Donley County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Donley County, Texas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 73% of US counties. It ranks 178th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are drought, hail and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $6.6 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $2,039 per resident. Since 1970 it has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (8 major disasters). The most recent was in March 2026 (Corner Pocket Fire). Only 5 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 Donley 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.
- 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | 97.9 | $3M | ||
| Hail | 81.7 | $737K | ||
| Tornado | 40.2 | $655K | ||
| Wildfire | 84.5 | $501K | ||
| Inland flooding | 4.2 | $478K | ||
| Strong wind | 46.7 | $376K | ||
| Cold wave | 31.4 | $340K | ||
| Ice storm | 47.7 | $58K | ||
| Winter weather | 51.8 | $52K | ||
| Lightning | 12.2 | $32K | ||
| Heat wave | 16.0 | $31K | ||
| Earthquake | 22.6 | $27K | ||
| Hurricane | 20.5 | $5K | ||
| Landslide | 9.2 | $17 |
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 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 Donley County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 16
Texas also had 106 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1955
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 608 storm reports in Donley County since 1955, with 17 deaths and 48 injuries and about $9.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on April 18, 1970.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 18, 1970 | F4 | – | 42 / 16 |
| Apr 17, 1970 | F4 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 18, 1970 | F4 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 18, 1970 | F4 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 15, 1957 | F3 | – | 1 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 18, 1970 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Jun 11, 1989 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Jun 11, 1989 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| May 3, 2001 | Flash Flood | Clarendon | $260K |
| May 15, 1957 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Mar 13, 2021 | Tornado | Clarendon | $250K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 1, 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 Donley 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 Donley 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; 1,951 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Gray County | 14 | |
| Carson County | 13 | |
| Wheeler County | 12 | |
| Hall County | 16 | |
| Collingsworth County | 12 | |
| Armstrong County | 12 | |
| Briscoe County | 14 |
Common questions about Donley County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Donley County?
Drought has the highest expected yearly losses in Donley County, about $3.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hail is second at $737,179.
How many federal disasters has Donley County had?
Donley County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1970, including 8 major disasters. The most recent was Corner Pocket Fire in March 2026.
Is Donley County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 178th 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 Donley County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 333 homes in Donley 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 Donley County had?
NOAA records list 64 tornadoes in Donley County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on April 18, 1970. The weather service has also logged 407 hail reports and 27 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.