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Claude, Texas

8 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1954 and the latest in 1986. It stands in the Claude South census division. It lies in ZIP code area 79019. The Survey maps it on the Claude quadrangle. 1,186 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 3,406 feet above sea level.

Claude within Armstrong County

On record in Claude

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

Surveyed buildings and structures 1 record

Population over time

2 figures

Claude fell from 1,196 to 1,186 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

YearPeople Change
20101,196
20201,186-10 (-1%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

5 surveys from 8 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

Photographs

1 photograph,

Taken for the Office of War Information and the Farm Security Administration, who photographed the country between 1935 and 1944. Works of United States government photographers, with no known restriction on use. Each opens its catalogue record.

"J. A. " Milk & Meat Cooler, National Ranching Heritage Center (moved from TX Route 207 & Farm Road 2272, Claude, Armstrong County, TX), Lubbock, Lubbock County, TX
"J. A. " Milk & Meat Cooler, National Ranching Heritage Center (moved from TX Route 207 & Farm Road 2272, Claude, Armstrong County, TX), Lubbock, Lubbock County, TX
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress

Fires near this place

48 since 2006

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 48 fires within 5 miles of Claude between 2006 and 2020, burning about 2,792 acres in total. 8 started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined13
Equipment and vehicle use8
Natural8
Smoking6
Railroad operations and maintenance5
Debris and open burning5
Power generation/transmission/distribution3

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
7 August 2012Smoking1.0 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceHWAY 287 & FM 1151
3 August 2011Natural1.0 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceHWAY 207 & CHARLIE RD.
29 August 2015Debris and open burning3.0 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceHWY 287 & CR 26
29 August 2007Natural1.0 acresTexas A & M Forest Servicenot named
20 August 2012Natural5.0 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceHWAY 207 & CHARLIE RD.
19 August 2019Missing data/not specified/undetermined1.0 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceARMSTRONG 1
18 August 2011Equipment and vehicle use3.0 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceFM 1151 & CO. RD. 17
17 August 2009Naturalunder an acreTexas A & M Forest ServiceCHARLIE RD. & CEMATARY RD.

