San Jacinto County
Population 29,488 (2025) 569 sq mi
29 tropical storms and hurricanes have passed within 50 miles of San Jacinto County since 1851, 3 of them at hurricane strength; the strongest was Ike in 2008 (Category 1).
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 195021
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger53
- Major flood years since 19787
At a glance
The record for San Jacinto County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.
Tornadoes since 1950
21
183rd of 254 in Texas
Fewer than the typical Texas county, which has had 35
DetailsStrongest tornado
F2
October 23, 1975, 6.4 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
Cat. 1
Hurricane Ike, 2008, 0.0 miles away
Tornadoes
About one every 3.6 years since 1950, none rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
October 23, 1975
F2, 6.4 mile path
100 yards wide.
Deadliest
December 10, 1983
1 killed, F1
3 injured along the whole path.
Most recent
Monday, February 18, 2013
EF1, 0.6 mile path
13 years ago.
Every recorded tornado
| Feb 18, 2013 | EF1 | 0.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 15, 2011 | EF0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 3, 2007 | EF0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 29, 2006 | F2 | 1.0 | 4 | 0 |
| Nov 23, 2004 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 5, 2003 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 23, 2002 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 23, 2002 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 16, 2001 | F2 | 3.0 | 2 | 0 |
| Nov 5, 2000 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 23, 1997 | F0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 23, 1997 | F1 | 20.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 1995 | F1 | 8.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 9, 1994 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 30, 1993 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 7, 1986 | F0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 21, 1984 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 10, 1983 | F1 | 3.0 | 3 | 1 |
| Feb 9, 1983 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 23, 1975 | F2 | 6.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 15, 1972 | F1 | 5.4 | 0 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within San Jacinto 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
29 passed within 50 miles since 1851; 3 at hurricane strength.
Strongest within 50 miles
September 13, 2008
Ike, Category 1
0.0 miles at closest approach, winds near 91 mph.
Most recent
July 8, 2024
Beryl, Tropical storm
10.4 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
| Beryl | 2024 | 10.4 | Tropical storm |
| Laura | 2020 | 91.1 | Category 3 |
| Harvey | 2017 | 90.1 | Tropical storm |
| Cindy | 2017 | 61.4 | Tropical storm |
| Ike | 2008 | 0.0 | Category 1 |
| Edouard | 2008 | 2.0 | Tropical storm |
| Humberto | 2007 | 64.6 | Category 1 |
| Rita | 2005 | 43.5 | Category 1 |
| Jerry | 1989 | 6.9 | Tropical storm |
| Chantal | 1989 | 7.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1987 | 19.8 | Tropical storm |
| Bonnie | 1986 | 15.8 | Tropical storm |
| Alicia | 1983 | 33.5 | Tropical storm |
| Chris | 1982 | 74.3 | Tropical storm |
| Danielle | 1980 | 64.9 | Tropical storm |
| Debra | 1978 | 86.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1973 | 38.3 | Tropical storm |
| Delia | 1973 | 72.1 | Tropical storm |
| Felice | 1970 | 32.9 | Tropical storm |
| Debra | 1959 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Audrey | 1957 | 76.6 | Category 2 |
| Unnamed | 1949 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1947 | 96.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1947 | 47.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1945 | 54.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1943 | 35.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1942 | 6.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1941 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1940 | 79.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1940 | 19.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1938 | 50.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1938 | 77.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1934 | 91.0 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1932 | 74.5 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1921 | 42.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1918 | 58.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1915 | 63.1 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1909 | 91.6 | Category 2 |
| Unnamed | 1900 | 53.3 | Category 2 |
| Unnamed | 1898 | 23.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1897 | 13.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1891 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1888 | 10.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1886 | 70.3 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1886 | 64.7 | Category 2 |
| Unnamed | 1882 | 9.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1879 | 34.6 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1875 | 5.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1871 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1871 | 39.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1865 | 79.2 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1863 | 69.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1854 | 40.8 | 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
No large wildfire has been mapped here since satellite mapping began in 1984.
Smoke overhead
Smokiest year
2023: 42 days
Heavy smoke on 4 days in 2011, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
11.0 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
5 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 13 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
491 federal flood insurance claims since 1979, with $10.2 million paid.
Most claims in one year
1994: 87 claims
$1.6 million paid.
2nd most
2017: 78 claims
$2.9 million paid.
