0 | 0.4 | 0 | 0 |
| May 25, 1999 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 25, 1999 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 25, 1999 | F0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 27, 1998 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 7, 1998 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 14, 1997 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 29, 1997 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 29, 1997 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 28, 1996 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 28, 1996 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 1995 | F2 | 12.0 | 12 | 1 |
| Jun 11, 1992 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 11, 1992 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 29, 1991 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 29, 1991 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 11, 1991 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 11, 1991 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 16, 1989 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 16, 1989 | F2 | 10.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 16, 1989 | F0 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 4, 1989 | F0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 30, 1989 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 14, 1988 | F2 | 0.7 | 0 | 0 |
| May 25, 1987 | F2 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 25, 1987 | F0 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 25, 1987 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 25, 1987 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 25, 1987 | F2 | 6.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 14, 1986 | F0 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 8, 1984 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 9, 1982 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 9, 1982 | F3 | 8.2 | 1 | 0 |
| Apr 24, 1980 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 26, 1978 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 21, 1976 | F0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 9, 1974 | F1 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 22, 1973 | F1 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 9, 1972 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 5, 1971 | F2 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 19, 1971 | F1 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 31, 1970 | F1 | 17.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 17, 1970 | F4 | 130.0 | 13 | 1 |
| May 15, 1969 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 2, 1969 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 2, 1969 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 30, 1967 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 15, 1967 | F2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 5, 1967 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 14, 1962 | F0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 14, 1962 | F1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 14, 1962 | F1 | 4.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 14, 1962 | F2 | 1.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 3, 1961 | F0 | 27.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 10, 1960 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 28, 1960 | F0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 28, 1960 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 28, 1960 | F1 | 1.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 17, 1958 | F0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 8, 1958 | F0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 24, 1957 | F2 | 70.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 4, 1956 | F0 | 0.4 | 0 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Randall County: 1.
- 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
56,778 acres burned in 6 large fires since 1984, equal to 9.7% of the land.
Largest
May 14, 2026
Hunggate Fire, 34,842 acres
33,392 acres inside Randall County.
Most recent
May 14, 2026
Hunggate Fire
34,842 acres in total.
Every large fire
| Hunggate | 2026 | 33,392 | 34,842 |
| Canyon | 2011 | 17,425 | 17,443 |
| Tanglewood Complex | 2011 | 1,349 | 1,349 |
| Unnamed | 2006 | 1,843 | 1,843 |
| Unnamed | 1995 | 1,610 | 1,614 |
| Unnamed | 1993 | 1,157 | 1,162 |
- 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: 37 days
Heavy smoke on 17 days in 2020, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
14.2 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
3 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 18 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
328 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, with $3.3 million paid.
Most claims in one year
1988: 50 claims
$269,000 paid.
2nd most
1982: 40 claims
$82,000 paid.
3rd most
1981: 23 claims
$21,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 79109 | 172 | $1.7 million |
| 79015 | 71 | $533,000 |
| 79118 | 35 | $579,000 |
| 79110 | 30 | $374,000 |
| 79119 | 5 | $106,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flash Flood102
- Flood21
- Heavy Rain13
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
The National Weather Service sets flood stages for 1 gauge here but lists no crests for it.
River gauges
| Palo Duro Creek 6NNW Umbarger | 10.0 | — | 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 179 of 1,581 months since 1895 (11%); the longest spell lasted 21 months.
179
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
39
Months in extreme drought
11%
Share of all months, severe or worse
72
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
August 2011
−6.15, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
21 months
May 2011 to January 2013.
Latest month
September 2026
−3.67, 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
2 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles since 1900; the largest was magnitude 4.9 in 1925.
1
Magnitude 2.5+ inside the county since 1973
22
Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973
2
Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900
0
Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900
Largest within 50 miles
July 30, 1925
Magnitude 4.9
Near Panhandle, Texas; 23.6 miles away.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
August 14, 2023
Magnitude 3.4
15 km NE of Amarillo, Texas; 10.1 miles away.
Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles
| Jun 19, 1936 | 4.4 | 48.8 |
| Jul 30, 1925 | 4.9 | 23.6 |
- 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
1,874 events in the National Weather Service record, 1,608 of them since 1996.
