NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Liberty, 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
53 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Liberty, Texas since 1851, 15 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Beryl in 2024. Since 1950, 115 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 9 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 15
- Tropical storms
- 38
- Tornadoes
- 115
- EF3 or stronger
- 9
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
7 deaths in all
What the records show for Liberty
The strongest storm to pass near Liberty was Audrey in 1957, a Category 3 hurricane with 124 mph winds when its centre passed 66 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1897, whose centre came within 4 miles. The record near Liberty begins with an unnamed storm in 1863; the most recent system was Beryl in 2024, a tropical storm 59 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1980s, with 8 systems, one of them at hurricane strength. Of the 53 systems, 9 have come since 2000. Liberty has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 88% of the 753 Texas cities on this site. The strongest of the 115 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F4 on November 21, 1992; its path came within 8 miles. The deadliest, an F3 on May 27, 1969, killed 3 people. Of the 115, 9 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 43 have come since 2000. May has had the most tornadoes, 24. The most recent tornado was on December 26, 2024. Liberty has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 58% of the 753 Texas cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 45 times since 1974, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Of the 753 Texas cities, 72% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Liberty.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Liberty
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | BerylJul 8 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2021 | NicholasSep 14 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2017 | CindyJun 22 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2008 | IkeSep 13 | 17 mi | Category 2 (101 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2008 | EdouardAug 5 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2007 | HumbertoSep 13 | 42 mi | Category 1 (91 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2005 | RitaSep 24 | 48 mi | Category 1 (83 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2003 | GraceAug 31 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2001 | AllisonJun 6 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1995 | DeanJul 31 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1989 | JerryOct 16 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1989 | ChantalAug 1 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1989 | AllisonJun 27 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1987 | Unnamed 1987 stormAug 10 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1986 | BonnieJun 26 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1983 | AliciaAug 18 | 51 mi | Category 1 (91 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1982 | ChrisSep 11 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1980 | DanielleSep 5 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1979 | ClaudetteJul 25 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1973 | Unnamed 1973 stormSep 12 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1973 | DeliaSep 5 | 74 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1970 | FeliceSep 16 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1963 | CindySep 18 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1959 | DebraJul 25 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1957 | BerthaAug 10 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1957 | AudreyJun 27 | 66 mi | Category 3 (124 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1954 | BarbaraJul 29 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormOct 4 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormAug 25 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1943 | Unnamed 1943 stormJul 27 | 31 mi | Category 1 (90 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1942 | Unnamed 1942 stormAug 21 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormSep 24 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1940 | Unnamed 1940 stormSep 24 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1940 | Unnamed 1940 stormAug 8 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1938 | Unnamed 1938 stormOct 17 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormAug 27 | 64 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1918 | Unnamed 1918 stormAug 6 | 72 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 17 | 62 mi | Category 3 (122 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1900 | Unnamed 1900 stormSep 9 | 61 mi | Category 3 (121 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormJun 27 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormSep 28 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1897 | Unnamed 1897 stormSep 13 | 4 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1895 | Unnamed 1895 stormOct 7 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1891 | Unnamed 1891 stormJul 6 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormJul 6 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormOct 13 | 70 mi | Category 1 (85 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 14 | 45 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 15 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormAug 23 | 26 mi | Category 2 (96 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1875 | Unnamed 1875 stormSep 18 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormJun 9 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormJun 4 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1863 | Unnamed 1863 stormSep 29 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Tropical storm |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Liberty: 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 Liberty
