NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Kountze, 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
45 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Kountze, Texas since 1851, 12 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Nicholas in 2021. Since 1950, 95 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 3 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 12
- Tropical storms
- 33
- Tornadoes
- 95
- EF3 or stronger
- 3
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
3 deaths in all
What the records show for Kountze
The strongest storm to pass near Kountze was Laura in 2020, a Category 3 hurricane with 129 mph winds when its centre passed 62 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1879, whose centre came within 4 miles. The record near Kountze begins with an unnamed storm in 1863; the most recent system was Nicholas in 2021, a tropical storm 63 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1980s, with 7 systems. Of the 45 systems, 8 have come since 2000. Kountze has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 85% of the 753 Texas cities on this site. The highest rating among the 95 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3, reached 3 times; the most recent, on January 1, 1999, came within 23 miles. The deadliest, an F2 on November 23, 2004, killed 1 person. Of the 95, 4 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 35 have come since 2000. October has had the most tornadoes, 19. The most recent tornado was on May 8, 2023. Of the 753 Texas cities, 57% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Kountze. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 43 times since 1973, with stones up to 3.5 inches. Of the 753 Texas cities, 74% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Kountze.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Kountze
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | NicholasSep 14 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2020 | LauraAug 27 | 62 mi | Category 3 (129 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2017 | HarveyAug 30 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2017 | CindyJun 22 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2008 | IkeSep 13 | 49 mi | Category 2 (100 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2008 | EdouardAug 5 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2007 | HumbertoSep 13 | 37 mi | Category 1 (82 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2005 | RitaSep 24 | 16 mi | Category 1 (76 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1989 | JerryOct 16 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1989 | ChantalAug 1 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1989 | AllisonJun 27 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1987 | Unnamed 1987 stormAug 10 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1986 | BonnieJun 26 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1982 | ChrisSep 11 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1980 | DanielleSep 5 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1979 | ClaudetteJul 25 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1978 | DebraAug 29 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1974 | CarmenSep 9 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1973 | Unnamed 1973 stormSep 12 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1970 | FeliceSep 16 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1963 | CindySep 18 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1959 | DebraJul 25 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1957 | BerthaAug 10 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1957 | AudreyJun 27 | 45 mi | Category 2 (108 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1954 | BarbaraJul 29 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormOct 4 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1943 | Unnamed 1943 stormJul 27 | 61 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1942 | Unnamed 1942 stormAug 21 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormSep 24 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1940 | Unnamed 1940 stormSep 24 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1940 | Unnamed 1940 stormAug 8 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1938 | Unnamed 1938 stormAug 15 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1918 | Unnamed 1918 stormAug 6 | 39 mi | Category 1 (84 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormSep 28 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1897 | Unnamed 1897 stormSep 13 | 32 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1891 | Unnamed 1891 stormJul 6 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormJul 6 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormOct 13 | 42 mi | Category 1 (83 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 14 | 38 mi | Category 2 (96 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 15 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormAug 23 | 4 mi | Category 1 (89 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1875 | Unnamed 1875 stormSep 18 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormJun 10 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1865 | Unnamed 1865 stormSep 14 | 50 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1863 | Unnamed 1863 stormSep 29 | 51 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 Kountze: 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 Kountze
By decade
- 2020s3
- 2010s12
- 2000s20
- 1990s22(1 EF3+)
- 1980s13(2 EF3+)
- 1970s18
- 1960s6
- 1950s1
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 13, 1982 | F3 | 19 mi | 8.5 mi | 1 / 1 |
| Jan 1, 1999 | F3 | 23 mi | 5.5 mi | 0 / 5 |
| Jan 31, 1983 | F3 | 22 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Nov 23, 2004 | F2 | 12 mi | 8 mi | 1 / 0 |
| Jan 2, 1999 | F2 | 22 mi | 4.5 mi | 1 / 10 |
| Jan 24, 2023 | EF2 | 25 mi | 2.05 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 30, 2016 | EF2 | 22 mi | 9.86 mi | 0 / 3 |
| Nov 23, 2004 | F2 | 19 mi | 8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 29, 1999 | F2 | 20 mi | 17 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 1, 1999 | F2 | 24 mi | 4 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 5, 1994 | F2 | 16 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Dec 10, 1983 | F2 | 11 mi | 26 mi | 0 / 4 |
The strongest 12 of 95, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Kountze
The Storm Prediction Center has 43 hail reports within 10 miles of Kountze since 1973, made on 36 separate days. Of these, 27 were 1 inch across or larger, and 2 reached 2 inches. The largest, 3.5 inches, fell on April 15, 2023. The most recent report is from May 3, 2024. May has the most reports, 13.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Kountze
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Lumberton, TX, 13 miles southeast of Kountze 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 45 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (18); 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%). Sour Lake, 16 miles south, has its own station (Beaumont Rsch Ctr, TX): 62.1 inches a year, 1.2 less than here, and the same August average high, 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 Kountze
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 64 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Kountze: 41 thunderstorm wind reports, 21 flash floods, 1 heavy rain event and 1 lightning strike. They killed 1 person and injured 2, and the NWS estimated $4.2 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 138 mph, on October 29, 2019. May has had the most flash floods, 8 of 21. Of the 745 Texas cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 456 have had fewer than Kountze.
February 6, 2018: lightning strike 7 miles from the centre of Kountze — 1 killed, 1 injured.
NWS: “A 22 year old male was struck by lightning while working on cattle fencing along Starlight Road near Honey Island. A 57 year old male was also hit sustaining 2nd degree burns.”
October 29, 2019: thunderstorm wind 7 miles from the centre of Kountze — 1 injured, $3.0 million damage.
NWS: “A thunderstorm downburst produced wind gusts of 90 to 100 mph across parts of Hardin County from Kountze to Silsbee. Damage started around the Hwy 326/ Hwy 770 intersection southwest of Kountze, where numerous trees were snapped or uprooted.”
August 11, 2015: thunderstorm wind 5 miles from the centre of Kountze — $500,000 damage.
NWS: “High winds from a microburst resulted in eight general aviation aircrafts breaking loose from tie downs and being picked up and thrown. One aircraft hangar was also damaged.”
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 Kountze's ZIP code 77625 have filed 109 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1979, and were paid $3.9 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Hurricane Harvey in 2017: 32 claims (29% of all) and $2.4 million, then Flooding in 1994 with 13 and Tropical Storm Paul in 2006 with 12. 77% 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, 234 have fewer than Kountze.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Harvey2017 | 32 | $2.4 million |
| Flooding1994 | 13 | $227,000 |
| Tropical Storm Paul2006 | 12 | $292,000 |
Hardin County, which includes Kountze, has been named in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1973, 21 of them major disasters (by incident: 9 hurricanes, 6 fires, 6 severe storms, 5 floods). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Beryl, on July 9, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Hardin County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for lightning; Relatively Moderate for hurricanes and tornadoes; Relatively Low for inland flooding, strong wind and heat waves; Very Low for hail and coastal flooding. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $27.1 million a year, the 69th highest of 254 Texas counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $11.0 million (41%), 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 Kountze
- Silsbee, TX9 mi
- Lumberton, TX12 mi
- Sour Lake, TX16 mi
- Warren, TX16 mi
- Buna, TX22 mi
- Beaumont, TX24 mi
- Vidor, TX25 mi
- Woodville, TX28 mi
- Kirbyville, TX31 mi
- Liberty, TX33 mi
- Nederland, TX34 mi
- Port Neches, TX35 mi
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