Skip to content

NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database

Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Van Vleck, 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

60 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Van Vleck, Texas since 1851, 27 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Beryl in 2024. Since 1950, 99 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 1 of them rated EF3 or stronger.

Hurricanes
27

within 75 mi, since 1851

Tropical storms
33

below hurricane strength

Tornadoes
99

within 25 mi, since 1950

EF3 or stronger
1

no recorded deaths

What the records show for Van Vleck

The strongest storm to pass near Van Vleck was an unnamed storm in 1900, a Category 3 hurricane with 123 mph winds when its centre passed 37 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1921, whose centre came within 3 miles. The record near Van Vleck begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Beryl in 2024, a Category 1 hurricane 7 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1940s, with 7 systems, 4 of them at hurricane strength. Of the 60 systems, 12 have come since 2000. Van Vleck has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 98% of the 753 Texas cities on this site. The strongest of the 99 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F3 on April 11, 1969; its path came within 22 miles. Of the 99, 5 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 38 have come since 2000. June and September have had the most tornadoes, 15 each. The most recent tornado was on June 12, 2025. Of the 753 Texas cities, 55% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Van Vleck. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 17 times since 1981, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Of the 753 Texas cities, 96% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Van Vleck.

Compare Van Vleck's storm record with another city →

Tropical storms and hurricanes near Van Vleck

Tropical systems that passed within 75 miles of Van Vleck, Texas, newest first
YearStormClosestStrength when closestPeak
2024BerylJul 87 miCategory 1 (85 mph)Category 5
2021NicholasSep 1418 miTropical storm (71 mph)Category 1
2020BetaSep 2252 miTropical storm (47 mph)Tropical storm
2019ImeldaSep 1729 miTropical storm (44 mph)Tropical storm
2017HarveyAug 2841 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 4
2015BillJun 1659 miTropical storm (49 mph)Tropical storm
2008IkeSep 1373 miCategory 2 (107 mph)Category 4
2007HumbertoSep 1268 miTropical storm (61 mph)Category 1
2003GraceAug 3146 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
2003ClaudetteJul 1551 miCategory 1 (90 mph)Category 1
2002FaySep 743 miTropical storm (53 mph)Tropical storm
2001AllisonJun 536 miTropical storm (52 mph)Tropical storm
1995DeanJul 3137 miTropical storm (43 mph)Tropical storm
1989JerryOct 1654 miCategory 1 (86 mph)Category 1
1989AllisonJun 2612 miTropical storm (51 mph)Tropical storm
1983AliciaAug 1844 miCategory 2 (106 mph)Category 3
1980DanielleSep 620 miTropical storm (41 mph)Tropical storm
1979ElenaSep 137 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1973DeliaSep 515 miTropical storm (63 mph)Category 1
1971FernSep 1044 miCategory 1 (86 mph)Category 1
1970FeliceSep 1664 miTropical storm (47 mph)Tropical storm
1964AbbyAug 716 miTropical storm (62 mph)Tropical storm
1961CarlaSep 1154 miCategory 3 (122 mph)Category 4
1959DebraJul 2542 miCategory 1 (85 mph)Category 1
1949Unnamed 1949 stormOct 418 miCategory 2 (109 mph)Category 2
1947Unnamed 1947 stormAug 2546 miTropical storm (59 mph)Category 1
1945Unnamed 1945 stormAug 2811 miCategory 1 (83 mph)Category 3
1943Unnamed 1943 stormJul 2862 miTropical storm (66 mph)Category 2
1942Unnamed 1942 stormAug 3066 miCategory 3 (114 mph)Category 3
1941Unnamed 1941 stormSep 2418 miCategory 2 (97 mph)Category 3
1940Unnamed 1940 stormSep 2356 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
1938Unnamed 1938 stormOct 1747 miTropical storm (39 mph)Tropical storm
1934Unnamed 1934 stormAug 2843 miCategory 1 (81 mph)Category 1
1934Unnamed 1934 stormJul 2570 miCategory 1 (86 mph)Category 1
1933Unnamed 1933 stormJul 2314 miTropical storm (39 mph)Tropical storm
1932Unnamed 1932 stormAug 1419 miCategory 2 (106 mph)Category 4
1929Unnamed 1929 stormJun 2859 miCategory 1 (90 mph)Category 1
1921Unnamed 1921 stormJun 223 miCategory 1 (75 mph)Category 1
1915Unnamed 1915 stormAug 1734 miCategory 2 (102 mph)Category 4
1909Unnamed 1909 stormJul 215 miCategory 1 (93 mph)Category 3
1901Unnamed 1901 stormJul 1029 miTropical storm (48 mph)Tropical storm
1900Unnamed 1900 stormSep 937 miCategory 3 (123 mph)Category 4
1899Unnamed 1899 stormJun 2748 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1898Unnamed 1898 stormSep 2869 miTropical storm (58 mph)Tropical storm
1895Unnamed 1895 stormOct 753 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1891Unnamed 1891 stormJul 527 miCategory 1 (87 mph)Category 1
1888Unnamed 1888 stormJul 518 miTropical storm (53 mph)Tropical storm
1888Unnamed 1888 stormJun 177 miTropical storm (60 mph)Category 1
1886Unnamed 1886 stormJun 1468 miCategory 1 (83 mph)Category 2
1880Unnamed 1880 stormJun 2413 miTropical storm (43 mph)Tropical storm
1875Unnamed 1875 stormSep 1765 miTropical storm (62 mph)Category 3
1874Unnamed 1874 stormJul 441 miTropical storm (56 mph)Tropical storm
1871Unnamed 1871 stormJun 955 miTropical storm (58 mph)Tropical storm
1871Unnamed 1871 stormJun 441 miTropical storm (52 mph)Tropical storm
1869Unnamed 1869 stormAug 1773 miCategory 2 (104 mph)Category 2
1867Unnamed 1867 stormOct 372 miCategory 2 (104 mph)Category 2
1866Unnamed 1866 stormJul 1537 miCategory 2 (104 mph)Category 2
1863Unnamed 1863 stormSep 2933 miTropical storm (69 mph)Tropical storm
1854Unnamed 1854 stormSep 195 miCategory 1 (86 mph)Category 2
1851Unnamed 1851 stormJun 2571 miCategory 1 (92 mph)Category 1

Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Van Vleck: 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 Van Vleck

By decade

  • 2020s4
  • 2010s10
  • 2000s24
  • 1990s18
  • 1980s7
  • 1970s13
  • 1960s17(1 EF3+)
  • 1950s6
Strongest tornadoes near Van Vleck, Texas
DateRatingDistancePathKilled / injured
Apr 11, 1969F322 mi2 mi0 / 13
Mar 20, 1972F223 mi0.5 mi0 / 0
Oct 23, 1970F218 mi1.5 mi0 / 0
Oct 23, 1970F219 mi1.2 mi0 / 0
Apr 14, 1966F222 mi1 mi0 / 0
Jun 15, 1964F222 mi1.5 mi0 / 0
Sep 11, 1961F23 mi0.4 mi0 / 0
May 23, 1955F223 mi0.5 mi0 / 0
Dec 2, 1953F214 mi1.5 mi0 / 0
Jun 12, 2025EF123 mi1.65 mi0 / 0
Dec 26, 2024EF124 mi0.51 mi0 / 0
Aug 25, 2017EF123 mi2.18 mi0 / 0

The strongest 12 of 99, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.

Hail in Van Vleck

The Storm Prediction Center has 17 hail reports within 10 miles of Van Vleck since 1981, made on 14 separate days. Of these, 10 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 3 days, most recently May 14, 2006. The most recent report is from May 9, 2019. May has the most reports, 8.

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.

Weather by month in Van Vleck

The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Bay City Wtr Wks, TX, 6 miles southwest of Van Vleck at 52 feet. August is the warmest, with an average high of 91°F and low of 73°F; January is the coolest, at 63°F and 43°F. September is the wettest at 5.8 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 2.5 inches; the year adds up to 49.0 inches over 62 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 58% of the year's precipitation (28.5 of 49.0 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 60 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (19); a normal September there has highs of 88°F and 5.8 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 88 days a year, almost all from May to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 7 nights a year. That 49.0 inches is more than at 261 of the 312 Texas stations used on this site (84%). Sweeny, 11 miles east, has its own station (Angleton Brazoria Airport, TX): 45.8 inches a year, 3.2 less than here, and an August average high of 93°F against 91°F.

Water temperature at the NOAA tide station Matagorda City, TX, 23 miles south, averaged 89°F in August and 57°F in January over 2021–2025. It averaged 80°F or warmer from May to September. Sea level at the Freeport Harbor tide gauge, 37 miles from Van Vleck, has risen 1.38 ± 0.12 inches per decade from 1972 to 2025, NOAA's linear trend; at that pace it is 13.8 inches in a hundred years. That is faster than at 82 of the 144 U.S. gauges with a NOAA trend.

Monthly climate normals 1991–2020 at Bay City Wtr Wks, TX
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. inDays ≥ 0.1"Water °F
Jan63433.8657
Feb67472.5458
Mar72533.0468
Apr78593.2374
May84664.4581
Jun89725.7687
Jul91734.5688
Aug91734.3689
Sep88695.8785
Oct81604.2578
Nov72514.0569
Dec65453.6663
Year785949.06275

Averages for 1991–2020 at Bay City Wtr Wks, TX (52 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals; water temperature: average of hourly readings 2021–2025 at the NOAA tide station Matagorda City, 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.

Texas weather by month, station by station →

Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near Van Vleck

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 16 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Van Vleck: 14 thunderstorm wind reports and 2 flash floods. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $225,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 69 mph, on April 21, 2006.

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 Van Vleck's ZIP code 77482 have filed 85 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1979, and were paid $3.1 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Hurricane Harvey in 2017: 35 claims (41% of all) and $2.3 million, then Flooding in 2002 with 31. 80% 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, 215 have fewer than Van Vleck.

Flood insurance claims in Van Vleck by named event
EventClaimsPaid
Hurricane Harvey201735$2.3 million
Flooding200231$457,000

Matagorda County, which includes Van Vleck, has been named in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1967, 19 of them major disasters (by incident: 14 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 Matagorda County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for hurricanes; Relatively Moderate for coastal flooding and lightning; Relatively Low for tornadoes, hail, inland flooding, strong wind and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $33.3 million a year, the 54th highest of 254 Texas counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $20.1 million (60%), 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).

Van Vleck in the notable storm records: Tropical Storm Allison (2001)

What counts as a pass, the distances and the sources: how this storm history is built.

Cities near Van Vleck