Dryden, Texas

9 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1928 and the latest in 1985. It stands in the East Terrell census division. It lies in ZIP code area 78851. The Survey maps it on the Dryden quadrangle. It stands 2,110 feet above sea level.

Research this city

Dryden within Terrell County

Topographic sheets covering this place

6 surveys from 9 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.

1928 USGS Sanderson quadrangle1:125000
1954 USGS Fort Stockton quadrangle1:250000, 3 printings
1958 USGS Fort Stockton quadrangle1:250000
1968 USGS Dryden quadrangle1:24000
1973 USGS Fort Stockton quadrangle1:250000
1985 USGS Sanderson quadrangle1:100000, 2 printings

Fires near this place

1 since 2008

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 1 fire within 5 miles of Dryden in 2008, burning about 17 acres in total. 1 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
Natural	1

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

Date	Cause	Size	Reported by	Name on the report
27 May 2008	Natural	17 acres	Texas A & M Forest Service	RANDOLPH RANCH

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Shaw

Every fire recorded in Terrell County

Storms near this place

60 of 88 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Dryden in 88 storm reports between 1993 and 2025: 44 hail, 24 thunderstorm wind, 16 flash flood, 4 tornado. 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.

When	Event	Place named	Harm	What the report says
July 2004	Flash Flood	Dryden	$1,100,000	A large complex of thunderstorms erupted over southeastern Pecos County, northeastern Brewster County, and much of Terrell County during the pre-dawn hours Sunday. Terrell County received the heaviest rainfall, with KMAF 88D Doppler radar estimates that totaled seven to nine inches over rural portions of north-central Terrell County between 03:00 and 12:00 CST. Widespread and damaging flash flood conditions resulted across the west Texas Lower Trans Pecos. This heavy rainfall and its associated runoff produced flash flooding along Dry Creek and Independence Creek. Local officials reported that a wall of water that measured eighteen feet in height propagated down Dry Creek in the pre-dawn hours. The debris-filled flood waters severely damaged a bridge on State Highway 349 twenty-five miles north-northeast of Dryden. By midday an earthen and concrete embankment on the north end of the bridge was washed away, and the structure was cracked in several locations. Only a single concrete pillar and a thin layer of asphalt prevented a complete collapse. In addition to the extensive damage sustained to the bridge, large segments of State Highway 349 also were washed away between the intersection of Farm to Market Road 2400 and Dry Creek as water rushed through low lying areas and small tributaries. Stretches of pavement measuring 100 feet in length were stripped away. At 16:20 CST local officials reported more than three feet of water flowing over Big Canyon Bridge fifteen miles north of Dryden. Later reports indicated that the bridge did not sustain significant structural damage.Raging flood waters also deposited huge mounds of mud and gravel up to four feet deep over the highway. With a lull in thunderstorm activity during the mid afternoon, flash flooding along State Highway 349 generally receded by 15:00 CST. Road crews worked for days to remove the vast amount of debris and damage that resulted from the flood waters.
July 2004	Flash Flood	Dryden	$300,000	Flash flooding along Independence Creek inundated the intersection of State Highway 349 and Farm to Market Road 2400 in northern Terrell County. A local newspaper reported that flood waters stranded a pair of motorists at the intersection. Emergency crews from Iraan (Pecos County) responded and conducted swift water rescues to bring the couple to safety. Dangerous flash flood conditions along Independence Creek, Farm to Market Road 2400 and its intersection with State Highway 349 corresponded to a flood wave measured along the creek at the Chandler Ranch, several miles east-southeast of the intersection. At 09:45 CST a gauge registered a crest of eighteen feet. Independence Creek empties into the Pecos River on the northeast side of the Chandler Ranch property. The ranch headquarters suffered severe damage as a series of waves swept down the Pecos River and produced flash flooding of low lying areas. Following the rescue of stranded motorists, emergency officials closed Farm to Market Road 2400 and State Highway 349 south of Sheffield. Water along Farm to Market Road 2400 began to recede shortly after 18:00 CST. State Highway 349 remained closed for an extended period of time due to extensive damage along Dry Creek. Texas Department of Transportation crews worked for several days to remove large pieces of vegetation and other debris from the highways.
