NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Buna, 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
46 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Buna, Texas since 1851, 14 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Delta in 2020. Since 1950, 104 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 1 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 14
- Tropical storms
- 32
- Tornadoes
- 104
- EF3 or stronger
- 1
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
3 deaths in all
What the records show for Buna
The strongest storm to pass near Buna was Laura in 2020, a Category 3 hurricane with 127 mph winds when its centre passed 40 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was Rita in 2005, whose centre came within 5 miles. The record near Buna begins with an unnamed storm in 1863; the most recent system was Delta in 2020, a Category 1 hurricane 67 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1980s, with 6 systems, one of them at hurricane strength. Of the 46 systems, 9 have come since 2000. Buna has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 87% of the 753 Texas cities on this site. The strongest of the 104 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F3 on May 13, 1982; its path came within 7 miles, and it killed 1 person. The deadliest, an F2 on November 23, 2004, killed 1 person. Of the 104, 9 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 45 have come since 2000. October has had the most tornadoes, 18. The most recent tornado was on May 8, 2023. Of the 753 Texas cities, 50% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Buna. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 18 times since 1965, with stones up to 2 inches (hen egg size). Of the 753 Texas cities, 95% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Buna.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Buna
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | DeltaOct 9 | 67 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2020 | LauraAug 27 | 40 mi | Category 3 (127 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2019 | BarryJul 14 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2017 | HarveyAug 30 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2017 | CindyJun 22 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2008 | IkeSep 13 | 71 mi | Category 2 (101 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2008 | EdouardAug 5 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2007 | HumbertoSep 13 | 23 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2005 | RitaSep 24 | 5 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1989 | JerryOct 16 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1989 | ChantalAug 1 | 60 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1987 | Unnamed 1987 stormAug 10 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1986 | BonnieJun 26 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1982 | ChrisSep 11 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1980 | DanielleSep 5 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1979 | ClaudetteJul 25 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1978 | DebraAug 29 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1974 | CarmenSep 9 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1973 | Unnamed 1973 stormSep 12 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1970 | FeliceSep 16 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1963 | CindySep 17 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1959 | DebraJul 25 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1957 | BerthaAug 10 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1957 | AudreyJun 27 | 25 mi | Category 2 (102 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1955 | Unnamed 1955 stormAug 27 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1954 | BarbaraJul 29 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormOct 4 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1943 | Unnamed 1943 stormJul 27 | 75 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1942 | Unnamed 1942 stormAug 21 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1940 | Unnamed 1940 stormSep 24 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1940 | Unnamed 1940 stormAug 8 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1938 | Unnamed 1938 stormAug 15 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormAug 27 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1918 | Unnamed 1918 stormAug 6 | 18 mi | Category 1 (87 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1908 | Unnamed 1908 stormAug 1 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormSep 28 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1897 | Unnamed 1897 stormSep 13 | 44 mi | Category 1 (84 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1891 | Unnamed 1891 stormJul 6 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormOct 13 | 20 mi | Category 1 (82 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 14 | 27 mi | Category 1 (89 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 15 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormAug 23 | 17 mi | Category 1 (87 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1875 | Unnamed 1875 stormSep 18 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormJun 10 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1865 | Unnamed 1865 stormSep 14 | 28 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1863 | Unnamed 1863 stormSep 30 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Buna: 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 Buna
