Starr County, Texas
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1961 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
4
Tornado reports
82
Hail reports
60
Floods since 1996
575
All events
0
Deaths
$90.8M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Starr County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 4 in all. Zoom in and the paths widen to their surveyed width.
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Year by year
All storm eventsTornadoes
NOAA's storm database records tornadoes back to 1950 and hail and thunderstorm wind back to 1955, but floods only from 1996 on. Older floods are missing here. For those, the U.S. Geological Survey's stream gauge records and flood reports are the place to look.
Most significant events
The strongest tornadoes, deadliest events and biggest damage here, up to 50.
Hurricane Hanna weakened to a Tropical Storm as it moved into Hidalgo and Starr County before exiting the US into northwest Tamaulipas and northern Nuevo Leon, Mexico, during the post-daybreak hours of July 26th. Though weakening, the well-organized and large cyclone maintained t…
The Roma Fire Department reported that Arroyo Roma exceeded its banks, flooding parts of town with 1 to 3 feet of standing and flowing water during the pre-dawn hours of June 21st, 2018. The flooding was associated with the initiation of a thunderstorm system that would later cau…
Incredible rainfall estimated to be more than 50 inches in around 10 days' time between June 30th and July 9th across the front range and peaks of the Sierra Madre Oriental in Coahuila Province, Mexico, ultimately flowed through the entire Lower Rio Grande basin for much of the s…
The public reports extensive flooding is occurring in the city of Roma. Numerous streets are impassible. Local streams and arroyos are flowing and their banks are full.
A strong weather disturbance combined with abundant tropical moisture across the region to produce intense rainfall across Deep South Texas during the period. The heaviest rains fell across Brooks, Jim Hogg, Starr, Hidalgo, Cameron and Willacy counties. La Joya in western Hidalgo…
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
The hottest feels-like day in modern history occurred on June 18th across Starr County, as searing heat combined with remnant high humidity from early week's rain to produce extreme heat of 116F or higher for 8-10 hours. Peak values exceeded 120 for several hours in the mid to la…
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Torrential rain that was estimated by bias-corrected radar between 3 and 5 inches in 2 hours or less created localized flash flooding in and near Rio Grande City. A CoCoRaHS observer in La Lomita Colonia 3.5 miles northeast of Rio Grande City reported 3.65. Law enforcement report…
Hail Hail
The public reported hail up to 0.75 inches in diameter on Bluebird St in Roma, TX.
Drought Drought
Severe (D2) Drought persisted across a section of central Starr County through May 11th. Locally heavy rainfall late on May 8th and into May 9th was sufficient for a one-category improvement across the county, ending D2 conditions and replacing with Moderate (D1) conditions in th…
Drought Drought
Central and Northern Starr County was in Severe (D2) Drought during the April 14-20 timeframe, thanks to recent beneficial rainfall. A pocket of improvement to Moderate (D1) Drought developed on the 21st due to additional beneficial rains on the 18th, with up to 1.5-2 estimated i…
Drought Drought
D3 (Extreme Drought) conditions were present across north-central and northwestern Starr County from April 7-13. Finally, D2 (Severe Drought) conditions were present over southern and northeastern Starr County from April 7-13.
Drought Drought
D4 (Exceptional Drought) conditions persisted from April 1 to April 6 across northern Starr County. D3 (Extreme Drought) conditions persisted across central Starr County. D2 (Severe Drought) conditions persisted across southern Starr County.
Drought Drought
On March 7 into early March 8, torrential rain, accompanied by wind and hail, dropped between 2 and up to 4-5 inches along the Rio Grande from Roma to the Hidalgo County line. This allowed drought conditions to improve one category, from Extreme (D3) to Severe (D2) along and near…
The storm survey investigated an incident at a fuel service station on the east side of Rio Grande City. The gull canopy tipped over with bent columns at foundation. No other damage in area was noted, so wind speed at the site was estimated to be 65 to 70 mph. The canopy collapse…
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Torrential rains estimated up to 2.5' in 30 to 45 minutes in Roma filled up culverts near Arroyo Roma, and an estimated additional 1 to 2' following the supercell overflowed drainage, resulting in a flash flood in the hilly parts of the city. Flooding began around 1 AM CST, and p…
Hail Hail
Initial reports from law enforcement and other local sources were confirmed by an NWS survey, which discovered hailstones ranging from 1 (quarter) to 2.75 (baseball) sized in and around the area surveyed for wind-driven hail damage. Video/photo evidence provided by residence alon…
Hail Hail
A member of the U.S. military reported baseball size hail on the Rio Grande (River) just south of Escobares (9 miles west of Rio Grande City) in Starr County.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
An NWS Storm Survey conducted on March 8th found a track of wind damage from Roma High School to the east side of the city neighborhood grid. Average wind speed for all damage points was estimated at 65 mph, though the surveyed swath suggested 60 to 70 mph in the area. Damage inc…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Damaging winds, mainly to poorly built structures, combined with wind-driven hail (generally between 1 and 2.75 in diameter) caused widespread damage in the western side of Rio Grande City, from Zinnia St. near N. Alvarez Road to neighborhoods along and just south of Eisenhower R…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
As part of a storm survey in and near Rio Grande City, damage was assessed at and near the Starr County/Rio Grande City Regional Airport. Based on the damage, winds were estimated at 70 mph. Damage included: *Five large mesquite tree limbs blown down in a 100-yard diameter across…
Drought Drought
Extreme (D3) Drought covered all of Starr County on the 3rd, but continued very dry, warm to hot, and somewhat low humidity conditions allowed a sliver of Exceptional (D4) to nudge into a sliver of extreme northern portions of the county.