July 2004	Flash Flood	Dryden	$200,000	The first of two flash floods along the Pecos River in northeastern Terrell County occurred just before sunrise. Runoff from the Dry Creek flood that damaged State Highway 349 emptied into the Pecos River from the lower portion of Independence Creek. The Chandler Ranch headquarters, located in a flood plain adjacent to the merger of Independence Creek and the Pecos River, sustained serious damage. Ranch residents described a large "wall" of water that swept through the flood plain and inundated the headquarters. Large trees were uprooted by the currents. A swimming pool was destroyed by debris carried in the raging water. Several structures, including a permanent residence, were severely damaged. Damage to the headquarters was aggravated by a second significant flood wave that propagated down the Pecos and produced another round of flash flooding on the grounds late Sunday evening.
July 2004	Flash Flood	Dryden	$100,000	A second wave of convection developed over the Lower Trans Pecos region Sunday evening. The additional rain combined with the saturated conditions and standing water to quickly result in another round of flash flooding. The Chandler Ranch headquarters was impacted by a second large flood wave that propagated down the Pecos River and produced flash flooding. This event damaged several structures, including the foundation of a primary ranch residence which was cracked by the force of the flood waters. No injuries were reported.
March 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	Dryden	$75,000	Employees at the Terrell County Gas Plant reported winds up to 70 MPH. The winds knocked over a large storage vessel that weighed several tons. In addition, a service unit was also damaged.
October 2003	Flash Flood	Dryden	$25,000	A stretch of Farm to Market Road 2400 approximately 500 feet long was washed out near that highway's intersection with Highway 349.
June 2004	Hail	Dryden	$15,000	Tennis ball size hail was reported at the Terrell County Airport.
September 2023	Thunderstorm Wind	Dryden	$7,500	Two power poles were reported blown down in rural Terrell County. Time is estimated from radar. Wind speeds are estimated to be approximately 90 mph. Property damage cost is an estimation.
April 2009	Tornado (EF2)	Dryden	$5,000	Although a tornado was never reported during the time of issuance, later public reports and a NWS Storm Survey indicated in fact there was a tornado. Based on radar estimates, tornadic damage began sometime around 4 PM CST about 28 miles north of Dryden, TX. This is where a 30 gallon fiberglass tank was destroyed, in addition to another chemical tank. Pieces of the fiberglass tank were found downwind. A set of metal stairs that appeared to have been welded to the tank were also found downwind and were no longer attached to the tank. As the tornado tracked southeastward, its debris field of rocks, gravel and tree limbs stripped the paint off of a recently painted 300 gallon storage tank. The tornado continued on its path and weakened after stripping some cedar trees sometime around 404 PM CST. Please see the attached images for damage photos and a detailed image of the tornado's damage path.
June 1998	Thunderstorm Wind	Dryden	$5,000	A cell in the northern part of the line had damaging wind gusts that ripped doors off one house, blew belongings out into the yard, and took the roof off a barn.
February 2005	Hail	Dryden	$3,000	A rural resident of northeastern Terrell County encountered golfball to baseball size hail along Texas Highway 349 near Independence Creek.An isolated supercell thunderstorm initiated near a dryline and cold front triple point over southern Pecos County during the afternoon of the 23rd. This storm rapidly intensified as it moved east into northern Terrell County. Two independent reports of giant hail were received as the storm traversed rural portions of the county.
