NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Seadrift, 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
49 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Seadrift, Texas since 1851, 24 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Beryl in 2024. Since 1950, 54 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 1 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 24
- Tropical storms
- 25
- Tornadoes
- 54
- EF3 or stronger
- 1
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
no recorded deaths
What the records show for Seadrift
The strongest storm to pass near Seadrift was an unnamed storm in 1886, a Category 4 hurricane with 145 mph winds when its centre passed 20 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1942, whose centre came within 1 mile. The record near Seadrift begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Beryl in 2024, a Category 1 hurricane 45 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1880s, with 6 systems, 2 of them at hurricane strength. Of the 49 systems, 8 have come since 2000. Seadrift has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 97% of the 753 Texas cities on this site. The strongest of the 54 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F3 on November 5, 1968; its path came within 22 miles. Of the 54, 3 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 18 have come since 2000. May has had the most tornadoes, 13. The most recent tornado was on May 13, 2024. Of the 753 Texas cities, 86% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Seadrift. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 17 times since 1966, with stones up to 2.5 inches (tennis ball size). Of the 753 Texas cities, 96% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Seadrift.
Compare Seadrift's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Seadrift
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | BerylJul 8 | 45 mi | Category 1 (91 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2021 | NicholasSep 14 | 41 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2020 | BetaSep 22 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2019 | ImeldaSep 17 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2017 | HarveyAug 28 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2015 | BillJun 16 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2003 | ClaudetteJul 15 | 7 mi | Category 1 (85 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2002 | FaySep 7 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1998 | FrancesSep 11 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1998 | CharleyAug 22 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1989 | AllisonJun 26 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1980 | DanielleSep 6 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1979 | ElenaSep 1 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1973 | DeliaSep 5 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1971 | FernSep 10 | 16 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1970 | CeliaAug 3 | 48 mi | Category 4 (137 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1968 | CandyJun 24 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1964 | AbbyAug 8 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1961 | CarlaSep 11 | 11 mi | Category 4 (130 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | Unnamed 1960 stormJun 24 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1958 | EllaSep 6 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormOct 4 | 67 mi | Category 2 (109 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormAug 27 | 10 mi | Category 3 (112 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1942 | Unnamed 1942 stormAug 30 | 1 mi | Category 3 (112 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormSep 23 | 71 mi | Category 3 (127 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1936 | Unnamed 1936 stormJun 27 | 39 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormJul 25 | 22 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormJul 23 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormJun 28 | 6 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1921 | Unnamed 1921 stormJun 22 | 49 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormOct 17 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1909 | Unnamed 1909 stormJul 21 | 62 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 27 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormJul 10 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1891 | Unnamed 1891 stormJul 5 | 69 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormJul 5 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormJun 17 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormSep 24 | 43 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormAug 20 | 20 mi | Category 4 (145 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormAug 13 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormJun 24 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1875 | Unnamed 1875 stormSep 17 | 36 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormJul 4 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1869 | Unnamed 1869 stormAug 17 | 21 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1867 | Unnamed 1867 stormOct 3 | 72 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1866 | Unnamed 1866 stormJul 15 | 9 mi | Category 1 (93 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1863 | Unnamed 1863 stormSep 29 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1854 | Unnamed 1854 stormSep 19 | 66 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormJun 25 | 15 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 1 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Seadrift: 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 Seadrift
By decade
- 2020s1
- 2010s8
- 2000s9
- 1990s12
- 1980s1
- 1970s12
- 1960s9(1 EF3+)
- 1950s2
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 5, 1968 | F3 | 22 mi | 14.4 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Oct 29, 1972 | F2 | 9 mi | 10.8 mi | 0 / 2 |
| May 7, 1972 | F2 | 16 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Aug 3, 1970 | F2 | 18 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 20, 1967 | F2 | 2 mi | 15.4 mi | 0 / 1 |
| May 18, 1965 | F2 | 24 mi | 11.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 2, 1961 | F2 | 16 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 13, 2024 | EF1 | 17 mi | 13.6 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 29, 2018 | EF1 | 1 mi | 0.4 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 16, 2006 | F1 | 14 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 20, 2004 | F1 | 24 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 13, 1982 | F1 | 16 mi | 0.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 54, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Seadrift
The Storm Prediction Center has 17 hail reports within 10 miles of Seadrift since 1966, made on 14 separate days. Of these, 11 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.5 inches (tennis ball size), fell on April 22, 2015. The most recent report is from May 28, 2020. April has the most reports, 8.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Seadrift
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Aransas Wr, TX, 9 miles southwest of Seadrift at 15 feet. August is the warmest, with an average high of 90°F and low of 77°F; January is the coolest, at 64°F and 44°F. September is the wettest at 5.4 inches of precipitation on average and April the driest at 1.9 inches; the year adds up to 41.0 inches over 49 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 58% of the year's precipitation (23.6 of 41.0 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 49 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (16); a normal September there has highs of 87°F and 5.4 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 60 days a year, almost all from June to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 6 nights a year. That 41.0 inches is more than at 220 of the 312 Texas stations used on this site (71%). Port Lavaca, 14 miles north, has its own station (Pt Comfort, TX): 41.5 inches a year, 0.5 more than here, and an August average high of 92°F against 90°F.
