Schleicher County
Population 2,245 (2025) 1,311 sq mi
Large wildfires have burned 23,644 acres of Schleicher County since 1984, 80th most of 254 counties in Texas; the largest was the Oglesby Fire in 2019.
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 195011
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger5
- Wildfire burn scars since 198413
At a glance
The record for Schleicher County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.
Acres burned since 1984
23,644
80th of 254 in Texas
13 large fires; the largest was Oglesby, 2019
DetailsTropical cyclones within 50 mi
4
112th of 254 in Texas
None at hurricane strength since 1851
DetailsTornadoes since 1950
11
224th of 254 in Texas
Fewer than the typical Texas county, which has had 35
DetailsStrongest tornado
F2
May 4, 1999, 23.0 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
TS
Tropical storm (unnamed), 1929, 48.0 miles away
Federal disaster declarations
16
Most recent: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding, 2026
DetailsTornadoes
About one every 6.9 years since 1950, none rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
May 4, 1999
F2, 23.0 mile path
250 yards wide.
Most recent
Saturday, May 18, 2019
EF2, 2.1 mile path
7 years ago.
Every recorded tornado
| May 18, 2019 | EF2 | 2.1 | 1 | 0 |
| May 4, 1999 | F2 | 23.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 16, 1997 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 8, 1997 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 15, 1997 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 15, 1997 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 25, 1997 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 20, 1997 | F1 | 10.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 9, 1994 | F0 | 0.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 8, 1975 | F0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 30, 1964 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Schleicher 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
4 passed within 50 miles since 1851; none at hurricane strength.
Strongest within 50 miles
June 29, 1929
Unnamed storm, Tropical storm
48.0 miles at closest approach, winds near 56 mph.
Most recent
August 4, 1970
Celia, Tropical storm
93.4 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
23,644 acres burned in 13 large fires since 1984, equal to 2.8% of the land.
Largest
July 20, 2019
Oglesby Fire, 5,092 acres
5,092 acres inside Schleicher County.
Most recent
May 16, 2022
Pope 2 Fire
2,553 acres in total.
Every large fire
| Pope 2 | 2022 | 1,504 | 2,553 |
| Powell Lease | 2019 | 987 | 1,792 |
| Mada | 2019 | 1,072 | 1,072 |
| Oglesby | 2019 | 5,092 | 5,092 |
| Rooster Mcconaughey | 2018 | 1,107 | 1,105 |
| Case | 2016 | 1,615 | 1,616 |
| Mertz | 2015 | 1,336 | 2,680 |
| Head Of The River Ranch | 2015 | 315 | 5,204 |
| Harkey Road Fire | 2011 | 2,609 | 2,602 |
| Unnamed | 2011 | 1,476 | 1,476 |
| Briggs | 2008 | 2,697 | 2,698 |
| Treadwell Lane | 2006 | 1,423 | 1,422 |
| Unnamed | 2004 | 2,403 | 2,701 |
- 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: 19 days
Heavy smoke on 3 days in 2021, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
6.9 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
1 day
Medium or heavy smoke. 6 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
1 federal flood insurance claims since 2000, with $0 paid.
Flood events since 1996
- Flash Flood25
- Flood1
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 189 of 1,581 months since 1895 (12%); the longest spell lasted 69 months.
189
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
85
Months in extreme drought
12%
Share of all months, severe or worse
66
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
October 1952
−5.86, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
69 months
May 1951 to January 1957.
Latest month
September 2026
−1.67, mild drought
Last severe month: May 2025.
- 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 2024; 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 2, 2024
Magnitude 2.8
27 km E of Big Lake, Texas; 15.6 miles away, 1.8 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
261 events in the National Weather Service record, 239 of them since 1996.
49
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
7
Hail, 2 inches or larger
21
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
29
Winter weather events since 1996
0
Heat events since 1996
7
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
April 26, 1960
5.00 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
July 4, 2021
85 mph
Costliest events since 1996
- Nov 6, 1996Hail$4.5 million
- Feb 14, 2021Cold/Wind Chill, Schleicher$1.8 million
National Weather Service narrative
Junction and San Angelo ASOS units both reported reported wind chill readings of at least -10 to -15 degrees. The extended cold weather caused damage to the public utility systems and buildings.