October 1998	Thunderstorm Wind	Dryden	$2,000	A large isolated thunderstorm developed in central Brewster Country and tracked NE into Terrell County where it knocked down power lines.
February 2005	Hail	Dryden	$1,000	The Texas Department of Transportation reported baseball size hail at the intersection of Farm to Market Road 2400 and Texas Highway 349.
June 1998	Thunderstorm Wind	Dryden	$1,000	Thunderstorm outflow winds clocked at 52 knots before power was knocked out at the airport. Also, a utility pole was knocked down about 3 miles north of the airport.
October 2014	Hail	Dryden	$500	A thunderstorm moved across Terrell County and produced golf ball hail in Dryden. The hail broke a window in a home. The cost of damage is a rough estimate.
July 1994	Hail	Dryden	$500	no account filed
May 1995	Thunderstorm Wind	Dryden	$200	Sixty mph wind and downed trees reported by co-op observer. Severe weather was widespread during the afternoon and evening of the 26th. The first storms (west of the Pecos River) were in cells, where some tornadoes were reported. As the organized convection moved eastward a line of severe thunderstorms formed. Strong downbursting winds and winds from bow echoes caused scattered damage up and down the line of storms. The farther the storms progressed eastward hail reports decreased but more strong winds and wind damage reports were received.
April 2025	Hail	Dryden	-	A report of golf ball size hail was received from mPING. Time is estimated from radar.
May 2024	Flash Flood	Dryden	-	Flash flooding was observed along State Highway 349 with multiple low water crossings impassable due to high water, especially along Independence Creek.
June 2023	Tornado (EF0)	Dryden	-	Delete this report.
June 2023	Tornado (EFU)	Dryden	-	Due to the rural location and lack of damage indicators, no damage was found and the tornado was rated an EF-Unkown. Photos and radar were used to estimate path length and time. The tornado continued for nearly 45 minutes before crossing the international border into Mexico where it likely continued on. Path width is also estimated.
May 2021	Hail	Dryden	-	A thunderstorm produced golf ball sized hail west of Dryden. The hail was measured by IBHS hail study researchers. The time of the hail was estimated from radar.
May 2021	Thunderstorm Wind	Dryden	-	A thunderstorm produced a 60 mph wind gust at the Dryden ASOS site.
September 2021	Thunderstorm Wind	Dryden	-	A thunderstorm moved across Terrell County and produced a 71 mph wind gust in Dryden.
June 2016	Flash Flood	Dryden	-	Heavy rain fell across Terrell County and produced flash flooding fifteen miles south of Sheffield. Six to twelve inches of water was reported running over State Highway 349 at Independence Creek. No damage was reported.
September 2016	Thunderstorm Wind	Dryden	-	A thunderstorm moved across Terrell County and produced a 59 mph wind gust at the Dryden AWOS site.
July 2016	Thunderstorm Wind	Dryden	-	A thunderstorm moved across Terrell County and produced a 58 mph wind gust at Dryden.
April 2015	Thunderstorm Wind	Dryden	-	A thunderstorm moved across Terrell County and produced a 68 mph wind gust at the Dryden ASOS site.
April 2015	Thunderstorm Wind	Dryden	-	A thunderstorm moved across Terrell County and produced a 68 mph wind gust at the Dryden ASOS site.
April 2013	Hail	Dryden	-	A thunderstorm moved over Terrell County and produced nickel sized hail ten miles southeast of Dryden.
April 2013	Thunderstorm Wind	Dryden	-	A thunderstorm moved over Terrell County and produced a 60 mph wind gust ten miles southeast of Dryden.
May 2012	Thunderstorm Wind	Dryden	-	A severe thunderstorm moved through Terrell County and produced 60 mph winds and nickel sized hail 27 miles northeast of Dryden. The power was knocked out at the Terrell Gas Plant due to the winds.
May 2012	Thunderstorm Wind	Dryden	-	A thunderstorm moved across Terrell County and produced a 61 mph wind gust at the Dryden ASOS.
April 2009	Hail	Dryden	-	The duration of the hail was estimated for this event.
April 2009	Hail	Dryden	-	The time and duration of the hail was estimated according to radar. The fire department arrived after the hail had fallen.
June 2007	Thunderstorm Wind	Dryden	-	The Automated Surface Observing Station at Dryden (K6R6) recorded a wind gust of 63 mph. No damage was reported.
August 2007	Thunderstorm Wind	Dryden	-	The Automated Surface Observing System at Dryden(K6R6) recorded a 58 mph wind gust. No damage was reported.