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Armstrong County

Storms near this place

60 of 191 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Claude in 191 storm reports between 1993 and 2025: 131 hail, 43 thunderstorm wind, 5 tornado, 5 flash flood. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
July 1995HailClaude$100,000no account filed
March 2000Thunderstorm WindClaude$80,000Power lines were blown down and there was damage to some barns.
June 1994Thunderstorm WindClaude$50,000no account filed
August 1999Thunderstorm WindClaude$40,000An eighteen wheeler truck was blown off the road.
June 2002Thunderstorm WindClaude$35,000Cars were reported blown off the roads. Numerous trees and powerlines were also reported blown down.
March 2007Thunderstorm WindClaude$28,000Sheriff dispatch reported damage to the fire house and other buildings.
August 2006Thunderstorm WindClaude$21,000A wood frame barn seven feet tall...fifty feet long...and twenty feet wide was moved twenty feet by the high winds. The barn crushed two horse trailers...a small grain silo and a chain link fence.
June 2025HailClaude$20,000A supercell thunderstorm slowly moved through and south of Claude. It produced a swath of hail ranging from quarter size to grapefruit size. The largest hailstones that measured 3.5 inches and 4.25 inches occurred around ten miles south of Claude.
July 2002Thunderstorm WindClaude$20,000Damage was reported to the roofs of two barns.
June 2008Tornado (EF0)Claude$11,000Photographic evidence supported a landspout tornado in Claude. The tornado destroyed a carport and snapped an eight inch diameter tree two feet above the ground. Also...house windows were blown out. The tornado path length and path width were estimated.
April 2007Thunderstorm WindClaude$11,000At least eight irrigation pivots were damaged by the high winds. No injuries were reported.
March 2021FloodClaude$5,000Minor street flooding in the city of Claude. Some accumulating hail being reported as well. Lasted from about 1630 CST to 1800 CST.
September 2025Flash FloodClaude$3,000Highway 207 between Conway and Claude was closed due to three feet of water over the highway.
June 2012Thunderstorm WindClaude$250The Texas Department of Transportation reported that thunderstorm wind gusts blew down three inch diameter tree limbs from a pine tree. There were no reports of injuries or fatalities.
September 2025Thunderstorm WindClaude-A peak wind gust of 64mph was measured at the mesonet site located ten miles east-northeast of Palo Duro Canyon. This occurred at 901pm. The first severe wind gust of 60mph was measured at 8:58pm and the last severe wind gust of 59mph was measured at 9:03pm.
September 2024Thunderstorm WindClaude-A photo of a land spout was submitted via | social media. No damage was reported.
July 2022Thunderstorm WindClaude-First wind gust was 58 mph at 1817CDT. Peak wind gust of 71 mph was measured at 1825CDT. Last severe wind gust of 65 mph was measured at 1831CDT.
March 2021HailClaude-A severe thunderstorm dropped large hail from penny size to golf ball size hail across the city of Claude.
July 2021HailClaude-Reported mostly quarter size hail with a few stones as large as golf balls. It was also said that a cotton field two miles to the west was completely destroyed.
June 2020Thunderstorm WindClaude-The West Texas Mesonet station 12 miles southwest of Claude measured gusts in the 63 to 68 MPH range during this time period. The highest gust of 68 MPH occurred at 20:15.
September 2019FloodClaude-Two to four inches of water covered Highway 207 north of Claude. On Highway 287 in Claude the water spread from curb to curb but the road was still passable.
October 2019FloodClaude-Multiple roadways were reported as having water over them, including FM 1151 from 3 miles west of Claude to 2 miles east of Claude, State Highway 207 from 6 miles north of Claude to 3 miles south of Claude, and US Highway 287 through Claude, and a few streets in Claude.
May 2019HailClaude-Late report of quarter size hail.
May 2017HailClaude-Late report. Time estimated by radar.
August 2017Thunderstorm WindClaude-Just east of Claude on hwy 287 a couple of semi-trucks had jackknifed due to strong winds from a thunderstorm.
May 2016HailClaude-Quarter size hail was reported 2 miles south of Claude.
May 2016Thunderstorm WindClaude-A wind gust of 70 mph was estimated in Claude. No damage was reported.
July 2016HailClaude-On US Highway 287 east of Claude.
June 2015Thunderstorm WindClaude-The West Texas Mesonet site located 10 miles east-northeast of Palo Duro Canyon measured a wind gust of 59 mph.
June 2015HailClaude-Quarter size hail was reported 8 miles south of Claude.
May 2015HailClaude-Quarter size hail was reported in Claude. This was the second hail-producing storm of the day to impact the town of Claude.
May 2015HailClaude-Amateur radio operators reported quarter to ping pong ball size hail 5 miles west of Claude.
May 2015HailClaude-A member of the public reported quarter size hail 10 miles southwest of Claude.
May 2015HailClaude-Quarter size hail was reported 8 miles south of Claude.
May 2015HailClaude-A report of quarter size hail in Claude was relayed by broadcast media.
October 2014Thunderstorm WindClaude-Scattered thunderstorms developed across Armstrong County during the evening hours of the 12th. As a storm approached the Palo Duro Canyon (Armstrong County), the West Texas Mesonet site ten miles east-northeast of Palo Duro Canyon recorded a 65 mph downburst. After producing this downburst the storm continued to move eastward across the county.
June 2014HailClaude-A cluster of thunderstorms developed along a stalled frontal boundary during the early morning hours of the 6th. These thunderstorms quickly intensified while moving to the east. As the storms moved over the town of Claude (Armstrong County), the County Emergency Manager reported quarter size hail (1.00 inch) falling in downtown Claude (Armstrong County). After producing this hail the cluster of thunderstorms continued to move across the southern Texas Panhandle.
May 2014Flash FloodClaude-A series of heavy rain producing thunderstorms moved over the same area during the evening hours of the 21st. This training of storms and heavy rain led to flash flooding on State Road 207 south of the town of Claude (Armstrong County). This flash flooding was sufficient to completely cover the roadway. Thunderstorms diminished shortly before 8 PM CST and the flash flooding quickly dispersed. No injuries or fatalities were relayed in relation to this flash flooding.
May 2014Flash FloodClaude-A series of heavy rain producing thunderstorms moved over the same area during the evening hours of the 21st. This training of storms and heavy rain led to flash flooding on US Highway 287 east of the town of Claude (Armstrong County). This flash flooding was sufficient to completely submerge vehicle tires. Local law enforcement had to divert traffic from the highway. Thunderstorms diminished shortly before 8 PM CST and the flash flooding quickly dispersed. No injuries or fatalities were relayed in relation to this flash flooding.