By decade
- 2020s8(1 EF3+)
- 2010s14
- 2000s21
- 1990s31(3 EF3+)
- 1980s14
- 1970s12(1 EF3+)
- 1960s10(2 EF3+)
- 1950s5(2 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 21, 1992 | F4 | 8 mi | 30 mi | 0 / 16 |
| May 27, 1969 | F3 | 20 mi | 1.5 mi | 3 / 0 |
| Dec 13, 1977 | F3 | 13 mi | 25.1 mi | 1 / 40 |
| Feb 11, 1950 | F3 | 22 mi | 12 mi | 1 / 12 |
| Jan 24, 2023 | EF3 | 21 mi | 23.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 1, 1999 | F3 | 19 mi | 5.5 mi | 0 / 5 |
| Nov 21, 1992 | F3 | 14 mi | 32 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Sep 12, 1961 | F3 | 6 mi | 0.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 22, 1957 | F3 | 15 mi | 4.3 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Apr 15, 1994 | F2 | 19 mi | 5 mi | 1 / 20 |
| May 20, 1983 | F2 | 17 mi | 4 mi | 1 / 2 |
| Jan 24, 2023 | EF2 | 18 mi | 2.05 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 115, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Liberty
The Storm Prediction Center has 45 hail reports within 10 miles of Liberty since 1974, made on 36 separate days. Of these, 26 were 1 inch across or larger, and 2 reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.75 inches (baseball size), fell on May 5, 1974. The most recent report is from May 2, 2025. April and May have the most reports, 11 each.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Liberty
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Liberty, TX, 2 miles west of Liberty at 35 feet. August is the warmest, with an average high of 94°F and low of 74°F; January is the coolest, at 64°F and 41°F. September is the wettest at 6.9 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 3.9 inches; the year adds up to 62.8 inches over 72 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 55% of the year's precipitation (34.5 of 62.8 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 53 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (18); a normal September there has highs of 90°F and 6.9 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 101 days a year, almost all from May to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 14 nights a year. That 62.8 inches is more than at 307 of the 312 Texas stations used on this site (98%). Cleveland, 20 miles northwest, has its own station (Cleveland, TX): 55.8 inches a year, 7.0 less than here, and an August average high of 92°F against 94°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 64 | 41 | 5.1 | 7 |
| Feb | 67 | 45 | 3.9 | 6 |
| Mar | 74 | 52 | 4.0 | 6 |
| Apr | 79 | 58 | 4.6 | 5 |
| May | 86 | 66 | 5.5 | 5 |
| Jun | 91 | 72 | 6.1 | 7 |
| Jul | 93 | 74 | 5.0 | 7 |
| Aug | 94 | 74 | 5.5 | 6 |
| Sep | 90 | 69 | 6.9 | 7 |
| Oct | 83 | 59 | 6.3 | 5 |
| Nov | 72 | 49 | 4.7 | 5 |
| Dec | 65 | 43 | 5.2 | 7 |
| Year | 80 | 58 | 62.8 | 72 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Liberty, TX (35 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 Liberty
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 65 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Liberty: 51 thunderstorm wind reports, 12 flash floods and 2 lightning strikes. They killed 0 people and injured 1, and the NWS estimated $1.9 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 70 mph, on April 20, 2012. May has had the most flash floods, 4 of 12. Of the 745 Texas cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 250 have had fewer than Liberty.
May 29, 2005: lightning strike 7 miles from the centre of Liberty — 1 injured.
October 31, 2015: flash flood 9 miles from the centre of Liberty — $705,000 damage.
May 26, 2016: flash flood 5 miles from the centre of Liberty — $400,000 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 Liberty's ZIP code 77575 have filed 999 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1979, and were paid $36.4 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Flooding in 1994: 162 claims (16% of all) and $3.8 million, then Tropical Storm Imelda in 2019 with 152 and Hurricane Harvey in 2017 with 144. The year with the most claims was 2019, with 158. 65% 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, 368 have fewer than Liberty.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Flooding1994 | 162 | $3.8 million |
| Tropical Storm Imelda2019 | 152 | $11.4 million |
| Hurricane Harvey2017 | 144 | $8.9 million |
| Texas Spring Flooding2024 | 45 | $3.7 million |
| Fall severe storms2015 | 42 | $1.7 million |
| Tropical Storm Claudette1979 | 27 | $232,000 |
Liberty County, which includes Liberty, has been named in 38 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1973, 27 of them major disasters (by incident: 10 floods, 10 hurricanes, 8 severe storms, 5 fires). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Beryl, on July 9, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Liberty County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Very High for lightning; Relatively High for tornadoes; Relatively Moderate for hurricanes and heat waves; Relatively Low for hail, inland flooding and strong wind; Very Low for coastal flooding. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $32.5 million a year, the 56th highest of 254 Texas counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $9.9 million (30%), 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 Liberty
- Dayton, TX8 mi
- Cleveland, TX20 mi
- Huffman, TX20 mi
- Crosby, TX21 mi
- Sour Lake, TX22 mi
- Baytown, TX23 mi
- Highlands, TX24 mi
- New Caney, TX26 mi
- Kingwood, TX26 mi
- Splendora, TX26 mi
- Anahuac, TX27 mi
- Winnie, TX28 mi
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