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NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database

Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Rio Grande City, TX

Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.

25 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Rio Grande City, Texas since 1851, 5 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Harold in 2023. Since 1950, 12 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 0 of them rated EF3 or stronger.

Hurricanes
5

within 75 mi, since 1851

Tropical storms
20

below hurricane strength

Tornadoes
12

within 25 mi, since 1950

EF3 or stronger
0

no recorded deaths

Tropical storms and hurricanes near Rio Grande City

Tropical systems that passed within 75 miles of Rio Grande City, Texas, newest first
YearStormClosestStrength when closestPeak
2023HaroldAug 2263 miTropical storm (45 mph)Tropical storm
2020HannaJul 261 miTropical storm (60 mph)Category 1
2010HermineSep 756 miTropical storm (60 mph)Tropical storm
2008DollyJul 2429 miTropical storm (62 mph)Category 2
1999BretAug 2361 miCategory 1 (83 mph)Category 4
1983BarryAug 2965 miTropical storm (44 mph)Category 1
1980AllenAug 1036 miCategory 1 (93 mph)Category 5
1978AmeliaJul 3172 miTropical storm (48 mph)Tropical storm
1971FernSep 1245 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 1
1967BeulahSep 2049 miCategory 1 (92 mph)Category 5
1958AlmaJun 155 miTropical storm (39 mph)Tropical storm
1954AliceJun 258 miTropical storm (63 mph)Category 2
1947Unnamed 1947 stormAug 248 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
1936Unnamed 1936 stormSep 1348 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1933Unnamed 1933 stormSep 541 miTropical storm (64 mph)Category 5
1931Unnamed 1931 stormJun 2870 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1925Unnamed 1925 stormSep 712 miTropical storm (43 mph)Tropical storm
1916Unnamed 1916 stormAug 1974 miCategory 2 (98 mph)Category 4
1910Unnamed 1910 stormSep 1538 miTropical storm (45 mph)Category 2
1909Unnamed 1909 stormJun 3031 miTropical storm (39 mph)Category 2
1887Unnamed 1887 stormSep 2248 miTropical storm (53 mph)Category 2
1880Unnamed 1880 stormAug 1310 miCategory 1 (79 mph)Category 4
1874Unnamed 1874 stormSep 539 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
1857Unnamed 1857 stormSep 3017 miTropical storm (51 mph)Category 2
1854Unnamed 1854 stormJun 26overheadTropical storm (56 mph)Category 1

Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Rio Grande City: 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 Rio Grande City

By decade

  • 2000s2
  • 1990s4
  • 1980s3
  • 1960s3
Strongest tornadoes near Rio Grande City, Texas
DateRatingDistancePathKilled / injured
May 5, 1991F214 mi1 mi0 / 0
Apr 26, 1967F222 mi40.2 mi0 / 0
Apr 30, 2003F121 mi0.3 mi0 / 11
Jun 14, 1994F118 mi0.5 mi0 / 0
Sep 7, 1983F114 mi2 mi0 / 0
Aug 10, 1980F121 mi1 mi0 / 0
Oct 18, 1965F122 mi2.3 mi0 / 0
Aug 15, 1962F123 mi1 mi0 / 0
Jun 3, 2009EF07 mi1.43 mi0 / 0
Mar 27, 1999F022 mi0.2 mi0 / 0
May 5, 1991F025 mi0.2 mi0 / 0
Aug 29, 1981F019 mi0.2 mi0 / 0

The strongest 12 of 12, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.

How to read this page

A storm is listed when the centre of its track passed within 75 miles of Rio Grande City while it was at least a tropical storm, which is the reach of damaging wind and rain for a typical hurricane. Being on the list does not mean the city took a direct hit; the "closest" column says how near the centre came. Tornadoes are counted when any part of the path came within 25 miles.

Tornado records before the 1990s are thinner, because weak tornadoes in open country often went unreported before Doppler radar and mobile phones. A rise in the decade counts is mostly better reporting, not a change in the weather.

Tracks come from the National Hurricane Center's HURDAT2 database, tornadoes from the Storm Prediction Center's database. Both are the official federal records and both are revised as old storms are re-analysed.

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