Atascosa County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Atascosa County, Texas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 61% of US counties. It ranks 106th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and drought. FEMA estimates about $14 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $284 per resident. Since 1967 it has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (11 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2026 (flooding). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (139 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $516,000 on 36 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Atascosa County
- Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
- Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
- Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
- Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 61.0 | $6M | ||
| Tornado | 82.0 | $3M | ||
| Drought | 92.3 | $1M | ||
| Heat wave | 80.5 | $995K | ||
| Hail | 87.7 | $934K | ||
| Cold wave | 46.7 | $535K | ||
| Lightning | 79.8 | $460K | ||
| Strong wind | 51.4 | $369K | ||
| Hurricane | 66.8 | $278K | ||
| Wildfire | 74.8 | $166K | ||
| Winter weather | 55.6 | $50K | ||
| Ice storm | 36.4 | $28K | ||
| Earthquake | 18.4 | $15K | ||
| Landslide | 8.4 | $13 |
Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is very high and community resilience is very low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Atascosa County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 19
Texas also had 106 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1963
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 281 storm reports in Atascosa County since 1963, with 0 deaths and 2 injuries and about $4 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F1 tornado on May 15, 1980.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 15, 1980 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 25, 1998 | F1 | Lytle | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 11, 1992 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 6, 1972 | F1 | – | 1 / 0 |
| May 6, 1972 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 19, 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lytle | $600K |
| May 15, 1980 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Apr 7, 2002 | Flash Flood | North Portion | $250K |
| Mar 29, 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Jourdanton | $250K |
| Oct 18, 1998 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $150K |
| Sep 8, 2002 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $150K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through May 26, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Hurricane risk by county ›Since 1851, 3 hurricanes and 13 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Atascosa County, 6 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1886, with top winds near 115 mph about 58 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 20, 1886 | Unnamed | Category 3, 115 mph | 58 mi |
| Aug 4, 1970 | Celia | Category 2, 105 mph | 57 mi |
| Aug 30, 1942 | Unnamed | Category 1, 90 mph | 53 mi |
| Jul 25, 1934 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 62 mi |
| Jun 29, 1929 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 55 mi |
| Jul 15, 2003 | Claudette | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 64 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 26, 2017 | Harvey | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 65 mi |
| Sep 7, 2010 | Hermine | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 46 mi |
| Jul 15, 2003 | Claudette | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 64 mi |
| Jul 31, 1978 | Amelia | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 65 mi |
| Aug 4, 1970 | Celia | Category 2, 105 mph | 57 mi |
| Jun 24, 1960 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 61 mi |
Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.
Flood insurance in Atascosa County
Check your address flood zone ›National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.
Homes in Atascosa County
Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 19,214 housing units.
Compare in Texas
All 254 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Harris County | Inland flooding | |
| Dallas County | Inland flooding | |
| Tarrant County | Inland flooding | |
| Bexar County | Inland flooding | |
| Travis County | Inland flooding | |
| Collin County | Tornado | |
| Denton County | Tornado | |
| Hidalgo County | Hurricane |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Bexar County | 30 | |
| Wilson County | 16 | |
| Medina County | 18 | |
| Frio County | 17 | |
| Karnes County | 14 | |
| Live Oak County | 22 | |
| La Salle County | 17 | |
| McMullen County | 15 |
Common questions about Atascosa County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Atascosa County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Atascosa County, about $6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $2.8 million.
How many federal disasters has Atascosa County had?
Atascosa County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1967, including 11 major disasters. The most recent was Flooding in July 2026.
Is Atascosa County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 106th highest of 254 in Texas. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.
Do I need flood insurance in Atascosa County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 143 homes in Atascosa County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.
How many tornadoes has Atascosa County had?
NOAA records list 16 tornadoes in Atascosa County since 1950. The strongest was an F1 tornado on May 15, 1980. The weather service has also logged 110 hail reports and 78 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Atascosa County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 3 hurricanes and 13 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Atascosa County, including 1 major hurricane (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1886, with winds near 115 mph.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.