Bandera County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Bandera County, Texas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 67% of US counties. It ranks 88th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and hail. FEMA estimates about $17 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $818 per resident. Since 1978 it has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2026 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). About 1 in 50 homes here carry federal flood insurance (232 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $5.9 million on 218 claims here, including $3.8 million for floods in 2002.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Bandera 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.
- Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
- Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 79.3 | $12M | ||
| Tornado | 65.0 | $1M | ||
| Hail | 81.0 | $621K | ||
| Lightning | 84.4 | $597K | ||
| Wildfire | 86.7 | $554K | ||
| Strong wind | 61.6 | $507K | ||
| Drought | 68.9 | $326K | ||
| Cold wave | 29.5 | $265K | ||
| Heat wave | 40.1 | $153K | ||
| Winter weather | 69.3 | $83K | ||
| Hurricane | 46.6 | $35K | ||
| Earthquake | 9.5 | $6K | ||
| Ice storm | 10.3 | $4K | ||
| Landslide | 66.5 | $3K |
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 relatively low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Bandera County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 16
Texas also had 106 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1959
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 330 storm reports in Bandera County since 1959, with 7 deaths and 28 injuries and about $8.6 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F1 tornado on May 11, 1977.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 11, 1977 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 9, 1974 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 23, 1983 | F0 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 23, 1983 | F0 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 23, 1983 | F0 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 21, 1997 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $6M |
| Aug 16, 2007 | Flash Flood | Pipecreek | $1M |
| Apr 5, 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bandera | $550K |
| Jul 21, 2007 | Flash Flood | Medina | $100K |
| Apr 23, 2001 | Flash Flood | Vanderpool | $80K |
| Jul 23, 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Medina Lake | $80K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 16, 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, 2 hurricanes and 4 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Bandera County, 2 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1886, with top winds near 90 mph about 62 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 20, 1886 | Unnamed | Category 1, 90 mph | 62 mi |
| Aug 30, 1942 | Unnamed | Category 1, 80 mph | 62 mi |
| Jun 29, 1929 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 58 mi |
| Jun 26, 1851 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 61 mi |
| Sep 7, 2010 | Hermine | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 6, 1973 | Delia | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 62 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 7, 2010 | Hermine | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 6, 1973 | Delia | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 62 mi |
| Aug 30, 1942 | Unnamed | Category 1, 80 mph | 62 mi |
| Jun 29, 1929 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 58 mi |
| Aug 20, 1886 | Unnamed | Category 1, 90 mph | 62 mi |
| Jun 26, 1851 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 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 Bandera 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 Bandera 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; 11,585 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 | |
| Kerr County | 19 | |
| Medina County | 18 | |
| Kendall County | 22 | |
| Uvalde County | 19 | |
| Real County | 18 |
Common questions about Bandera County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Bandera County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Bandera County, about $12.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1.4 million.
How many federal disasters has Bandera County had?
Bandera County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1978, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in September 2026.
Is Bandera County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 88th 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 Bandera County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 50 homes in Bandera 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 Bandera County had?
NOAA records list 7 tornadoes in Bandera County since 1950. The strongest was an F1 tornado on May 11, 1977. The weather service has also logged 140 hail reports and 141 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Bandera County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 2 hurricanes and 4 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Bandera County. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1886, with winds near 90 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.