3rd most
1990: 63 claims
$825,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 77331 | 291 | $5.3 million |
| 77371 | 112 | $2.4 million |
| 77328 | 41 | $1.2 million |
| 77327 | 13 | $176,000 |
| 77364 | 13 | $604,000 |
| 77320 | 5 | $136,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flash Flood48
- Flood1
- Heavy Rain1
3 deaths recorded in flood events since 1996.
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
| Big Creek at TX 150 near Shepherd | 137.0 | — | 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 125 of 1,581 months since 1895 (8%); the longest spell lasted 20 months.
125
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
42
Months in extreme drought
8%
Share of all months, severe or worse
14
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
March 1918
−6.48, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
20 months
February 1917 to September 1918.
Latest month
September 2026
−3.04, 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
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5 or more within 50 miles since 2026; none reached magnitude 4.
0
Magnitude 2.5+ inside the county since 1973
0
Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973
0
Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900
0
Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900
Largest within 50 miles
May 18, 2026
Magnitude 2.5
5 km NNW of Huntington, Texas; 48.3 miles away, 4.3 miles deep.
- 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
268 events in the National Weather Service record, 227 of them since 1996.
41
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
1
Hail, 2 inches or larger
47
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
10
Winter weather events since 1996
13
Heat events since 1996
1
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
April 27, 1960
3.00 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
June 11, 1995
79 mph
Costliest events since 1996
- Aug 26, 2017Flash Flood$350 million
National Weather Service narrative
Slow moving Tropical Storm Harvey produced very heavy rainfall and flooding over portions of San Jacinto County. Major lowland flooding occurred near the Trinity River and areas below Lake Livingston. There was a report of high water closing Marie Street in Shepherd with numerous reports of other flooded roadways around the county. Many roads and homes along the southern end of Lake Livingston were inundated. FM 3278 was inaccessible due to the inundation of flood waters. Major lowland flooding occurred on the Trinity River near Goodrich. Hundreds to thousands of homes received various levels of damage from flooding; from minor to being completely destroyed.There were 3…
- Sep 12, 2008Hurricane (Typhoon), San Jacinto$30.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Widespread wind damage with limbs down and trees uprooted in many|Locations. Shingle damage to roofs. Trees on homes. Areas hit hard include|Shepherd and Camilla.
- Sep 23, 2005Hurricane (Typhoon), San Jacinto$10.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
The eye of Hurricane Rita moved ashore in extreme southwest Louisiana between Sabine Pass and Johnson's Bayou In Cameron Parish with a minimum central pressure of 937 mb and maximum sustained winds of 120 mph. Rita was a Category 3 hurricane at landfall.Two and a half weeks after Hurricane Katrina made her final and devastating landfall along the northern Gulf coast, all eyes turned to Tropical Storm Rita as she moved westward through the central Bahamas. On Tuesday, September 20th, Rita rapidly intensified while moving west through the Florida Straits into the Gulf of Mexico. Rita reached Category 2 intensity as the center passed about 50 miles south of Key West and significantly…
- Jun 8, 2001Tropical Storm, San Jacinto$4.1 million
National Weather Service narrative
Tropical Storm Allison formed in the northwest Gulf of Mexico during the early afternoon of June 5th, 80 miles south of Galveston. Allison moved northward, making landfall on the west end of Galveston Island between midnight and 1am on the 6th, less than 12 hours after forming. As Allison moved inland it caused two to three foot tides, which had little impact on the area. On the evening of the 5th a tornado briefly touched down in Brazoria county causing damage to one home in the Manvel area. Over the next five days Allison produced record rainfall that led to devastating flooding across Southeast Texas, killing 22 people and damaging over 48,000 homes, 70,000 automobiles and…
- Dec 16, 2001Tornado$2.5 million
National Weather Service narrative
An F2 Tornado touched down at the Point Lookout West Estates. There were 2 minor injuries. 15 homes were destroyed, with 15 to 20 other homes receiving major damage. Trees and power lines were down. Reported by the Sheriff's office.
- Aug 1, 1998Drought, San Jacinto$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Drought conditions continue from July. After months of extremely dry and hot weather across SE Texas, relief came late in the month with welcomed rainfall and slightly cooler temperatures. Over 20 people across the region lost their lives due to the extreme heat and property and crop damage averaged $8.3 million per county since May. Locations across the region were finally catching up with rainfall toward the end of the month as the drought was coming to an end. NOTE: CROP AND PROPERTY DAMAGE LISTED HERE ARE FOR THE PERIOD MAY-AUGUST 1998.