May 2006	Hail	Dryden	-	Golfball to softball size hail fell just north of the Terrell Gas Plant.
May 2006	Hail	Dryden	-	A NWS cooperative observer reported nickel to quarter size hail and 60 mph winds. A trucker at the intersection of Texas Highway 349 and Farm to Market Road 2400 reported golfball size hail covering the road.
May 2006	Thunderstorm Wind	Dryden	-	A NWS cooperative observer reported nickel to quarter size hail and 60 mph winds.
May 2005	Flash Flood	Dryden	-	Local residents reported debris from overnight flash flooding covering portions of Farm to Market Road 2400 in northern Terrell County. Large amounts of caliche, rocks, dirt, and other debris was deposited across the highway near several low water crossings. The event time is estimated based on radar.
June 2005	Hail	Dryden	-	Nickel size hail was reported at the Terrell County Airport.
June 2004	Hail	Dryden	-	An isolated supercell thunderstorm propagated south across Terrell County during the late afternoon of the 9th. The storm generally affected rural areas of the county, but a local rancher reported three quarter inch hail northwest of Dryden.
June 2004	Flash Flood	Dryden	-	Thunderstorms produced heavy rainfall over the northern parts of Terrell County during the morning of the 28th. Flash flooding was reported at the Terrell County Gas Plant where high water was observed flowing over Texas State Highway 349.
July 2004	Flash Flood	Dryden	-	Law enforcement officials reported high water flowing over Farm to Market Road 2400 in several locations across northern Terrell County.
July 2004	Flash Flood	Dryden	-	Flash flooding impeded operations at the Terrell County Gas Plant Sunday morning when employees became stranded due to water that flowed through the plant's secondary road network. At 06:00 CST plant workers reported a rainfall measurement of 4.50 inches. Heavy rain continued to fall at the plant through early afternoon.
July 2004	Flash Flood	Dryden	-	Workers at the Terrell County Gas Plant reported high water covering portions of State Highway 349 between Dryden and the gas plant.
August 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	Dryden	-	An isolated thunderstorm produced a severe wind gust that was measured by the Terrell County Airport ASOS during the early evening of the 27th.
November 2003	Flash Flood	Dryden	-	Law enforcement officials reported high water running across Farm to Market Road 2400 as a result of flash flooding.
April 2003	Hail	Dryden	-	An isolated supercell thunderstorm developed over central Terrell County and propagated south toward Dryden. The Terrell County S.O. relayed a report from a rancher north of Dryden of large hail. The rancher reported the ground covered with golfball size hail which fell for thirty minutes.
June 2003	Thunderstorm Wind	Dryden	-	Reported at the Terrell County Gas Plant.
November 2000	Hail	Dryden	-	The Sheffield County fire chief reported hail in northern portions of Terrell County along Highway 349.
March 1999	Hail	Dryden	-	This storm formed along an east-west frontal boundary in weak winds aloft and moved to the south at 5-10 mph. One inch hail was reported at the Terrell Gas Plant.
May 1999	Hail	Dryden	-	Hail fell on State Highway 349.
May 1999	Hail	Dryden	-	Storm that cross Highway 349 moved northeast to the Terrell Gas Plant.
May 1999	Hail	Dryden	-	Hail covered the ground at this location.
May 1999	Hail	Dryden	-	Hail fell near the intersection of State Highway 349 and Ranch Road 2400.
May 1999	Hail	Dryden	-	Same storm moved to the southeast to near the Pecos River. Had strong mid-level rotation on doppler radar. Storm then crossed the river out of the region.
May 1999	Hail	Dryden	-	Same location that was hit by the left-split storm two hours before.
May 1998	Hail	Dryden	-	The storms began to accelerate and moved eastward out of the county.

Every storm recorded in Terrell 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.

Place	Distance	Sheets
Shaw	5.9 miles	9
Mofeta	5.9 miles	9
Watkins (historical)	10.1 miles	8
Malvado	14.1 miles	8
Dryden Crossing	16.2 miles	10
Sanderson	16.3 miles	10
Casa de Peidras	16.9 miles	8
Lozier	17.3 miles	8

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 Dryden	An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q5309659	The 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 1334709. 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.