NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Hillsboro, 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
7 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Hillsboro, Texas since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Alicia in 1983. Since 1950, 137 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 14 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 7
- Tornadoes
- 137
- EF3 or stronger
- 14
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
129 deaths in all
What the records show for Hillsboro
None of the 7 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Hillsboro; the strongest was an unnamed storm in 1900, a tropical storm with 62 mph winds when its centre passed 19 miles away. The record near Hillsboro begins with an unnamed storm in 1871; the most recent system was Alicia in 1983, a tropical storm 43 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1900s, with 2 systems. None of the 7 systems has come since 2000. Of the 753 Texas cities on this site, 57% have more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than Hillsboro. The highest rating among the 137 tornadoes within 25 miles is F5, reached 2 times; the most recent, on May 6, 1973, came within 24 miles. The deadliest, an F5 on May 11, 1953, killed 114 people. Of the 137, 10 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 56 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 43. The most recent tornado was on June 11, 2025. Hillsboro has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 73% of the 753 Texas cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 80 times since 1957, with stones up to 4.5 inches (grapefruit size). Hillsboro has more hail reports within 10 miles than 50% of the 753 Texas cities.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Hillsboro
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | AliciaAug 19 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1961 | CarlaSep 12 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 18 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 27 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1900 | Unnamed 1900 stormSep 9 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1897 | Unnamed 1897 stormSep 13 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormJun 5 | 60 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 Hillsboro: 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 Hillsboro
By decade
- 2020s16
- 2010s22
- 2000s18(1 EF3+)
- 1990s21
- 1980s9(1 EF3+)
- 1970s27(6 EF3+)
- 1960s13(3 EF3+)
- 1950s11(3 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 11, 1953 | F5 | 23 mi | 20.9 mi | 114 / 597 |
| May 6, 1973 | F5 | 24 mi | 10.6 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 10, 1973 | F4 | 22 mi | 23.3 mi | 6 / 77 |
| Mar 31, 1959 | F4 | 3 mi | 10.4 mi | 6 / 31 |
| May 26, 1976 | F4 | 13 mi | 18.8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 12, 2000 | F3 | 17 mi | 7 mi | 2 / 0 |
| May 23, 1971 | F3 | 6 mi | 7.1 mi | 1 / 49 |
| May 9, 1981 | F3 | 7 mi | 5.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 11, 1978 | F3 | 1 mi | 7.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 25, 1976 | F3 | 1 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 14, 1969 | F3 | 16 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 16, 1965 | F3 | 13 mi | 11.1 mi | 0 / 1 |
The strongest 12 of 137, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Hillsboro
The Storm Prediction Center has 80 hail reports within 10 miles of Hillsboro since 1957, made on 56 separate days. Of these, 53 were 1 inch across or larger, and 8 reached 2 inches. The largest, 4.5 inches (grapefruit size), fell on May 9, 2024. The most recent report is from May 2, 2025. May has the most reports, 23.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Hillsboro
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Hillsboro, TX, in Hillsboro at 550 feet. August is the warmest, with an average high of 97°F and low of 73°F; January is the coolest, at 59°F and 34°F. October is the wettest at 5.1 inches of precipitation on average and July the driest at 1.7 inches; the year adds up to 38.9 inches over 54 days with at least a tenth of an inch. Highs reach 90°F on about 105 days a year, almost all from May to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 37 nights a year. Snowfall averages 0.7 inches a year, most of it in February. That 38.9 inches is more than at 202 of the 312 Texas stations used on this site (65%). Whitney, 14 miles west, has its own station (Whitney Dam, TX): 37.7 inches a year, 1.2 less than here, and an August average high of 96°F against 97°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59 | 34 | 2.7 | 5 | 0.1 |
| Feb | 63 | 38 | 2.8 | 4 | 0.3 |
| Mar | 70 | 45 | 3.6 | 5 | 0.1 |
| Apr | 77 | 53 | 3.7 | 5 | 0.0 |
| May | 84 | 62 | 4.5 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 92 | 70 | 3.6 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 96 | 73 | 1.7 | 3 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 97 | 73 | 2.2 | 3 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 91 | 66 | 3.2 | 4 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 80 | 55 | 5.1 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 69 | 44 | 2.7 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 60 | 36 | 3.1 | 4 | 0.2 |
| Year | 78 | 54 | 38.9 | 54 | 0.7 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Hillsboro, TX (550 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 Hillsboro
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 51 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Hillsboro: 37 thunderstorm wind reports, 9 flash floods, 3 floods and 2 lightning strikes. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $931,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 90 mph, on April 27, 2015. June has had the most flash floods, 3 of 9. Of the 745 Texas cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 176 have had fewer than Hillsboro.
October 15, 2007: thunderstorm wind 1 mile from the centre of Hillsboro — $200,000 damage.
NWS: “Extensive damage occurred with numerous trees blown down and shingles were blown off roofs. Several trees fell on houses and vehicles.”
April 28, 2024: flash flood in Hillsboro — $200,000 damage.
NWS: “Broadcast media showed video of water covering residential roads in Hillsboro and water approximately 1-2 feet deep up to home foundations. The exact location of the impacted homes is uncertain.”
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
Hill County, which includes Hillsboro, has been named in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1968, 16 of them major disasters (by incident: 7 severe storms, 5 fires, 4 floods, 4 hurricanes). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding, on May 17, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Hill County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for tornadoes, hail, strong wind and lightning; Relatively Low for hurricanes, inland flooding and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $24.7 million a year, the 76th highest of 254 Texas counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $5.5 million (22%), is from tornadoes.
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 Hillsboro
- Itasca, TX10 mi
- Whitney, TX14 mi
- West, TX16 mi
- Italy, TX18 mi
- Grandview, TX18 mi
- Frost, TX20 mi
- Maypearl, TX21 mi
- Rio Vista, TX21 mi
- Hubbard, TX22 mi
- Elm Mott, TX23 mi
- Dawson, TX26 mi
- Axtell, TX26 mi
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