NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Katy, 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
47 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Katy, Texas since 1851, 9 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Beryl in 2024. Since 1950, 165 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 5 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 9
- Tropical storms
- 38
- Tornadoes
- 165
- 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 Katy
The strongest storm to pass near Katy was an unnamed storm in 1900, a Category 2 hurricane with 107 mph winds when its centre passed 5 miles away. The record near Katy begins with an unnamed storm in 1854; the most recent system was Beryl in 2024, a tropical storm 5 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1940s, with 6 systems, 2 of them at hurricane strength. Of the 47 systems, 8 have come since 2000. Katy has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 81% of the 753 Texas cities on this site. The highest rating among the 165 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3, reached 5 times; the most recent, on February 5, 1986, came within 22 miles. Of the 165, 11 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 52 have come since 2000. May has had the most tornadoes, 37. The most recent tornado was on November 24, 2025. Katy has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 85% of the 753 Texas cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 92 times since 1967, with stones up to 2.5 inches (tennis ball size). Katy has more hail reports within 10 miles than 57% of the 753 Texas cities.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Katy
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | BerylJul 8 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2021 | NicholasSep 14 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2019 | ImeldaSep 17 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2015 | BillJun 17 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2008 | IkeSep 13 | 46 mi | Category 2 (100 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2008 | EdouardAug 5 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2003 | GraceAug 31 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2001 | AllisonJun 6 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1995 | DeanJul 31 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1989 | JerryOct 16 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1989 | ChantalAug 1 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1989 | AllisonJun 27 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1983 | AliciaAug 18 | 12 mi | Category 1 (83 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1980 | DanielleSep 6 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1973 | Unnamed 1973 stormSep 12 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1973 | DeliaSep 6 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1970 | FeliceSep 16 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1964 | AbbyAug 7 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1963 | CindySep 18 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1959 | DebraJul 25 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1957 | BerthaAug 10 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormOct 4 | 26 mi | Category 1 (83 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormAug 25 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormAug 28 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1943 | Unnamed 1943 stormJul 28 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1942 | Unnamed 1942 stormAug 21 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormSep 24 | 11 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1938 | Unnamed 1938 stormOct 17 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormAug 14 | 25 mi | Category 1 (87 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1921 | Unnamed 1921 stormJun 23 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 17 | 14 mi | Category 1 (84 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1909 | Unnamed 1909 stormJul 21 | 46 mi | Category 1 (89 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormJul 10 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1900 | Unnamed 1900 stormSep 9 | 5 mi | Category 2 (107 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormJun 27 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormSep 28 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1897 | Unnamed 1897 stormSep 13 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1895 | Unnamed 1895 stormOct 7 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1891 | Unnamed 1891 stormJul 6 | 31 mi | Category 1 (76 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormJul 5 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormJun 17 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormJun 24 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1875 | Unnamed 1875 stormSep 17 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormJun 9 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormJun 4 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1863 | Unnamed 1863 stormSep 29 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1854 | Unnamed 1854 stormSep 20 | 36 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 Katy: 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 Katy
By decade
- 2020s10
- 2010s19
- 2000s23
- 1990s39
- 1980s29(1 EF3+)
- 1970s31(1 EF3+)
- 1960s8(2 EF3+)
- 1950s6(1 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 5, 1986 | F3 | 22 mi | 5 mi | 2 / 0 |
