Dallam County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Dallam County, Texas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 51% of US counties. It ranks 135th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are drought, cold waves and inland flooding. FEMA estimates about $14 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $2,013 per resident. Since 1998 it has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (4 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2021 (severe winter storms). 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 Dallam County
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | 99.2 | $8M | ||
| Cold wave | 76.1 | $2M | ||
| Inland flooding | 14.9 | $2M | ||
| Tornado | 36.0 | $608K | ||
| Hail | 71.7 | $516K | ||
| Lightning | 72.0 | $456K | ||
| Strong wind | 44.7 | $402K | ||
| Wildfire | 74.6 | $215K | ||
| Winter weather | 82.8 | $205K | ||
| Earthquake | 34.3 | $90K | ||
| Ice storm | 46.9 | $64K | ||
| Heat wave | 10.0 | $16K | ||
| Landslide | 0.6 | $0 |
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 moderate 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 Dallam County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Texas also had 106 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1958
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 355 storm reports in Dallam County since 1958, with 0 deaths and 3 injuries and about $3.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on May 10, 1972.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 10, 1972 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 19, 1971 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 19, 1971 | F2 | – | 3 / 0 |
| May 10, 1972 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 25, 1996 | F1 | Texline | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 11, 1999 | Hail | Dalhart | $2M |
| Jun 4, 2003 | Hail | Texline | $350K |
| May 10, 1972 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| May 25, 1996 | Tornado | Texline | $200K |
| Jul 5, 2025 | Hail | Ware | $200K |
| Jun 4, 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Texline | $125K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 9, 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 Dallam 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 Dallam 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; 3,052 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Moore County | 13 | |
| Hartley County | 11 | |
| Union County, NM | 5 | |
| Sherman County | 10 | |
| Cimarron County, OK | 16 |
Common questions about Dallam County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Dallam County?
Drought has the highest expected yearly losses in Dallam County, about $7.6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $2.5 million.
How many federal disasters has Dallam County had?
Dallam County has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1998, including 4 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storms in February 2021.
Is Dallam County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 135th 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 Dallam County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 333 homes in Dallam 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 Dallam County had?
NOAA records list 39 tornadoes in Dallam County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on May 10, 1972. The weather service has also logged 228 hail reports and 4 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.