- Nov 6, 2000Thunderstorm Wind$200,000
National Weather Service narrative
Damage to several buildings on courthouse square in Coldspring. Several trees down with one tree falling on a store. Damage to roof of a school in Coldspring. Minimal damage to roofs on several homes in Evergreen. Numerous trees and power lines down across county.
- Feb 18, 2013Tornado$150,000
National Weather Service narrative
The tornado produced extensive damage to the roof, garage and front door area of a brick home. An adjacent barn was destroyed. The damage path extended a little over one half mile with downed trees observed along a path on either side of the brick home. A witness from about 200 yards away observed the tornado damaging the home.
- May 13, 2004Thunderstorm Wind$150,000
- Apr 29, 2006Tornado$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
Tornado in the Coldspring Terrace Subdivision along Lake Livingston. Four injuries in two homes that received major damage.
- 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 Conroe, 25.7 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1897.
- All-time high
- 109°F2 times, most recently Sep 4, 2000
- All-time low
- 3°FDec 22, 1989
- Warmest night
- 89°FAug 29, 1982
- Coldest day
- 20°FDec 22, 1989
- Wettest day
- 14.35 inOct 16, 1994
- Snowiest day
- 7.5 inDec 21, 1929
- Hottest year
- 2023mean 72.3°F
- Coldest year
- 1979mean 63.9°F
- Wettest year
- 197978.08 in
- Driest year
- 198821.78 in
Station Conroe (USC00411956), 245 ft elevation, 25.7 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1897 to October 22, 2026; 96.2% 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
32 since 1953. The most recent: Pauline Road Fire, March 20, 2025.
| Mar 20, 2025 | Fire | FM-5573-TX |
| 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 |
| Oct 4, 2019 | Flood | DR-4466-TX |
| Aug 25, 2017 | Hurricane | DR-4332-TX |
| Jun 11, 2016 | Flood | DR-4272-TX |
| Apr 25, 2016 | Flood | DR-4269-TX |
| May 29, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4223-TX |
| Sep 13, 2008 | Hurricane | DR-1791-TX |
| Sep 10, 2008 | Hurricane | EM-3294-TX |
| Aug 29, 2008 | Hurricane | EM-3290-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 |
| Nov 5, 2002 | Severe Storm | DR-1439-TX |
| Jun 9, 2001 | Coastal Storm | DR-1379-TX |
| Sep 1, 1999 | Fire | EM-3142-TX |
| Oct 21, 1998 | Flood | DR-1257-TX |
| Aug 26, 1998 | Severe Storm | DR-1239-TX |
| Oct 18, 1994 | Flood | DR-1041-TX |
| Dec 26, 1991 | Flood | DR-930-TX |
| May 2, 1990 | Severe Storm | DR-863-TX |
| Jul 18, 1989 | Flood | DR-836-TX |
| May 19, 1989 | Severe Storm | DR-828-TX |
| Aug 19, 1983 | Hurricane | DR-689-TX |
| Jul 11, 1973 | Flood | DR-398-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 San Jacinto County stands among 254 counties in Texas and 3,143 in the United States.
| Tornadoes since 1950 | 21 | 183 / 254 |
| Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger | 0 | — |
| Tropical cyclones within 50 mi | 29 | 29 / 254 |
| Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi | 3 | 47 / 254 |
| Wildfire acres since 1984 | 0 | — |
| Flood insurance claims | 491 | 41 / 254 |
| Flood insurance paid | $10.2 million | 40 / 254 |
| Disaster declarations | 32 | 11 / 254 |
| Flood events since 1996 | 50 | 122 / 254 |
| Hail and wind events since 1996 | 115 | 211 / 254 |
| Winter storm events since 1996 | 10 | 213 / 254 |
| Reported damage since 1996 | $400 million | 34 / 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 | 125 | 241 / 254 |
| Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years | 11.0 | 115 / 254 |
| Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 1900 | 0 | — |
| Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 1973 | 0 | — |
Neighbouring counties
| Liberty County | 64 | 42 |
| Montgomery County | 54 | 38 |
| Polk County | 31 | 24 |
| Trinity County | 26 | 20 |
| Walker County | 20 | 24 |
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 USC00411956.
- 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.