Chambers County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Chambers County, Texas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 52% of US counties. It ranks 133rd of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hurricanes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $30 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $654 per resident. Since 1979 it has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (12 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2024 (Hurricane Beryl). About 1 in 4 homes here carry federal flood insurance (3,453 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $129 million on 2,096 claims here, including $71 million for floods in 2017.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Chambers 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.
- 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.
- 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 47.8 | $11M | ||
| Hurricane | 85.8 | $8M | ||
| Tornado | 75.6 | $6M | ||
| Cold wave | 49.1 | $2M | ||
| Lightning | 74.6 | $1M | ||
| Heat wave | 52.7 | $763K | ||
| Wildfire | 78.8 | $648K | ||
| Drought | 63.4 | $629K | ||
| Coastal flooding | 55.0 | $533K | ||
| Strong wind | 21.6 | $354K | ||
| Ice storm | 56.9 | $208K | ||
| Hail | 28.3 | $197K | ||
| Earthquake | 19.6 | $50K | ||
| Winter weather | 16.2 | $24K | ||
| Landslide | 12.7 | $79 |
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 very high in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Chambers County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 20
Texas also had 106 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1954
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 213 storm reports in Chambers County since 1954, with 6 deaths and 10 injuries and about $83.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on May 27, 1969.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 27, 1969 | F3 | – | 0 / 3 |
| Oct 28, 1974 | F3 | – | 0 / 1 |
| Dec 28, 2024 | EF3 | Oak Island | 1 / 0 |
| Oct 28, 1974 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 5, 1981 | F2 | – | 1 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 19, 2019 | Flash Flood | Lake Anahuac | $80M |
| Nov 17, 2003 | Tornado | Oak Island | $300K |
| Oct 28, 1974 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Jun 5, 1981 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| May 20, 1983 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Sep 2, 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Anahuac | $150K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 17, 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 1863, 24 hurricanes and 28 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Chambers County, 27 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1932, with top winds near 150 mph about 58 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 14, 1932 | Unnamed | Category 4, 150 mph | 58 mi |
| Sep 8, 1900 | Unnamed | Category 4, 140 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 17, 1915 | Unnamed | Category 4, 130 mph | 59 mi |
| Jun 27, 1957 | Audrey | Category 3, 125 mph | 59 mi |
| Sep 24, 2005 | Rita | Category 3, 115 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 18, 1983 | Alicia | Category 3, 115 mph | 59 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 14, 2021 | Nicholas | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 63 mi |
| Sep 17, 2019 | Imelda | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 62 mi |
| Jun 22, 2017 | Cindy | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 63 mi |
| Sep 13, 2008 | Ike | Category 2, 110 mph | 62 mi |
| Aug 5, 2008 | Edouard | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 58 mi |
| Sep 13, 2007 | Humberto | Category 1, 90 mph | 21 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 Chambers 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 Chambers 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; 18,937 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Harris County | 39 | |
| Galveston County | 29 | |
| Jefferson County | 28 | |
| Liberty County | 36 |
Cities in Chambers County
Common questions about Chambers County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Chambers County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Chambers County, about $11 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $7.6 million.
How many federal disasters has Chambers County had?
Chambers County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1979, including 12 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Beryl in July 2024.
Is Chambers County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 133rd 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 Chambers County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 4 homes in Chambers 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 Chambers County had?
NOAA records list 33 tornadoes in Chambers County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on May 27, 1969. The weather service has also logged 53 hail reports and 45 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Chambers County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 24 hurricanes and 28 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Chambers County, including 6 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1932, 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.