Cottle County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Cottle County, Texas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 88% of US counties. It ranks 208th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are drought, hail and strong wind. FEMA estimates about $3.2 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $2,312 per resident. Since 1990 it has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (10 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2021 (severe winter storms). No 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 Cottle County
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
- Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
- Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
- Secure outdoor furniture and trash bins before storms.
- Have trees near the house checked.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | 97.4 | $2M | ||
| Hail | 59.5 | $218K | ||
| Strong wind | 33.0 | $192K | ||
| Inland flooding | 1.5 | $181K | ||
| Tornado | 17.6 | $112K | ||
| Wildfire | 62.9 | $60K | ||
| Ice storm | 30.0 | $19K | ||
| Heat wave | 12.4 | $15K | ||
| Cold wave | 5.1 | $10K | ||
| Lightning | 4.2 | $8K | ||
| Winter weather | 11.9 | $6K | ||
| Earthquake | 8.4 | $5K | ||
| Hurricane | 17.3 | $3K | ||
| Landslide | 26.4 | $131 |
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 Cottle County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 17
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 370 storm reports in Cottle County since 1954, with 1 death and 14 injuries and about $7 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on June 1, 1954.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1, 1954 | F3 | – | 14 / 1 |
| Apr 22, 2010 | EF3 | Cee Vee | 0 / 0 |
| May 8, 1956 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 31, 1971 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 21, 1966 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1, 1954 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Jun 19, 2008 | Hail | Paducah | $1M |
| May 30, 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Paducah Richards Arp | $500K |
| Sep 20, 2001 | Hail | Paducah | $300K |
| Apr 22, 2010 | Tornado | Cee Vee | $300K |
| Aug 26, 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Paducah | $220K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 5, 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 Cottle 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 Cottle 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; 930 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Childress County | 12 | |
| Hardeman County | 14 | |
| Hall County | 16 | |
| Dickens County | 14 | |
| Foard County | 15 | |
| Motley County | 17 | |
| King County | 15 |
Common questions about Cottle County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Cottle County?
Drought has the highest expected yearly losses in Cottle County, about $2.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hail is second at $217,873.
How many federal disasters has Cottle County had?
Cottle County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1990, including 10 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storms in February 2021.
Is Cottle County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 208th 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 Cottle County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.
How many tornadoes has Cottle County had?
NOAA records list 37 tornadoes in Cottle County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on June 1, 1954. The weather service has also logged 204 hail reports and 6 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.