Carson County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Carson County, Texas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 75% of US counties. It ranks 181st of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are drought, tornadoes and hail. FEMA estimates about $11 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,980 per resident. Since 1992 it has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (7 major disasters). The most recent was in December 2021 (North 207 Fire). Only 9 homes here carry federal flood insurance.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Carson County
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
- 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | 97.8 | $6M | ||
| Tornado | 40.8 | $1M | ||
| Hail | 80.0 | $1M | ||
| Wildfire | 86.9 | $1M | ||
| Inland flooding | 3.6 | $761K | ||
| Cold wave | 28.2 | $512K | ||
| Strong wind | 34.6 | $467K | ||
| Winter weather | 60.3 | $124K | ||
| Earthquake | 24.8 | $60K | ||
| Lightning | 12.4 | $58K | ||
| Ice storm | 30.0 | $43K | ||
| Heat wave | 10.4 | $26K | ||
| Landslide | 1.9 | $2 |
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 low and community resilience is relatively high in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Carson County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 13
Texas also had 106 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1951
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 914 storm reports in Carson County since 1951, with 0 deaths and 24 injuries and about $28.6 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on June 27, 1992.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 27, 1992 | F4 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 6, 1951 | F3 | – | 12 / 0 |
| May 29, 2001 | F3 | Panhandle | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 17, 1971 | F3 | – | 2 / 0 |
| Apr 2, 1968 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 27, 1992 | Tornado | – | $25M |
| Jun 19, 2008 | Hail | Pantex | $500K |
| Jun 6, 1951 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Apr 2, 1968 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Apr 30, 1973 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| May 12, 1982 | Tornado | – | $250K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 12, 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.
Flood insurance in Carson 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 Carson 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; 2,810 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Randall County | 16 | |
| Potter County | 18 | |
| Moore County | 13 | |
| Gray County | 14 | |
| Hutchinson County | 17 | |
| Donley County | 16 | |
| Armstrong County | 12 | |
| Roberts County | 12 |
Common questions about Carson County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Carson County?
Drought has the highest expected yearly losses in Carson County, about $5.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1.2 million.
How many federal disasters has Carson County had?
Carson County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1992, including 7 major disasters. The most recent was North 207 Fire in December 2021.
Is Carson County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 181st 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 Carson County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 333 homes in Carson 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 Carson County had?
NOAA records list 92 tornadoes in Carson County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on June 27, 1992. The weather service has also logged 617 hail reports and 25 floods here.
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.