Sunray, Texas
6 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1954 and the latest in 1986. It stands in the Sunray census division. It lies in ZIP code area 79086. The Survey maps it on the Sunray quadrangle. 1,707 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 3,507 feet above sea level.
Population over time
2 figuresSunray fell from 1,926 to 1,707 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.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 1,926 | |
| 2020 | 1,707 | -219 (-11%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
4 surveys from 6 printed sheetsMatched 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.
- 1954 USGS Perryton quadrangle1:250000, 3 printings
- 1958 USGS Perryton quadrangle1:250000
- 1972 USGS Sunray quadrangle1:24000
- 1986 USGS Spearman quadrangle1:100000
Fires near this place
19 since 2006Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 19 fires within 5 miles of Sunray between 2006 and 2020, burning about 1,656 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 |
|---|---|
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 12 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 3 |
| Power generation/transmission/distribution | 1 |
| Debris and open burning | 1 |
| Natural | 1 |
| Railroad operations and maintenance | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 August 2019 | Power generation/transmission/distribution | under an acre | Texas A & M Forest Service | MAXUS ROAD FIRE |
| 4 July 2019 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Texas A & M Forest Service | CALICHE PIT |
| 12 July 2020 | Equipment and vehicle use | 1.0 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | ENERGY TRANSFER FLARE FIRE |
| 11 July 2020 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Texas A & M Forest Service | CALICHE PIT FIRE 2 |
| 21 June 2020 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | CALICHE PIT FIRE |
| 18 June 2011 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | CEMATARY RD |
| 20 May 2006 | Natural | 300 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | not named |
| 9 April 2006 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 20 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | not named |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Storms near this place
60 since 1993Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Sunray in 60 storm reports between 1993 and 2025: 44 hail, 10 thunderstorm wind, 5 tornado, 1 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.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sunray | $250,000 | A severe thunderstorm moved across portions of Moore County during the early morning hours of August 3, 2025. It produced significant, widespread damage to portions of the county from north of Dumas and especially across the town of Sunray. Based on pictures and radar imagery, it has been determined that this damage is attributed to straight line winds. The most significant damage occurred in Sunray. Here, numerous trees were snapped or uprooted. Several power poles were snapped, center pivots were flipped, a few light poles were bent at the base. The press box at the high school sports complex was destroyed. Other structure damage included destroyed|outbuildings and barns as well as roof damage to homes and businesses. Train|cars were laid on their side off a track between Cactus and Sunray. All of the damage was laid in a pattern that is indicative of straight line winds and no convergence of damage was noted. |
| June 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sunray | $100,000 | The Moore County Emergency Management Office reported that thunderstorm wind gusts resulted in considerable damage in the town of Sunray Texas in Moore County. An official National Weather Service Storm Survey confirmed that the damage was caused by a downburst. The damage was mainly on the north side of Sunray with some of the most serious damage being a metal roof which was blown off of a business and blown one block away into the street. Also, an empty mobile home was flipped and a large moving truck was tipped on its side. Other damage included several trees and tree limbs which were blown down as well as numerous power lines. Several windows were blown out in homes. |
| April 2007 | Tornado (EF1) | Sunray | $18,000 | This tornado formed four miles east of Sunray at 1936 CST and moved north exiting Moore county five miles east northeast of Sunray at 1939 CST. The tornado continued into Sherman county for about another six miles before dissipating at 1950 CST. Empty rail cars were overturned northeast of Sunray and a barn was destroyed along with roof damage to several hog barns. No injuries were reported. While in Moore county...the tornado was rated as EF1 but in Sherman county it was rated EF0. |
| April 2007 | Tornado (EF1) | Sunray | $8,000 | This tornado formed near the Valero McKee Refinery which is located about six miles southwest of Sunray at 1959 CST. The tornado was rated a strong EF1...with winds approaching one hundred and ten miles an hour. Damage was reported to double wooden power poles that were snapped near their bases. The tornado resulted in minor damage to the southeast side of the Valero property. No injuries were reported. |
| June 2010 | Hail | Sunray | $2,000 | The large hail came through the window of the vehicle which the storm chaser was driving and caused minor cuts to the driver. |
| May 2024 | Hail | Sunray | - | Quarter to half dollar size hail fell in Sunray. |
| August 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sunray | - | Spotters in Sunray confirmed wind gusts likely over 60 mph. |
| March 2017 | Hail | Sunray | - | Hail on FM 1060 and FM 1058 the size of half dollars. |
| May 2017 | Hail | Sunray | - | Dime size hail also reported. |
| April 2016 | Hail | Sunray | - | Ping pong ball size hail was reported just south of Sunray. Hail accumulation was reported on roadways. |
| August 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sunray | - | The KVII Schoolnet weather station located in Sunray measured a wind gust of 58 mph. |
| August 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sunray | - | Severe thunderstorm winds resulted in 9 power poles snapped near County Road 1060 and Highway 281. |