- Feb 20, 1997Tornado$800,000
National Weather Service narrative
A tornado that was embedded in very heavy rains destroyed four hangars and overturned an airplane at the Eldorado airport. The tornadic winds also toppled a grain silo on a farm ten miles north of Eldorado.
- Nov 6, 1996Thunderstorm Wind$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
Golfball to baseball size hail and 60 mph winds blasted Eldoradoand portions of Schleicher County and caused extensive damage.More than 700 homes sustained damage from hail and high winds, mostly broken windows. According to a farm service agency, 100 percent of the cotton and 75 percent of the grain crops in the county were wiped out by the hail.The winds damaged barns, blew off tin rooves, snapped telephone poles, and downed power lines.
- Oct 8, 2002Flash Flood$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
Heavy rains of 1 to 3 inches over the southern portion of Schleicher County produced flooding of several roads. A few roads were washed out as well.
- May 18, 2019Tornado$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
This tornado touched down in northern Schleicher County and took the roof completely off a home made out of stone. The tornado snapped trunks, scattered debris for a considerable distance. The tornado also moved a vehicle and wedged vinyl in between the rim and the rubber of a tire.
- Feb 20, 1997Thunderstorm Wind$100,000
- Aug 29, 1996Flash Flood$50,000
National Weather Service narrative
Two to five inches of rain in Schleicher and Menard counties caused some flash flooding. Highway 277 south of Christoval in northern Schleicher County was closed due to the rise on the South Concho River.
- Jun 8, 1997Tornado$35,000
National Weather Service narrative
Brief tornado touchdown. Trees uprooted.
- Jun 8, 1997Thunderstorm Wind$25,000
National Weather Service narrative
Winds blew down large tree branches in the town of Eldorado.
- 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 San Angelo, 35.2 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1907.
- All-time high
- 114°F2 times, most recently Jun 21, 2023
- All-time low
- −4°FDec 23, 1989
- Warmest night
- 84°FAug 30, 2011
- Coldest day
- 15°F2 times, most recently Feb 1, 1985
- Wettest day
- 11.75 inSep 15, 1936
- Snowiest day
- 10.1 inFeb 14, 2021
- Hottest year
- 2024mean 69.4°F
- Coldest year
- 1915mean 62.8°F
- Wettest year
- 201635.72 in
- Driest year
- 19567.41 in
- Snowiest season
- 15.9 in2020-21
Median first snow
January 2
Earliest: October 27, 2020
Median last snow
February 4
Latest: April 7, 2007
23 of 77 winters had no measurable snow.
Station San Angelo (USW00023034), 2,004 ft elevation, 35.2 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1907 to October 26, 2026; 99.9% 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: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding, September 1, 2026.
| Sep 1, 2026 | Flood | DR-4935-TX |
| Jul 18, 2026 | Flood | EM-3649-TX |
| Jul 6, 2025 | Flood | DR-4879-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 |
| Feb 25, 2019 | Flood | DR-4416-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 |
| Sep 1, 1999 | Fire | EM-3142-TX |
| Aug 26, 1998 | Severe Storm | DR-1239-TX |
| Sep 10, 1993 | Drought | EM-3113-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 Schleicher County stands among 254 counties in Texas and 3,143 in the United States.
| Tornadoes since 1950 | 11 | 224 / 254 |
| Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger | 0 | — |
| Tropical cyclones within 50 mi | 4 | 112 / 254 |
| Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi | 0 | — |
| Wildfire acres since 1984 | 23,644 | 80 / 254 |
| Flood insurance claims | 1 | 200 / 254 |
| Flood insurance paid | $0 | — |
| Disaster declarations | 16 | 185 / 254 |
| Flood events since 1996 | 26 | 194 / 254 |
| Hail and wind events since 1996 | 97 | 224 / 254 |
| Winter storm events since 1996 | 29 | 113 / 254 |
| Reported damage since 1996 | $8.9 million | 154 / 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 | 189 | 125 / 254 |
| Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years | 6.9 | 238 / 254 |
| Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 1900 | 0 | — |
| Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 1973 | 0 | — |
Neighbouring counties
| Concho County | 29 | 3 |
| Crockett County | 13 | 4 |
| Irion County | 14 | 3 |
| Kimble County | 7 | 4 |
| Menard County | 4 | 3 |
| Sutton County | 5 | 4 |
| Tom Green County | 57 | 3 |
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 USW00023034.
- 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.