Drought Drought
Extreme (D3) Drought covered all of Starr County to begin March 2026.
Drought Drought
Extreme (D3) Drought covered all but the eastern sliver of Starr through eastern Zapata County through February 9th, with Severe (D2) Drought conditions in that sliver. D3 conditions expanded to all of Starr on the 10th, continuing through the end of the month as heat and dryness…
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Extreme Cold Warning Criteria (Wind chills at or below 20F) was reached in Starr County early on January 26th. Values bottomed out around 17F at Rancho Los Comitas near the Jim Hogg line, and at 19F in Rio Grande City. Duration was between 3 and 6 hours.
Frost/Freeze Frost/Freeze
Freezing temperatures (32F degrees or lower) occurred for 9:30 hours from midnight (12 AM) Monday January 26th to 9:30am CST Monday January 26th in Starr County. A Hard Freeze (temperatures at or below 27F degrees) occurred for 4:30 hours from 4 until 830am CST January 26th. Mini…
Drought Drought
By mid month, D3 (Extreme Drought) expanded eastward to include most of Starr County (with the exception of the extreme eastern part, which remained in Severe, or D2, Drought) as dryness intensified. D3 Drought would then go on to persist through the remainder of the month across…
Drought Drought
Severe (Level 2) Drought expanded to cover all of eastern Starr County on January 6th; the combination of Severe Drought across all but the northwest third of the county (Extreme, or Level 3) Drought would continue through mid-month.
Drought Drought
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, D2 (Severe Drought) to D3 (Extreme Drought) was seen over most of Starr County at the start of the month, with the eastern quarter of the county remaining at lower values of drought (D1, Moderate Drought) through January 5th.
Drought Drought
Extreme Drought entered northwestern and north-central Starr County on December 23, courtesy of a combination of mid-month drying fronts and zero to minimal rainfall during this time. The remainder of all but the eastern one-fifth of the county remained in Severe (D2) Drought, wi…
Drought Drought
Severe (D2) Drought would prevail across all but the eastern one-fifth of Starr County through December 22nd, as minimal rain fell across the area.
Drought Drought
Due to prolonged dryness and near-record heat from late summer through mid autumn, Severe (D2) Drought conditions developed across much of Starr County on November 11th, and would prevail through month's end. Only the eastern one-fifth of the county remained at Moderate (D1) cond…
Hail Hail
A ranch owner sent a video of estimated quarter size hail.
Hail Hail
There was an mPING report of golf ball size hail about 5.6 miles west-northwest of Rincon, or about 16.5 miles northeast of Rio Grande City.
Hail Hail
Pictures and video showed ping pong to golf ball size hail about 8.7 miles north-northeast of Rio Grande City.
Hail Hail
There was a social media report of 1.5 inch diameter hail in Fronton, Texas (Starr County).
Drought Drought
Due to the continued combination of dry and hot conditions with a strong sun angle and evaporation rates, Severe (D2) Drought continued across far northwestern Starr County to begin May. A band of thunderstorms with 1.5 to 2 inches (estimated) of rain on May 2nd covered much of n…
Drought Drought
Severe (D2) Drought continued from March through all of April across the northwestern fifth of Starr County, as very little rain fell during the month. Modest temperatures and wetting dew through mid-month were sufficient to keep conditions from worsening.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Texas Department of Transportation reported water of unknown depth was reported in an elementary school. Photos suggested the water depth was 2 feet outside the building, and up to 1 foot inside. Damage estimates were unknown at the time of this writing.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Two to three feet of water and flooding was reported on FM 755 in northeast Starr County near Santa Elena.
