NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Three Rivers, 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
26 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Three Rivers, Texas since 1851, 7 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Harvey in 2017. Since 1950, 44 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 1 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 7
- Tropical storms
- 19
- Tornadoes
- 44
- 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 Three Rivers
The strongest storm to pass near Three Rivers was an unnamed storm in 1886, a Category 2 hurricane with 106 mph winds when its centre passed 34 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was Celia in 1970, whose centre came within 17 miles. The record near Three Rivers begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Harvey in 2017, a tropical storm 53 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1910s, with 4 systems, 2 of them at hurricane strength. Of the 26 systems, 3 have come since 2000. Three Rivers has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 79% of the 753 Texas cities on this site. The strongest of the 44 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F3 on May 29, 1967; its path came within 6 miles. Of the 44, 6 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 15 have come since 2000. May has had the most tornadoes, 16. The most recent tornado was on June 12, 2025. Of the 753 Texas cities, 91% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Three Rivers. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 36 times since 1965, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Of the 753 Texas cities, 79% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Three Rivers.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Three Rivers
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | HarveyAug 26 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2010 | HermineSep 7 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2003 | ClaudetteJul 15 | overhead | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1999 | BretAug 23 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1998 | FrancesSep 11 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1998 | CharleyAug 22 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1978 | AmeliaJul 31 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1970 | CeliaAug 4 | 17 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1968 | CandyJun 24 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1964 | AbbyAug 8 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1960 | Unnamed 1960 stormJun 24 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1942 | Unnamed 1942 stormAug 30 | 45 mi | Category 1 (87 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1936 | Unnamed 1936 stormJun 28 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormJul 25 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormJun 29 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1919 | Unnamed 1919 stormSep 15 | 69 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormAug 19 | 61 mi | Category 1 (82 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1913 | Unnamed 1913 stormJun 28 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormOct 17 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 27 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormSep 24 | 47 mi | Category 1 (76 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormAug 20 | 34 mi | Category 2 (106 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1875 | Unnamed 1875 stormSep 17 | 53 mi | Category 1 (90 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1869 | Unnamed 1869 stormAug 17 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1866 | Unnamed 1866 stormJul 16 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormJun 26 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Three Rivers: 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 Three Rivers
By decade
- 2020s2
- 2010s9
- 2000s4
- 1990s6
- 1980s7
- 1970s3
- 1960s5(1 EF3+)
- 1950s8
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 29, 1967 | F3 | 6 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 18, 1965 | F2 | 11 mi | 1.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 1, 1964 | F2 | 12 mi | 6.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 10, 1959 | F2 | 12 mi | 13.8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 20, 1956 | F2 | 6 mi | 1.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 15, 2001 | F1 | 17 mi | 0.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 15, 2001 | F1 | 12 mi | 0.6 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 20, 1996 | F1 | 13 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 11, 1992 | F1 | 25 mi | 0.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 24, 1991 | F1 | 20 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 16, 1988 | F1 | 25 mi | 0.8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 13, 1982 | F1 | 10 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 44, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Three Rivers
The Storm Prediction Center has 36 hail reports within 10 miles of Three Rivers since 1965, made on 29 separate days. Of these, 20 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 6 days, most recently June 13, 2014. The most recent report is from February 3, 2024. May has the most reports, 15.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Three Rivers
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Choke Canyon Dam, TX, 5 miles west of Three Rivers at 230 feet. August is the warmest, with an average high of 97°F and low of 74°F; January is the coolest, at 64°F and 43°F. September is the wettest at 3.6 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 1.4 inches; the year adds up to 26.6 inches over 40 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 55% of the year's precipitation (14.6 of 26.6 inches); the other six months are drier. August has brought the most of the 26 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (9); a normal August there has highs of 97°F and 1.7 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 137 days a year, almost all from March to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 9 nights a year. That 26.6 inches is more than at 87 of the 312 Texas stations used on this site (28%). Beeville, 26 miles east, has its own station (Beeville 5 NE, TX): 32.1 inches a year, 5.5 more than here, and an August average high of 96°F against 97°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 64 | 43 | 1.5 | 3 |
| Feb | 68 | 47 | 1.4 | 3 |
| Mar | 75 | 53 | 2.4 | 3 |
| Apr | 81 | 59 | 2.0 | 3 |
| May | 88 | 67 | 3.0 | 4 |
| Jun | 93 | 73 | 2.7 | 4 |
| Jul | 95 | 74 | 2.8 | 4 |
| Aug | 97 | 74 | 1.7 | 2 |
| Sep | 91 | 70 | 3.6 | 5 |
| Oct | 84 | 62 | 2.3 | 4 |
| Nov | 73 | 52 | 1.5 | 3 |
| Dec | 65 | 45 | 1.7 | 3 |
| Year | 81 | 60 | 26.6 | 40 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Choke Canyon Dam, TX (230 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 Three Rivers
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 30 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Three Rivers: 14 thunderstorm wind reports, 10 flash floods, 4 floods, 1 heavy rain event and 1 lightning strike. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $392,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 70 mph, on March 20, 2012. May has had the most flash floods, 4 of 10. Of the 745 Texas cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 201 have had fewer than Three Rivers.
February 23, 2016: thunderstorm wind 3 miles from the centre of Three Rivers — $200,000 damage.
NWS: “Around a dozen power poles and several highway signs were blown down along Interstate 37 near Oakville. A few roofs were peeled back on buildings in Oakville.”
May 25, 2013: flash flood 2 miles from the centre of Three Rivers — $100,000 damage.
NWS: “Flooding forced evacuations of homes near Tipps Park just west of Three Rivers near Texas Highway 72.”
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
Live Oak County, which includes Three Rivers, has been named in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1967, 13 of them major disasters (by incident: 9 hurricanes, 4 fires, 4 floods, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding, on September 1, 2026. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Live Oak County a Very Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Low for hurricanes, tornadoes, hail and heat waves; Very Low for inland flooding, strong wind and lightning. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $7.3 million a year, the 169th highest of 254 Texas counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $2.0 million (28%), 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 Three Rivers
- George West, TX16 mi
- Beeville, TX26 mi
- Kenedy, TX28 mi
- Karnes City, TX32 mi
- Sandia, TX33 mi
- Falls City, TX34 mi
- Jourdanton, TX34 mi
- Skidmore, TX34 mi
- Mathis, TX34 mi
- Pleasanton, TX37 mi
- Orange Grove, TX37 mi
- Freer, TX45 mi
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