NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Hempstead, 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
34 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Hempstead, Texas since 1851, 4 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Beryl in 2024. Since 1950, 97 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 5 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 4
- Tropical storms
- 30
- Tornadoes
- 97
- EF3 or stronger
- 5
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
6 deaths in all
What the records show for Hempstead
The strongest storm to pass near Hempstead was Ike in 2008, a Category 2 hurricane with 98 mph winds when its centre passed 54 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1900, whose centre came within 4 miles. The record near Hempstead begins with an unnamed storm in 1854; the most recent system was Beryl in 2024, a tropical storm 17 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1940s, with 6 systems, one of them at hurricane strength. Of the 34 systems, 5 have come since 2000. Hempstead has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 73% of the 753 Texas cities on this site. The highest rating among the 97 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3, reached 5 times; the most recent, on September 20, 1967, came within 11 miles. The deadliest, an F2 on December 2, 1953, killed 2 people. Of the 97, 8 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 21 have come since 2000. May has had the most tornadoes, 33. The most recent tornado was on December 28, 2024. Of the 753 Texas cities, 56% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Hempstead. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 27 times since 1973, with stones up to 3 inches (tea cup size). Of the 753 Texas cities, 87% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Hempstead.
Compare Hempstead's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Hempstead
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | BerylJul 8 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2021 | NicholasSep 14 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2008 | IkeSep 13 | 54 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2003 | GraceAug 31 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2001 | AllisonJun 6 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1989 | JerryOct 16 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1989 | ChantalAug 1 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1989 | AllisonJun 27 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1983 | AliciaAug 18 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1980 | DanielleSep 6 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1973 | Unnamed 1973 stormSep 12 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1973 | DeliaSep 6 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1970 | FeliceSep 16 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1963 | CindySep 18 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1959 | DebraJul 25 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormOct 4 | 49 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormAug 25 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormAug 28 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1943 | Unnamed 1943 stormJul 28 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1942 | Unnamed 1942 stormAug 21 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormSep 24 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormAug 14 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1921 | Unnamed 1921 stormJun 23 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 17 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1909 | Unnamed 1909 stormJul 21 | 60 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1900 | Unnamed 1900 stormSep 9 | 4 mi | Category 2 (97 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1897 | Unnamed 1897 stormSep 13 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1891 | Unnamed 1891 stormJul 6 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormJul 6 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormJun 18 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1875 | Unnamed 1875 stormSep 17 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormJun 9 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormJun 4 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1854 | Unnamed 1854 stormSep 20 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 2 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Hempstead: 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 Hempstead
By decade
- 2020s7
- 2010s6
- 2000s8
- 1990s21
- 1980s22
- 1970s13
- 1960s12(3 EF3+)
- 1950s8(2 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 20, 1967 | F3 | 11 mi | 19.9 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 20, 1967 | F3 | 11 mi | 19.9 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 22, 1965 | F3 | 22 mi | 0.8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 14, 1957 | F3 | 5 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 5, 1950 | F3 | 4 mi | 23.9 mi | 0 / 6 |
| Dec 2, 1953 | F2 | 20 mi | 0.1 mi | 2 / 5 |
| Oct 18, 1998 | F2 | 21 mi | 1 mi | 1 / 1 |
| May 20, 1983 | F2 | 14 mi | 4 mi | 1 / 2 |
| May 26, 2016 | EF2 | 15 mi | 1.28 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 13, 1994 | F2 | 19 mi | 3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 5, 1986 | F2 | 23 mi | 8 mi | 0 / 5 |
| Nov 19, 1983 | F2 | 23 mi | 1.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 97, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Hempstead
The Storm Prediction Center has 27 hail reports within 10 miles of Hempstead since 1973, made on 20 separate days. Of these, 16 were 1 inch across or larger, and 4 reached 2 inches. The largest, 3 inches (tea cup size), fell on April 25, 1997. The most recent report is from May 9, 2019. May has the most reports, 10.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Hempstead
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Bellville 6NNE, TX, 10 miles southwest of Hempstead at 280 feet. August is the warmest, with an average high of 95°F and low of 73°F; January is the coolest, at 61°F and 41°F. May is the wettest at 5.2 inches of precipitation on average and July the driest at 2.4 inches; the year adds up to 44.1 inches over 57 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 51% of the year's precipitation (22.4 of 44.1 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 34 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (12); a normal September there has highs of 90°F and 3.9 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 108 days a year, almost all from April to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 14 nights a year. That 44.1 inches is more than at 234 of the 312 Texas stations used on this site (75%). Washington, 14 miles northwest, has its own station (Washington Sp, TX): 44.1 inches a year, the same as here, and an August average high of 96°F against 95°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 61 | 41 | 3.4 | 5 |
| Feb | 65 | 45 | 2.7 | 5 |
| Mar | 72 | 52 | 3.4 | 5 |
| Apr | 78 | 58 | 3.5 | 4 |
| May | 85 | 66 | 5.2 | 5 |
| Jun | 91 | 72 | 4.2 | 6 |
| Jul | 94 | 73 | 2.4 | 4 |
| Aug | 95 | 73 | 3.7 | 5 |
| Sep | 90 | 69 | 3.9 | 5 |
| Oct | 82 | 60 | 4.3 | 5 |
| Nov | 72 | 51 | 3.9 | 5 |
| Dec | 63 | 43 | 3.5 | 5 |
| Year | 79 | 58 | 44.1 | 57 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Bellville 6NNE, TX (280 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 Hempstead
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 34 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Hempstead: 23 thunderstorm wind reports, 10 flash floods and 1 flood. They killed 2 people and injured 0, and the NWS estimated $15.5 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 81 mph, on May 16, 2024. May 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 Hempstead.
April 18, 2016: flash flood 1 mile from the centre of Hempstead — 1 killed, $6.7 million damage.
NWS: “Flooding closed Highway 290 at the Harris and Waller County line. FM 362, FM 359 and FM 527 were all flooded.”
April 18, 2016: flash flood 9 miles from the centre of Hempstead — 1 killed, $2.3 million damage.
July 12, 2012: flood 10 miles from the centre of Hempstead — $5.0 million damage.
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 Hempstead's ZIP code 77445 have filed 74 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1979, and were paid $2.5 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Early summer severe storms in 2016: 17 claims (23% of all) and $675,000, then Hurricane Harvey in 2017 with 10. 64% 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, 208 have fewer than Hempstead.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Early summer severe storms2016 | 17 | $675,000 |
| Hurricane Harvey2017 | 10 | $578,000 |
Waller County, which includes Hempstead, has been named in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1989, 17 of them major disasters (by incident: 9 hurricanes, 6 fires, 5 floods, 3 severe storms). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Beryl, on July 9, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Waller County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for tornadoes; Relatively Moderate for hurricanes, 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 $23.9 million a year, the 79th highest of 254 Texas counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $9.1 million (38%), 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.