By decade
- 2020s11
- 2010s20
- 2000s14
- 1990s21
- 1980s11(1 EF3+)
- 1970s17
- 1960s8
- 1950s2
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 13, 1982 | F3 | 7 mi | 8.5 mi | 1 / 1 |
| Nov 23, 2004 | F2 | 11 mi | 8 mi | 1 / 0 |
| Jan 2, 1999 | F2 | 4 mi | 4.5 mi | 1 / 10 |
| Jan 24, 2023 | EF2 | 23 mi | 25.21 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Oct 27, 2021 | EF2 | 17 mi | 6.89 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Oct 27, 2021 | EF2 | 23 mi | 2.06 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 23, 2020 | EF2 | 21 mi | 1.23 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 30, 2016 | EF2 | 7 mi | 9.86 mi | 0 / 3 |
| Nov 23, 2004 | F2 | 15 mi | 15 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 23, 2004 | F2 | 9 mi | 8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 2, 1999 | F2 | 25 mi | 8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 29, 1999 | F2 | 18 mi | 17 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 104, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Buna
The Storm Prediction Center has 18 hail reports within 10 miles of Buna since 1965, made on 17 separate days. Of these, 7 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2 inches (hen egg size), fell on March 30, 1965. The most recent report is from May 16, 2024. April has the most reports, 7.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Buna
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Lumberton, TX, 18 miles southwest of Buna at 39 feet. August is the warmest, with an average high of 93°F and low of 73°F; January is the coolest, at 62°F and 39°F. June is the wettest at 6.9 inches of precipitation on average and March the driest at 3.7 inches; the year adds up to 63.3 inches over 76 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 56% of the year's precipitation (35.2 of 63.3 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 46 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (16); a normal September there has highs of 89°F and 5.6 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 109 days a year, almost all from May to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 24 nights a year. That 63.3 inches is more than at 308 of the 312 Texas stations used on this site (99%). Kirbyville, 17 miles north, has its own station (Town Bluff Dam, TX): 59.3 inches a year, 4.0 less than here, and an August average high of 92°F against 93°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62 | 39 | 5.2 | 7 |
| Feb | 66 | 44 | 4.1 | 6 |
| Mar | 73 | 51 | 3.7 | 5 |
| Apr | 79 | 56 | 4.5 | 5 |
| May | 86 | 65 | 5.0 | 5 |
| Jun | 90 | 71 | 6.9 | 8 |
| Jul | 93 | 73 | 5.2 | 8 |
| Aug | 93 | 73 | 6.0 | 7 |
| Sep | 89 | 68 | 5.6 | 7 |
| Oct | 81 | 57 | 6.1 | 5 |
| Nov | 71 | 48 | 5.4 | 6 |
| Dec | 63 | 41 | 5.6 | 7 |
| Year | 79 | 57 | 63.3 | 76 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Lumberton, TX (39 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 Buna
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 44 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Buna: 34 thunderstorm wind reports, 8 flash floods, 1 flood and 1 lightning strike. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $1.5 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 76 mph, on April 26, 2023. May has had the most flash floods, 3 of 8. Of the 745 Texas cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 138 have had fewer than Buna.
September 18, 2019: flash flood 8 miles from the centre of Buna — $1.0 million damage.
May 13, 2004: thunderstorm wind in Buna — $150,000 damage.
July 27, 2025: lightning strike 3 miles from the centre of Buna — $100,000 damage.
NWS: “A home was struck by lightning. The resulting fire consumed most of the structure.”
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
Flood insurance policyholders in Buna's ZIP code 77612 have filed 75 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1999, and were paid $3.9 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Hurricane Harvey in 2017: 26 claims (35% of all) and $1.5 million. 81% of the claims carry the name of a storm or flood event; the rest have no event name. Of the 433 Texas cities on this site with 10 or more claims, 209 have fewer than Buna.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Harvey2017 | 26 | $1.5 million |
Jasper County, which includes Buna, has been named in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1973, 21 of them major disasters (by incident: 10 hurricanes, 6 fires, 6 floods, 5 severe storms). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Beryl, on July 9, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Jasper County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for hurricanes, tornadoes, strong wind and lightning; Relatively Low for hail, inland flooding and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $15.5 million a year, the 106th highest of 254 Texas counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $5.4 million (35%), 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 Buna
- Silsbee, TX13 mi
- Kirbyville, TX17 mi
- Lumberton, TX19 mi
- Vidor, TX20 mi
- Kountze, TX22 mi
- Orange, TX24 mi
- Beaumont, TX27 mi
- Vinton, LA28 mi
- Warren, TX28 mi
- Bridge City, TX29 mi
- Merryville, LA30 mi
- Newton, TX30 mi
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