Water temperature at the NOAA tide station Seadrift, TX, under a mile west, averaged 88°F in August and 58°F in January over 2021–2025. It averaged 80°F or warmer from May to September. Sea level at the Rockport tide gauge, 34 miles from Seadrift, has risen 2.38 ± 0.09 inches per decade from 1937 to 2025, NOAA's linear trend; at that pace it is 23.8 inches in a hundred years. That is faster than at 132 of the 144 U.S. gauges with a NOAA trend.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Water °F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 64 | 44 | 3.1 | 5 | 58 |
| Feb | 66 | 49 | 2.3 | 4 | 60 |
| Mar | 72 | 55 | 3.3 | 3 | 69 |
| Apr | 77 | 63 | 1.9 | 3 | 75 |
| May | 82 | 71 | 4.2 | 4 | 82 |
| Jun | 88 | 76 | 3.4 | 4 | 86 |
| Jul | 90 | 76 | 3.2 | 3 | 87 |
| Aug | 90 | 77 | 3.4 | 4 | 88 |
| Sep | 87 | 72 | 5.4 | 6 | 85 |
| Oct | 81 | 65 | 4.8 | 4 | 79 |
| Nov | 73 | 56 | 3.4 | 4 | 70 |
| Dec | 66 | 47 | 2.6 | 5 | 66 |
| Year | 78 | 63 | 41.0 | 49 | 75 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Aransas Wr, TX (15 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals; water temperature: average of hourly readings 2021–2025 at the NOAA tide station Seadrift, TX, from NOAA Tides & Currents. 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 Seadrift
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 15 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Seadrift: 11 thunderstorm wind reports, 2 floods, 1 flash flood and 1 heavy rain event. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $484,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 90 mph, on May 10, 2012.
May 10, 2012: thunderstorm wind 4 miles from the centre of Seadrift — $150,000 damage.
NWS: “NWS storm survey determined straight-line winds up to 90 mph struck a mobile home park on Lane Road east of Seadrift. One mobile home was flipped and destroyed.”
July 11, 2012: flood 7 miles from the centre of Seadrift — $110,000 damage.
NWS: “Roadways were closed due to flooding along Farm to Market Road 1090 northwest of Port Lavaca between Maxwell Ditch Road and Royal Road, and the bridges intersecting Oakglen Drive and Sweetwater Road near the Chocolate Bayou southwest of Port Lavaca.”
April 22, 2015: thunderstorm wind 9 miles from the centre of Seadrift — $100,000 damage.
NWS: “A metal garage was blown over. Large trees were blown down along with numerous power lines through much of the community of Austwell.”
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 Seadrift's ZIP code 77983 have filed 108 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1980, and were paid $909,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Hurricane Harvey in 2017: 65 claims (60% of all) and $684,000, then Hurricane Claudette in 2003 with 14. 94% 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, 231 have fewer than Seadrift.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Harvey2017 | 65 | $684,000 |
| Hurricane Claudette2003 | 14 | $120,000 |
Calhoun County, which includes Seadrift, has been named in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1967, 17 of them major disasters (by incident: 15 hurricanes, 5 floods, 3 fires, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Beryl, on July 9, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Calhoun County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for hurricanes and lightning; Relatively Low for tornadoes, inland flooding, coastal flooding and heat waves; Very Low for hail and strong wind. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $21.6 million a year, the 85th highest of 254 Texas counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $11.0 million (51%), is from hurricanes.
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 Seadrift
- Port Lavaca, TX14 mi
- Rockport, TX32 mi
- Refugio, TX34 mi
- Victoria, TX34 mi
- Inez, TX34 mi
- Palacios, TX37 mi
- Edna, TX39 mi
- Aransas Pass, TX44 mi
- Ganado, TX45 mi
- Port Aransas, TX47 mi
- Goliad, TX47 mi
- Ingleside, TX48 mi
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