| Sep 13, 1974 | F3 | 12 mi | 3.6 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Sep 20, 1967 | F3 | 16 mi | 19.9 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 20, 1967 | F3 | 16 mi | 19.9 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 5, 1950 | F3 | 23 mi | 23.9 mi | 0 / 6 |
| Oct 18, 1998 | F2 | 10 mi | 1 mi | 1 / 1 |
| May 20, 1983 | F2 | 8 mi | 4 mi | 1 / 2 |
| May 20, 1983 | F2 | 15 mi | 12 mi | 1 / 7 |
| May 20, 1983 | F2 | 23 mi | 7 mi | 1 / 5 |
| Nov 24, 2025 | EF2 | 20 mi | 3.83 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 14, 2017 | EF2 | 18 mi | 0.68 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 17, 2003 | F2 | 17 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 165, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Katy
The Storm Prediction Center has 92 hail reports within 10 miles of Katy since 1967, made on 55 separate days. Of these, 55 were 1 inch across or larger, and 6 reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.5 inches (tennis ball size), fell on May 9, 2019. The most recent report is from March 21, 2024. April has the most reports, 34.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Katy
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Houston Sugarland Mem, TX, 14 miles southeast of Katy at 82 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 95°F and low of 76°F; January is the coolest, at 64°F and 45°F. August is the wettest at 5.3 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 2.8 inches; the year adds up to 49.8 inches over 63 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 53% of the year's precipitation (26.6 of 49.8 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 47 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (15); a normal September there has highs of 90°F and 4.4 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 112 days a year, almost all from May to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 10 nights a year. That 49.8 inches is more than at 267 of the 312 Texas stations used on this site (86%). Cypress, 11 miles northeast, has its own station (Houston Hooks Mem Airport, TX): 50.8 inches a year, 1.0 more than here, and a July average high of 94°F against 95°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 64 | 45 | 3.6 | 6 |
| Feb | 68 | 50 | 2.8 | 4 |
| Mar | 74 | 55 | 3.5 | 5 |
| Apr | 80 | 60 | 4.3 | 4 |
| May | 87 | 69 | 5.2 | 5 |
| Jun | 92 | 74 | 4.2 | 6 |
| Jul | 95 | 76 | 4.2 | 7 |
| Aug | 94 | 76 | 5.3 | 7 |
| Sep | 90 | 72 | 4.4 | 6 |
| Oct | 83 | 62 | 4.7 | 5 |
| Nov | 74 | 53 | 3.8 | 4 |
| Dec | 67 | 46 | 3.8 | 5 |
| Year | 81 | 61 | 49.8 | 63 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Houston Sugarland Mem, TX (82 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 Katy
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 77 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Katy: 48 thunderstorm wind reports, 18 flash floods, 10 lightning strikes and 1 heavy rain event. They killed 1 person and injured 5, and the NWS estimated $76.1 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 104 mph, on May 16, 2024. May has had the most flash floods, 6 of 18. Of the 745 Texas cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 394 have had fewer than Katy.
May 25, 2015: flash flood 7 miles from the centre of Katy — 1 killed, $1.0 million damage.
NWS: “Flash flooding occurred across the central and eastern part of the county. There were vehicles flooded with numerous impassable roadways in and around the Sugar Land and Rosenberg areas.”
May 13, 2007: lightning strike 3 miles from the centre of Katy — 4 injured.
NWS: “Four males struck by lightning at Bear Creek Park.”
February 24, 2005: lightning strike 10 miles from the centre of Katy — 1 injured.
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 Katy's 4 ZIP codes have filed 2,975 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1978, and were paid $287.3 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Hurricane Harvey in 2017: 2,010 claims (68% of all) and $266.9 million, then Spring severe storms in 2016 with 220 and Flooding in 1981 with 157. 91% 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, 401 have fewer than Katy.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Harvey2017 | 2,010 | $266.9 million |
| Spring severe storms2016 | 220 | $12.7 million |
| Flooding1981 | 157 | $1.3 million |
| Spring Storm2009 | 125 | $3.0 million |
| Hurricane Ike2008 | 70 | $194,000 |
| Tropical Storm Imelda2019 | 34 | $1.2 million |
Harris County, which includes Katy, has been named in 41 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1973, 30 of them major disasters (by incident: 12 floods, 12 hurricanes, 8 severe storms, 3 fires). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Beryl, on July 9, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Harris County a Very High rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Very High for hurricanes, tornadoes, inland flooding, strong wind, lightning and heat waves; Relatively High for coastal flooding; Relatively Moderate for hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $2.22 billion a year, the highest of 254 Texas counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $1.12 billion (51%), 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 Katy
- Cypress, TX11 mi
- Fulshear, TX11 mi
- Brookshire, TX13 mi
- Richmond, TX13 mi
- Sugar Land, TX16 mi
- Stafford, TX17 mi
- Rosenberg, TX17 mi
- Tomball, TX19 mi
- Hockley, TX19 mi
- Bellaire, TX20 mi
- Houston, TX20 mi
- Missouri City, TX20 mi
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