NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Big Sandy, TX
Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.
Data: NOAA NHC HURDAT2 and NOAA SPC tornado and hail reports, through 2025 · Updated
9 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Big Sandy, Texas since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Ike in 2008. Since 1950, 131 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 9 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 9
- Tornadoes
- 131
- EF3 or stronger
- 9
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
4 deaths in all
What the records show for Big Sandy
None of the 9 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Big Sandy; the strongest was an unnamed storm in 1891, a tropical storm with 56 mph winds when its centre passed 69 miles away. The record near Big Sandy begins with an unnamed storm in 1871; the most recent system was Ike in 2008, a tropical storm 2 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1940s, with 4 systems. Of the 9 systems, 2 have come since 2000. Of the 753 Texas cities on this site, 51% have more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than Big Sandy. The highest rating among the 131 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3, reached 9 times; the most recent, on April 1, 1988, came within 14 miles. The deadliest, an F3 on November 15, 1987, killed 4 people. Of the 131, 2 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 39 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 40. The most recent tornado was on October 28, 2025. Big Sandy has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 69% of the 753 Texas cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 55 times since 1955, with stones up to 4.5 inches (grapefruit size). Of the 753 Texas cities, 65% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Big Sandy.
Compare Big Sandy's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Big Sandy
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | IkeSep 13 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2005 | RitaSep 24 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormOct 5 | 75 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 20 | overhead | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormSep 24 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1940 | Unnamed 1940 stormAug 9 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1918 | Unnamed 1918 stormAug 7 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1891 | Unnamed 1891 stormJul 6 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormJun 5 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Big Sandy: a hurricane's worst winds sit within a few dozen miles of its centre, and inland cities are usually past that.
Tornadoes within 25 miles of Big Sandy
By decade
- 2020s7
- 2010s26
- 2000s6
- 1990s14
- 1980s22(2 EF3+)
- 1970s22(2 EF3+)
- 1960s24(2 EF3+)
- 1950s10(3 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 15, 1987 | F3 | 24 mi | 33 mi | 4 / 81 |
| Apr 1, 1988 | F3 | 14 mi | 13 mi | 0 / 9 |
| May 3, 1979 | F3 | 20 mi | 7.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 1, 1979 | F3 | 20 mi | 5.6 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 22, 1965 | F3 | 22 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 24, 1962 | F3 | 22 mi | 0.5 mi | 0 / 8 |
| May 3, 1958 | F3 | 19 mi | 59.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 26, 1957 | F3 | 24 mi | 14.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 26, 1957 | F3 | 23 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 21, 2022 | EF2 | 9 mi | 39.97 mi | 0 / 8 |
| May 29, 2019 | EF2 | 20 mi | 9.07 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 29, 2016 | EF2 | 5 mi | 25.94 mi | 0 / 2 |
The strongest 12 of 131, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Big Sandy
The Storm Prediction Center has 55 hail reports within 10 miles of Big Sandy since 1955, made on 40 separate days. Of these, 36 were 1 inch across or larger, and 4 reached 2 inches. The largest, 4.5 inches (grapefruit size), fell on April 21, 1997. The most recent report is from June 8, 2025. April has the most reports, 16.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Big Sandy
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Gilmer 4 WNW, TX, 8 miles northeast of Big Sandy at 390 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 93°F and low of 71°F; January is the coolest, at 56°F and 33°F. April is the wettest at 4.7 inches of precipitation on average and August the driest at 3.0 inches; the year adds up to 48.1 inches over 60 days with at least a tenth of an inch. Highs reach 90°F on about 88 days a year, almost all from May to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 54 nights a year. Snowfall averages 1.5 inches a year, most of it in February. That 48.1 inches is more than at 257 of the 312 Texas stations used on this site (82%). Winona, 12 miles south, has its own station (Tyler, TX): 47.7 inches a year, 0.4 less than here, and the same July average high, 93°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56 | 33 | 3.8 | 6 | 0.6 |
| Feb | 60 | 35 | 4.1 | 6 | 0.7 |
| Mar | 67 | 43 | 4.2 | 6 | 0.2 |
| Apr | 75 | 49 | 4.7 | 5 | 0.0 |
| May | 82 | 59 | 4.5 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 89 | 67 | 4.1 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 93 | 71 | 3.1 | 4 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 92 | 69 | 3.0 | 3 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 87 | 62 | 3.7 | 4 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 77 | 51 | 4.6 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 66 | 41 | 3.8 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 57 | 34 | 4.5 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Year | 75 | 51 | 48.1 | 60 | 1.5 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Gilmer 4 WNW, TX (390 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals. Normals describe the station; the farther a place is from it, and the bigger the difference in height, the more its weather can differ.
Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near Big Sandy
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 68 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Big Sandy: 57 thunderstorm wind reports, 10 flash floods and 1 lightning strike. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $263,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 86 mph, on June 13, 1997. October has had the most flash floods, 3 of 10. Of the 745 Texas cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 201 have had fewer than Big Sandy.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, events whose starting point is on record, 1996 to June 30, 2026. Damage is the NWS estimate in the dollars of the year, not insured losses, and NWS notes that some reports are unverified.
Flood insurance claims, disaster declarations and FEMA risk ratings
Upshur County, which includes Big Sandy, has been named in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1966, 15 of them major disasters (by incident: 6 hurricanes, 5 fires, 3 floods, 3 ice storms). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Beryl, on July 9, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Upshur County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for tornadoes and strong wind; Relatively Moderate for hail and heat waves; Relatively Low for hurricanes, inland flooding and lightning. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $21.4 million a year, the 86th highest of 254 Texas counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $7.2 million (33%), is from inland flooding.
Claims: FEMA, OpenFEMA Dataset FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims – v3, summed over ZIP codes; payments in the dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. Declarations: Disaster Declarations Summaries – v2, by county. Retrieved October 25, 2026. 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).
Risk ratings: FEMA, National Risk Index county table, December 2025 (v1.20), retrieved October 26, 2026; ratings compare counties nationwide, are meant for planning and are no substitute for a local risk assessment. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets 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).
What counts as a pass, the distances and the sources: how this storm history is built.
Cities near Big Sandy
- Hawkins, TX6 mi
- Winona, TX12 mi
- Gilmer, TX13 mi
- Gladewater, TX13 mi
- White Oak, TX17 mi
- Lindale, TX19 mi
- Mineola, TX20 mi
- Winnsboro, TX21 mi
- Quitman, TX21 mi
- Kilgore, TX23 mi
- Longview, TX24 mi
- Pittsburg, TX24 mi
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