| August 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sunray | - | Severe thunderstorm winds resulted in 6 power poles being blown down approximately 2 to 3 miles south of Sunray on Highway 119. |
| June 2014 | Hail | Sunray | - | A discrete supercell developed over Moore County during the evening hours of the 6th. As this storm moved over the town of Sunray (Moore County), it went through a storm split and the left moving portion of the storm began moving southeastward. While this portion of the storm was over the town of Sunray (Moore County), a trained storm spotter reported golf ball size hail (1.75 inches) in town. After producing this hail the left moving supercell continued moving to the southeast across the county. |
| June 2014 | Hail | Sunray | - | A discrete supercell developed over Moore County during the evening hours of the 6th. As this storm moved over the town of Sunray (Moore County), it went through a storm split and the left moving portion of the storm began moving southeastward. While this portion of the storm was over the town of Sunray (Moore County), the Emergency Manager reported golf ball size hail (1.75 inches) 2 miles east of town. After producing this hail the left moving supercell continued moving to the southeast across the county. |
| June 2013 | Hail | Sunray | - | A cluster of thunderstorms developed along a stalling cold front during the evening hours of the 8th. This cluster of thunderstorms moved to the south across the northern Texas Panhandle. While over the city of Sunray (Moore County), the Moore County Sheriff's office reported golfball size hail (1.75 inches) in the city. The storm that produced this hail continued moving to the south across the county after producing this hail. |
| June 2013 | Hail | Sunray | - | A cluster of thunderstorms developed along a stalling cold front during the evening hours of the 8th. This cluster of thunderstorms moved to the south across the northern Texas Panhandle. The Moore County Sheriff's Office reported half dollar size hail (1.50 inches) 6 miles south of Sunray (Moore County). The storm that produced this hail continued moving to the south across the county after producing this hail. |
| June 2010 | Tornado (EF0) | Sunray | - | The cone tornado touched down at 1414 CST about eight miles south of Sunray Texas and remained over open country. No damage or injuries were reported. The Moore County Sheriff also witnessed the brief tornado in the same location. The tornado lifted around 1416 CST in about the same location. The tornado path length and path width were estimated. |
| April 2007 | Tornado (EF0) | Sunray | - | This tornado formed two miles southwest of Sunray at 1919 CST and then dissipated two miles west of Sunray at 1923 CST. The tornado remained over open country and the path length and path width were estimated. No damage or injuries were reported. |
| May 2003 | Tornado (F0) | Sunray | - | The tornado remained over open country. No damage or injuries were reported. |
| March 2001 | Hail | Sunray | - | Hail reported to have covered the ground to a depth of two inches. |
| July 1994 | Hail | Sunray | - | Nickel-size hail was reported by the Sheriff's Office. |
| June 2023 | Hail | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| April 2011 | Hail | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| May 2010 | Hail | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| May 2010 | Hail | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| June 2010 | Hail | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| June 2010 | Hail | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| June 2010 | Hail | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| June 2010 | Hail | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| June 2010 | Hail | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| June 2010 | Hail | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| June 2009 | Hail | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| June 2009 | Hail | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| June 2009 | Hail | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| May 2008 | Hail | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| April 2007 | Hail | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| May 2007 | Hail | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| April 2006 | Hail | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| June 2006 | Hail | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| May 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| June 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| June 2004 | Hail | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| May 2003 | Hail | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| May 2003 | Hail | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| May 2002 | Hail | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| May 2002 | Hail | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| May 2002 | Hail | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| May 2002 | Hail | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| August 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| March 2001 | Hail | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| May 2001 | Hail | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| May 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| June 1996 | Hail | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| June 1996 | Hail | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| June 1996 | Hail | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| July 1996 | Flash Flood | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| July 1995 | Hail | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| July 1995 | Hail | Sunray | - | no account filed |
| August 1993 | Hail | Sunray | - | no account filed |
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 | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sheerin Junction | 3.1 miles | 6 | |
| Sheerin | 4.4 miles | 6 | |
| Bryden | 6.9 miles | 6 | |
| Etter | 9.3 miles | 6 | |
| Cactus | 9.7 miles | 6 | |
| Capps Switch | 9.8 miles | 6 | |
| Machovec | 10.0 miles | 6 | |
| Dumas | 13.1 miles | 6 |
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 Sunray | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q982810 | 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 1369408. 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.



