Bee County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Bee County, Texas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 63% of US counties. It ranks 96th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $16 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $523 per resident. Since 1967 it has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (11 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2021 (severe winter storms). About 1 in 34 homes here carry federal flood insurance (235 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $1.3 million on 90 claims here, including $503,000 for floods in 2001.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Bee County
- Know your evacuation zone and route before June 1.
- Ask about roof age, shutters and the separate wind or hurricane deductible on your home policy.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | 91.2 | $7M | ||
| Inland flooding | 39.8 | $3M | ||
| Tornado | 64.9 | $1M | ||
| Cold wave | 68.2 | $1M | ||
| Heat wave | 82.1 | $1M | ||
| Drought | 89.6 | $1M | ||
| Strong wind | 43.9 | $326K | ||
| Hail | 55.4 | $230K | ||
| Lightning | 57.6 | $218K | ||
| Wildfire | 61.8 | $68K | ||
| Ice storm | 52.1 | $67K | ||
| Winter weather | 33.0 | $24K | ||
| Earthquake | 11.7 | $8K | ||
| Landslide | 7.5 | $11 |
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 relatively 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 Bee County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 21
Texas also had 106 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1956
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 279 storm reports in Bee County since 1956, with 0 deaths and 6 injuries and about $17 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on April 29, 1976.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 29, 1976 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 17, 1968 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 29, 1963 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 23, 1994 | F1 | Beeville | 5 / 0 |
| Jun 1, 1962 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 23, 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Normanna | $6M |
| Apr 15, 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | $5M |
| Apr 7, 2019 | Tornado | Nas Chase Fld B | $1M |
| Feb 23, 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Blanco | $550K |
| Feb 23, 1994 | Tornado | Beeville | $500K |
| May 25, 2013 | Flash Flood | Pettus | $500K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through May 10, 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, 16 hurricanes and 14 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Bee County, 14 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1886, with top winds near 150 mph about 64 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 20, 1886 | Unnamed | Category 4, 150 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 3, 1970 | Celia | Category 4, 140 mph | 58 mi |
| Aug 26, 2017 | Harvey | Category 4, 130 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 27, 1945 | Unnamed | Category 3, 115 mph | 65 mi |
| Sep 16, 1875 | Unnamed | Category 3, 115 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 30, 1942 | Unnamed | Category 3, 115 mph | 63 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 22, 2020 | Beta | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 26, 2017 | Harvey | Category 4, 130 mph | 63 mi |
| Jun 16, 2015 | Bill | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 7, 2010 | Hermine | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 54 mi |
| Jul 15, 2003 | Claudette | Category 1, 85 mph | 59 mi |
| Sep 11, 1998 | Frances | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 53 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 Bee 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 Bee 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; 10,650 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 |
|---|---|---|
| San Patricio County | 32 | |
| Karnes County | 14 | |
| Live Oak County | 22 | |
| Goliad County | 19 | |
| Refugio County | 26 |
Common questions about Bee County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Bee County?
Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Bee County, about $6.6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $3.4 million.
How many federal disasters has Bee County had?
Bee County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1967, including 11 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storms in February 2021.
Is Bee County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 96th 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 Bee County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 34 homes in Bee 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 Bee County had?
NOAA records list 36 tornadoes in Bee County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on April 29, 1976. The weather service has also logged 86 hail reports and 64 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Bee County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 16 hurricanes and 14 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Bee County, including 6 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1886, with winds near 150 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.