587
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
77
Hail, 2 inches or larger
358
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
83
Winter weather events since 1996
2
Heat events since 1996
21
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
May 24, 1996
4.75 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
June 8, 2017
104 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 3 | 1 |
| Dust storms and dust devils | 10 | 0 |
| Dense fog and smoke | 12 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- May 28, 2013Hail$50.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
A supercell thunderstorm that developed along a retreating dryline in Deaf Smith and Oldham Counties tracked to the northeast across the southern Texas Panhandle. The supercell entered the city limits of Amarillo during the late night hours of the 28th. This supercell thunderstorm produced copious amounts of large destructive hail across the city. An amateur radio operator at the intersection of Soncy Road and 45th Ave reported half dollar size hail. Approximately 300 vehicles suffered hail damage at Street Toyota on the western side of this intersection and the adjacent neighborhood suffered varying degrees of roof damage. The supercell continued traveling in a northeastern…
- Feb 27, 2011Wildfire, Randall$25.5 million
National Weather Service narrative
The Texas Forest Service reported that the Tanglewood Complex began one mile north northwest of Lake Tanglewood Texas in Randall County around 1632 CST. The wildfire complex consisted of three fires: the Lake Tanglewood fire, the Palisades fire, and the Timbercreek fire. The wildfire complex consumed a measured one thousand six hundred and fifty-nine acres. A total of twenty-six homes were destroyed, however there were no injuries reported. The wildfire was contained on March 2 at 1111 CST.
- Jun 21, 2004Hail$25.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Many homes and cars damaged by the hail including roofs...windows and skylights.
- Jun 21, 2004Hail$25.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Reported in the Sleepy Hollow area of south Amarillo. Many roofs and skylights to homes damaged by the hail.
- Jun 21, 2004Hail$25.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Reported at Hunsley Road and Interstate 27. Many homes had damage to roofs and skylights from the hail.
- Jun 21, 2004Hail$20.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Reported at Farm to Market Road 2186 about one mile west of Soncy Road. Several homes had damage to roofs and skylights from the hail.
- Jun 21, 2004Hail$20.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Reported at Hillside Road and Bell Street. Many homes had damage to roofs and skylights from the hail.
- Jun 21, 2004Hail$20.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Reported at 34th and Georgia Street. The large hail damaged roofs to many homes.
- Jun 21, 2004Hail$15.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Reported in the Greyhawk subdivision south of Soncy Road and the southern part of Loop 335/Hollywood Road. Many homes and cars damaged by the hail including roofs...windows and skylights.
- Jun 21, 2004Hail$10.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Reported at Rockwell Road and Interstate 27. Several homes and businesses had damage to roofs and windows.
- 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 Amarillo, 12.9 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1947.
- All-time high
- 111°FJun 26, 2011
- All-time low
- −14°FFeb 1, 1951
- Warmest night
- 79°FJul 9, 2011
- Coldest day
- 2°FDec 24, 1983
- Wettest day
- 5.74 inJul 7, 2010
- Snowiest day
- 19.0 inFeb 25, 2013
- Hottest year
- 2024mean 61.9°F
- Coldest year
- 1979mean 55.0°F
- Wettest year
- 196036.67 in
- Driest year
- 20117.01 in
- Snowiest season
- 47.9 in1982-83
Median first snow
November 24
Earliest: September 29, 1984
Median last snow
March 22
Latest: May 3, 1978
2 of 78 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Amarillo (USW00023047), 3,703 ft elevation, 12.9 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1947 to October 26, 2026; 100.0% 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
18 since 1953. The most recent: Hunggate Fire, May 14, 2026.
| May 14, 2026 | Fire | FM-5633-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 |
| Jul 1, 2011 | Fire | DR-1999-TX |
| May 29, 2011 | Fire | FM-2912-TX |
| Feb 27, 2011 | Fire | FM-2864-TX |
| Sep 10, 2008 | Hurricane | EM-3294-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 |
| May 19, 1989 | Severe Storm | DR-828-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 Randall County stands among 254 counties in Texas and 3,143 in the United States.
| Tornadoes since 1950 | 90 | 15 / 254 |
| Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger | 2 | 83 / 254 |
| Tropical cyclones within 50 mi | 0 | — |
| Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi | 0 | — |
| Wildfire acres since 1984 | 56,778 | 51 / 254 |
| Flood insurance claims | 328 | 52 / 254 |
| Flood insurance paid | $3.3 million | 81 / 254 |
| Disaster declarations | 18 | 155 / 254 |
| Flood events since 1996 | 136 | 23 / 254 |
| Hail and wind events since 1996 | 1,195 | 4 / 254 |
| Winter storm events since 1996 | 83 | 7 / 254 |
| Reported damage since 1996 | $321 million | 39 / 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 | 179 | 145 / 254 |
| Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years | 14.2 | 19 / 254 |
| Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 1900 | 2 | 83 / 254 |
| Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 1973 | 1 | 61 / 254 |
Neighbouring counties
| Armstrong County | 49 | 0 |
| Carson County | 96 | 0 |
| Castro County | 88 | 0 |
| Deaf Smith County | 41 | 0 |
| Oldham County | 25 | 0 |
| Potter County | 43 | 0 |
| Swisher County | 78 | 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 USW00023047.
- 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.