Drought Drought
The combination of humidity averaging 10-15 percent each afternoon for a week (March 9-17), occasional heat spikes, and gusty winds moved conditions into flash drought territory, and the drought monitor was adjusted to Extreme (D3) on the 18th for all but the eastern one-tenth of…
Drought Drought
Severe (D2) Drought spread to all of Starr County on March 11th, and continued through March 17th before worsening thereafter as the combination of heat, wind, very dry air, and increasing sun angle/evaporation rates contributed to the onset of a flash drought.
Drought Drought
Severe (D2) Drought conditions developed across the northwest tip of Starr County following weeks of very dry, breezy, and warmer than average temperatures. The drought would expand to cover all of the county on March 11th.
Cold/Wind Chill Cold/Wind Chill
Rancho Los Comitos AWOS recorded about 18 hours of wind chills at or below 30F degrees from 12:20am-11:45am on February 20th and from 4:00am to 10:25am on February 21st. Minimum wind chill temperatures between 24-27F degrees occurred on February 20th.
Frost/Freeze Frost/Freeze
Rancho Los Comitos AWOS recorded about 2 hours of freezing temperatures (temperatures at or below 32F degrees) from 7:25am-9:25am on February 20th.
Frost/Freeze Frost/Freeze
La Puerta recorded freezing temperatures (32F degrees or lower) for a total of 22 hours (9 hours on January 21 from 2:11am to 11:11am and then again for another 13 hours from 7:11pm on January 21 to 8:11am on January 22). A minimum temperature of 19F degrees occurred at 7:11am on…
Cold/Wind Chill Cold/Wind Chill
La Puerta recorded wind chill values at or below 30F degrees for 15 hours (from 11:11pm January 20 to 2:11pm January 21). A minimum wind chill value of 25F degrees occurred between 2:11am to 5:11am on January 21. Rancho Los Comitos recorded wind chill values at or below 30F degre…
Heat Heat
The Remote Automated Weather Station (RAWS) site at La Puerta, 5.65 miles east of Rio Grande City, reported an estimated 2.5 hours of heat index of 111 to 112F. Rancho Las Comitas, along the Starr/Jim Hogg County line, fell just shy of 111 (107 to 110) during the same window. Not…
Heat Heat
Rancho Los Comitos (Texas Mesonet) recorded max heat indices between 112-116F for 6 hours, from 1:00-7:00 PM CDT on June 5, 2024.
Heat Heat
Rancho Los Comitos (Texas Mesonet) recorded max heat indices between 111-116F for 6 hours, from 12:55-5:20 PM CDT on June 5, 2024.
Heat Heat
Ranchos Los Comitos recorded max heat indices between 111-113F for 3 hours, from 3:00-6:00 PM CDT on June 3, 2024.
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 23 | 0 |
| 2025 | 18 | 0 |
| 2024 | 19 | 0 |
| 2023 | 60 | 0 |
| 2022 | 29 | 0 |
| 2021 | 33 | 0 |
| 2020 | 27 | 0 |
| 2019 | 10 | 0 |
| 2018 | 9 | 0 |
| 2017 | 12 | 0 |
| 2016 | 8 | 0 |
| 2015 | 9 | 0 |
| 2014 | 20 | 0 |
| 2013 | 29 | 0 |
| 2012 | 26 | 0 |
| 2011 | 32 | 0 |
| 2010 | 11 | 0 |
| 2009 | 25 | 1 |
| 2008 | 34 | 0 |
| 2007 | 19 | 0 |
| 2006 | 2 | 0 |
| 2005 | 5 | 0 |
| 2004 | 8 | 1 |
| 2003 | 7 | 0 |
| 2002 | 17 | 0 |
| 2001 | 14 | 0 |
| 2000 | 15 | 0 |
| 1999 | 2 | 0 |
| 1998 | 8 | 0 |
| 1997 | 12 | 0 |
| 1996 | 6 | 0 |
| 1995 | 1 | 0 |
| 1993 | 3 | 0 |
| 1992 | 2 | 0 |
| 1991 | 6 | 1 |
| 1989 | 1 | 0 |
| 1986 | 1 | 0 |
| 1985 | 1 | 0 |
| 1983 | 1 | 1 |
| 1979 | 1 | 0 |
| 1976 | 2 | 0 |
| 1973 | 1 | 0 |
| 1971 | 1 | 0 |
| 1969 | 1 | 0 |
| 1968 | 2 | 0 |
| 1961 | 2 | 0 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Starr County, measured to its path.
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