DeWitt County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
DeWitt County, Texas has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 84% of US counties. It ranks 39th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hurricanes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $31 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,584 per resident. Since 1967 it has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (13 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2024 (Hurricane Beryl). About 1 in 42 homes here carry federal flood insurance (200 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $5.9 million on 227 claims here, including $2.4 million for floods in 1998.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in DeWitt 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 | 89.2 | $22M | ||
| Hurricane | 90.3 | $5M | ||
| Tornado | 70.7 | $2M | ||
| Cold wave | 73.2 | $1M | ||
| Heat wave | 66.6 | $473K | ||
| Drought | 72.0 | $357K | ||
| Hail | 67.4 | $303K | ||
| Lightning | 63.0 | $227K | ||
| Strong wind | 34.9 | $211K | ||
| Wildfire | 67.6 | $88K | ||
| Ice storm | 33.3 | $23K | ||
| Winter weather | 35.8 | $23K | ||
| Earthquake | 21.3 | $19K | ||
| Landslide | 17.0 | $48 |
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 relatively low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included DeWitt 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 1958
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 260 storm reports in DeWitt County since 1958, with 0 deaths and 570 injuries and about $26.5 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on April 11, 1969.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 11, 1969 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 16, 1969 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 20, 1996 | F1 | Cuero | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 23, 1978 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 23, 2004 | F1 | Cuero | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 18, 1998 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $6M |
| Apr 15, 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | $6M |
| Apr 15, 1994 | Hail | Countywide | $6M |
| Aug 28, 2017 | Flood | Lindenau | $3M |
| Oct 17, 1998 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $1M |
| Apr 5, 1994 | Hail | Hochheim | $550K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Feb 14, 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, 12 hurricanes and 14 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of DeWitt County, 11 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1886, with top winds near 140 mph about 62 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 20, 1886 | Unnamed | Category 4, 140 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 11, 1961 | Carla | Category 3, 130 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 26, 2017 | Harvey | Category 3, 120 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 30, 1942 | Unnamed | Category 3, 115 mph | 63 mi |
| Jul 15, 1866 | Unnamed | Category 2, 100 mph | 60 mi |
| Sep 17, 1875 | Unnamed | Category 2, 95 mph | 56 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 22, 2020 | Beta | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 26, 2017 | Harvey | Category 3, 120 mph | 63 mi |
| Jun 16, 2015 | Bill | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 63 mi |
| Jul 15, 2003 | Claudette | Category 1, 85 mph | 58 mi |
| Sep 7, 2002 | Fay | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 58 mi |
| Sep 11, 1998 | Frances | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 62 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 DeWitt 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 DeWitt 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; 9,238 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Victoria County | 26 | |
| Lavaca County | 17 | |
| Gonzales County | 20 | |
| Karnes County | 14 | |
| Goliad County | 19 |
Common questions about DeWitt County
What is the biggest natural hazard in DeWitt County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in DeWitt County, about $21.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $4.8 million.
How many federal disasters has DeWitt County had?
DeWitt County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1967, including 13 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Beryl in July 2024.
Is DeWitt County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 39th 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 DeWitt County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 42 homes in DeWitt 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 DeWitt County had?
NOAA records list 15 tornadoes in DeWitt County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on April 11, 1969. The weather service has also logged 64 hail reports and 110 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit DeWitt County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 12 hurricanes and 14 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of DeWitt County, including 4 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1886, with winds near 140 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.