June 2014HailClaude-A cluster of thunderstorms developed during the late night hours of the 7th. This line moved eastward across the southern Texas Panhandle. As the line neared the town of Claude (Armstrong County), a local broadcast reported observed nickel (0.88 inch) and quarter (1.00 inch) size hail 3 miles east-southeast of town. After producing this hail the cluster of storms continued moving eastward and transitioned to heavy rain production.
June 2014Thunderstorm WindClaude-A line of thunderstorms moved out of the Oklahoma Panhandle and into the Texas Panhandle during the late night hours of the 22nd. As the line neared the town of Claude (Gray County), the West Texas Mesonet site 12 miles southwest of Claude (Gray County) reported a 59 mph thunderstorm downburst gust. After producing this downburst gust the line continued to move to the south-southeast across the Texas Panhandle.
June 2013HailClaude-Discrete thunderstorms developed over the southern Texas Panhandle during the evening hours of the 16th. One of these thunderstorms developed over northern Carson County and moved to the south-southeast across the county. A trained storm spotter 6 miles east Claude (Carson County) reported golfball size hail (1.75 inches) as the thunderstorm moved overhead. The thunderstorm continued to move to the south-southeast across the county after producing this hail.
July 2013Heavy RainClaude-Scattered showers and thunderstorms developed across the southwestern Texas Panhandle during the evening hours of the 24th. These thunderstorms produced 1.65 inches of heavy rain 12 miles southwest of the city of Claude (Armstong County), as reported by the Claude West Texas Mesonet site. Scattered showers and thunderstorms persisted through the overnight hours and into the late morning hours of the 25th.
June 2013Heavy RainClaude-Training thunderstorm brought heavy rain to Armstrong County during the morning hours of the 19th. The KVII Schoolnet site at Claude High School (Armstrong County)reported a storm total of 1.00 inch.
June 2013Flash FloodClaude-Training thunderstorms brought heavy rain to Armstrong County during the morning hours of the 19th. This heavy rain produced flash flooding in the city of Claude (Armstrong County). Flood waters completely covered Highway 207 near the Hotel Road exit. No injuries or swift water rescues were reported in association with this flooding.
June 2013Flash FloodClaude-Training thunderstorms brought heavy rain to Armstrong County during the morning hours of the 19th. This heavy rain caused flash flooding in Claude (Carson County). Water covered intersections of Andrus Street and 5th as well as Goodnight Street and 2nd Street. No swift water rescues or injuries were reported in association with this flooding.
September 2013Heavy RainClaude-A broken line of thunderstorms moved across the Texas Panhandle during the evening hours of the 27th. This line of thunderstorms was able to tap into a highly moist atmosphere which allowed the production of heavy rain. The Armstrong County Sheriff's Office in Claude (Armstrong County) reported minor flooding of roads in Claude. The flooding persisted a few hours after precipitation had ended for the city, and no swift water rescues or stranded motorist were reported in association to this flooding. The KVII Schoolnet site at Claude High School (Armstrong County) recorded 2.88 inches of storm total accumulation.
August 2013HailClaude-A cluster of thunderstorms moved southward across the southern Texas Panhandle during the evening hours of the 14th. A trained storm spotter reported nickel size hail (0.88 inch) 1 mile west of Claude (Carson County). The thunderstorms continued moving southward after producing this hail.
August 2013Thunderstorm WindClaude-A cluster of thunderstorms moved southward across the southern Texas Panhandle during the evening hours of the 14th. A trained storm spotter reported a 60 mph gust 1 mile west of Claude (Armstrong County). The thunderstorms continued moving southward after producing this gust.
August 2013Heavy RainClaude-A cluster of thunderstorms produced a period of intense rainfall over Armstrong County during the evening hours of the 14th. These thunderstorms led to water collecting on U.S. Highway 287 in the town of Claude (Armstrong County). This minor flooding receded once the thunderstorm which produced the heavy rain moved south of the city.
August 2013HailClaude-A cluster of thunderstorms moved southward across the southern Texas Panhandle during the evening hours of the 14th. The Armstrong County Emergency Manager reported ping pong ball size hail (1.50 inch) near the town of Claude (Armstrong County). The thunderstorms continued moving southward after producing this hail.
December 2012Thunderstorm WindClaude-A 60 mph thunderstorm wind gust was estimated by law enforcement officers in Claude.
August 2012Thunderstorm WindClaude-The Armstrong County Emergency Manager estimated thunderstorm wind gusts just north of Claude, Texas, however there was no damage and no reports of injuries or fatalities.
August 2009Thunderstorm WindClaude-A National Weather Service employee estimated thunderstorm wind gusts of fifty-two knots in Claude.
August 2009Thunderstorm WindClaude-A National Weather Service employee estimated thunderstorm wind gusts of sixty-one knots in Claude.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindClaude-The strong thunderstorm wind gusts broke off eight inch diameter tree limbs.
March 2007HailClaude-Hail occurred on the west side of town.
April 2007Tornado (EF0)Claude-This tornado formed nine miles east northeast of Claude at 2035 CST and tracked north for a half mile before exiting Armstrong county at 2037 CST. The tornado continued in Carson county for about another ten miles before dissipating at 2110 CST. The tornado remained over open country in Armstrong county and no damage or injuries were reported. While the tornado was rated at EF0 in Armstrong county... it was rated an EF2 in Carson county.
April 2007HailClaude-Hail reported to be three inches deep.
April 2007Tornado (EF0)Claude-This tornado formed in extreme northeast Armstrong county at 2040 CST and remained over open country. No damage or injuries were reported.

Every storm recorded in Armstrong County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Malden3.3 miles8
Fairview9.5 miles8
Goodnight10.8 miles7
Washburn12.0 miles8
Paloduro22.4 miles8
Wayside24.1 miles9

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on ClaudeAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q979959The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 1354580. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.