Dimmit County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Dimmit County, Texas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 64% of US counties. It ranks 156th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are heat waves, inland flooding and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $6.3 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $730 per resident. Since 1984 it has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2026 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Only 21 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $476,000 on 11 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Dimmit County
- Check that cooling works before summer.
- Know where the nearest cooling center is.
- 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.
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat wave | 94.9 | $3M | ||
| Inland flooding | 19.4 | $1M | ||
| Cold wave | 51.2 | $551K | ||
| Drought | 80.7 | $537K | ||
| Tornado | 28.2 | $250K | ||
| Hurricane | 61.8 | $137K | ||
| Lightning | 39.4 | $87K | ||
| Hail | 22.7 | $46K | ||
| Wildfire | 54.5 | $34K | ||
| Strong wind | 6.4 | $24K | ||
| Ice storm | 26.1 | $14K | ||
| Winter weather | 13.3 | $6K | ||
| Earthquake | 8.7 | $5K | ||
| Landslide | 5.8 | $5 |
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 Dimmit 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 1959
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 134 storm reports in Dimmit County since 1959 and about $2.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on February 25, 1971.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 25, 1971 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 27, 1972 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 17, 1988 | F0 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 17, 2026 | Flood | Palm | $1M |
| Mar 18, 2016 | Lightning | Palm | $500K |
| Sep 28, 2021 | Lightning | Brundage | $250K |
| Jun 23, 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Big Wells | $100K |
| Aug 27, 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Valley Wells | $100K |
| May 21, 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Carrizo Spgs | $100K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 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 1851, 2 hurricanes and 10 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Dimmit County, 5 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Celia (1970), with top winds near 85 mph about 59 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 4, 1970 | Celia | Category 1, 85 mph | 59 mi |
| Aug 19, 1916 | Unnamed | Category 1, 75 mph | 55 mi |
| Aug 10, 1980 | Allen | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 61 mi |
| Sep 15, 1919 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 57 mi |
| Aug 13, 1880 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 60 mi |
| Jul 26, 1934 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 56 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 24, 2008 | Dolly | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 63 mi |
| Jul 16, 2003 | Claudette | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 59 mi |
| Aug 10, 1980 | Allen | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 61 mi |
| Aug 4, 1970 | Celia | Category 1, 85 mph | 59 mi |
| Jun 26, 1954 | Alice | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 57 mi |
| Jul 26, 1934 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 56 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 Dimmit 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 Dimmit 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; 4,023 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Webb County | 21 | |
| Maverick County | 14 | |
| Frio County | 17 | |
| Zavala County | 18 | |
| La Salle County | 17 |
Common questions about Dimmit County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Dimmit County?
Heat wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Dimmit County, about $3.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $1.3 million.
How many federal disasters has Dimmit County had?
Dimmit County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1984, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in September 2026.
Is Dimmit County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 156th 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 Dimmit County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 167 homes in Dimmit 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 Dimmit County had?
NOAA records list 3 tornadoes in Dimmit County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on February 25, 1971. The weather service has also logged 60 hail reports and 48 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Dimmit County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 2 hurricanes and 10 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Dimmit County. The strongest was Hurricane Celia (1970), with winds near 85 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.